No, I’m not talking Rembrandt here, although once in a while I channel Carravagio in my compositions. What I’m talking about are the cartooning greats: Gary Larson, Bill Watterson, Scott Adams….recently I’ve been devouring Doonesbury by Gary Trudeau and the late, and extremely great Walt Kelly’s Pogo. “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Were truer words ever spoken in cartoons, let alone real life? For some one who is notorious for only looking at the pictures in art books and not reading the text, I am lovingly absorbing every word in these books, written by and about these cartoonist. One comment made by Walt Kelly that was reported in the book struck a cord with me. On being asked about the 500+ named characters, plus hundreds of un-named characters that appeared in his cartoons, he replied, “Well, I just assume that they have jobs in other cartoons when they are not here.” People sometimes ask where I come up for the ideas for my cartoons. I can now authoritatively say that my characters are really in charge. I am just the person holding the pen.
The panda kindergarten at their best...
Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda
I may be the only one who does not ask where you get your ideas. I know there are way more ideas floating around out there then there are hours to draw them.
For instance, I know there is never a dull moment in the Panda Kindergarten but trying to capture all of those moments is impossible.
Yes, I think you may be correct. You are the only person who has never asked where my ideas come from. Not that that’s a bad thing. It implies an excess of faith in me, and the creative process. I will endeavor not to disappoint that faith. I realize that it also relieves me of the responsibility for the panda kindergarten’s actions. (I can rationalize anything.)
Bob T, I believe your ideas come from your inner panda who’ll never run out of cuppycakes!
Yes, I am so extremely in touch with my inner panda, that I am starting to develop an “outer panda”…must be all those cuppycakes. (can I have some more, pleeeeze?) I’m so pleased to have you as part of the panda kindergarten!
My dad used to read us the funnies when we were kids and Pogo was one of his favorites. We loved it!
I’m reading the first volume of the collected Pogo strips. what’s really amazing is how relevant it still is.