Duh-nce Day

"You don't know, what you don't know." Myself, like many others, thought that a "dunce" was a derogatory term for a person that lacked intellect. Well, today is all about learning as we celebrate "Dunce Day", the term "Dunce" and "Dunce Caps". So, lets get right to it and learn about it's creator.

Today marks the death (November 8, 1308) Bl. John Duns Scotus of Duns, Scotland who was a medieval scholar and is generally reckoned to be one of the three most important philosopher-theologians of the High Middle Ages. Scotus has had considerable influence on both Catholic and secular thought, developing a complex argument for the existence of God, and argued for the Immaculate conception of Mary. Perceptions of his views ranged from brilliant to less than complimentary.

Medieval thought was that cone shaped hats increased learning potential, and Bl. John Duns Scotus believed that knowledge would flow from the point of the cap, down and into the head of the wearer, making that person smarter. Scholar critics of his work derived the term "dunce" from his name and place of birth. Thus the term Duns Cap, or "Dunce Cap".

But despite the derogatory use of the term today, there was a positive side to Scotus' use of dunce caps. It motivated the wearer to learn more, and to eventually be rid of the the cap. So put on a Dunce Cap today while you learn and draw this fun character. And remember that if anyone calls you a "dunce", take that as a compliment. Have a very smart and educational Dunce Day!

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

Cartooning Isn't All Funny Business

Time x Talent = Rate. Below is a great image I found not too long ago that sums up what most clients want, versus what they are willing to pay for. And to that naiveté, most clients overlook the many factors that go into the pricing for a comic strip. So the purpose of this post is to take clients, "Behind-the-Scenes"...

What many see as an esthetically pleasing collaboration of lines with a funny punch line may appear like it took minutes to create. However, the speed of its creation from concept to completion is far from a few minutes. In fact it may have taken a lifetime. Just like cooking, singing, or solving a mathematical equation may seem second-nature to you, it's probably taken a good portion of your life to become proficient at doing those things. It likely didn't happen overnight.

Discussing: Look Into My Crystal Ball
As a client, you want funny, but you may also want the comic strip to reflect your company's niche and viewpoints, targeting a specific demographic while still being sensitive to the feelings of others. Figuring out what a client wants may require a significant amount of time to understand, because they assume that you already "know" all this. As a cartoonist, we are required to be many things, and one happens to be a mind-reader (and this isn't that far from the truth!) From only a few brief discussions or emails, we must quickly catch on to exactly what the client wants. Most of the time, I'm presented with a theme, dialogue and the basic idea. And sometimes, what the client wants may not be the best option. Therefore, EXPERIENCE, is one of the factors that are built into pricing. Clients may need to see both options illustrated in order to themselves ‘see’ the benefits and shortcomings of either. In this case I present them with alternatives to consider with my suggestions.

Writing: Finding Funny 
One of my clients is a CPA, and another is a Real Estate Attorney. Try finding the "funny" in that business! But the nature of a client's niche needs to be fully understood in order to find the humor in situations which are generally only known by those in that profession. This is where I rely on my client to carefully explain to me their concept for their comic strip. Now some of my clients choose to write their own comedic material, and if you also have this inherent "funny-bone" where ideas come to mind quickly and easily, time and effort can be considerably cut down because then I can do what I do best; bring your vision to life and ILLUSTRATE IT!

Drawing: Where the Stylus Touches the Tablet
Art appreciation is broad and subjective. So how are cartoonists to know a client's tastes? Before discussions begin, clients are given a homework assignment; review my portfolio, style, and diversity of capabilities. For some clients, they know right away. For others, this process can take time and effort for a client to visualize their project through the cartoonists sketches. This is very normal, and most comic strip projects will go through various stages of drafts and revisions, which again needs to be factored into any pricing structure. The time one spends on any project must be taken into consideration. As with any trade, labor costs as well as parts make up the final fee. With art it's no different. The ‘time’ a cartoonist spends thinking about, researching, and sketching must be considered and given proper credit, in addition to, the beautifully executed final presentation.

Considering Your Own eComicStrip?
Art is indeed a gifted talent, but it takes practice and a considerable amount of ‘learned’ skill to be proficient enough to meet the needs of a commercial market. Digital art and the technical know-how takes time, skill, apprenticeship whether one self-teaches or studies via a college, university etc. The pricing includes the skill and knowledge of the artist, much like any other profession. This process of ‘concept to creation' can take hours, days, or even weeks, but it certainly never takes seconds. As with all my clients, it is important to know your budget and I will always try to work within that to deliver a product that you are happy with. I hope that this post helps you to better understand the steps that occur even before my pencil hits the paper. The process starts long before that stage was reached and you are paying for a substantial amount of talent and skill.

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

Look for Circles Day

They come in all shapes and sizes are all "around" us. We use them when exercising, solving mathematical problems, and designing artwork. Today we celebrate, "Look For Circles Day".

I could bore you with mathematical, geometrical and scientific explanations, but instead, your simple task is to open your eyes today and become aware of how many circles surround you. We suspect you will find them everywhere.

Here is another fun way to celebrate "Look for Circles Day"- DRAW! Circles are used all throughout this fun dragon cartoon. How many can you find? And, we hope that your search makes you very happy!

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

Frankenstein Friday

There's Freaky Friday, Friday the 13th, and TGI Fridays. But TODAY we celebrate...
Frankenstein Friday!
Frankenstein Friday is recognized on the last Friday in October and celebrates the birth of Frankenstein and its creator. One of the best known horror characters, Frankenstein dates back to his birth in 1818 when Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley, at the age of 21, wrote the story "Frankenstein". We can't imagine the Halloween season today without the presence of Frankenstein, lurking somewhere in the darkness.

To celebrate this day, you can watch a Frankenstein movie, read the novel, or...
COLOR THIS PICTURE!

Frankenstein likes to party too... just WITHOUT the candles!

This special day was created by Ron MacCloskey from Westfield, New Jersey in 1997. But Ron's interest in Frankenstein comes as no surprise because his hometown of Westfield, NJ is also the hometown of Charles Addams, the New York Times magazine cartoonist who created The Addams Family. Ron picked Friday to celebrate this day for the "FR" connection, and because more people can party on Friday than on any other night of the week. Just don't bring the candle flame too close to ol' Franky!

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

Marketing Macabre

Macabre. Synonyms: appalling, atrocious, awful, dreadful, frightful, ghastly, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrendous, horrid, horrific, horrifying, lurid, horrible, monstrous, nightmare, nightmarish, shocking, terrible. So what's KILLING your marketing? You produce great content for your newsletter or blog, but can't get customers to read it, let alone open it.

Well, one fun way to get your emails opened and your offers responded to is with cartoons! Yes, CARTOONS! Almost everyone will take a few seconds out of their day to read a comic strip or look at a funny picture. And a few seconds is all you need to grab their attention!

No matter what your business or industry, think outside the box for a minute and do what everyone else isn't. Did you know that there is a wealth of bizarre, unique, and otherwise special holidays every day of the year? Today, for instance, is "TV Talk Show Host Day".

Now combine this "unique holiday" with a "special offer". One of the number one rules in marketing is stay in front of your prospects. They will buy when they are ready. So even if they aren't ready for your product or service today, you're likely to at least get a laugh. And a laugh means they like you. And if they like you, they are more likely to buy from you at some point.

Now, once you have catered your marketing to incorporate a bizarre holiday, you can visually grab the reader's attention with a uniquely creative cartoon. At VoogDesigns, we produce high quality custom cartoons, comic strips and caricatures for clients like you, that are designed to BRING LIFE BACK to your marketing.

P.S. What's MORE important than 10,000 twitter followers and 500 facebook friends? Send us an email to discuss a marketing strategy for your business, and we'll send you back this MOST IMPORTANT piece of information. You'll never bore your customers again. Get your emails read and your offers opened using our custom cartoons, comic strips and caricatures. In fact, rather than deleting your emails, they'll be waiting to get the next one!

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

Draw In Your Audience With A Comic Strip

Just like public speakers begin their seminars with a joke to get the attention of their audience, using comic strips can help brand your marketing and drive home important messages. Although surprisingly inexpensive to acquire, humor can be one of your most powerful marketing tools.

Humor puts your readers at ease. Readers appreciate a touch of humor in an otherwise overly serious world. Humor operates on an emotional level, driving home your message in a far more memorable way than words alone. Humor makes sensitive topics more approachable while summarizing and reinforcing points that would otherwise be lost.

Why does this make comic strips perfect for print communications? Because readers will typically check them out before reading the adjacent articles. More importantly, comic strips communicate at a glance. A comic strip can attract your reader’s attention and drive home an important point in a memorable way.

Humor also adds a visual dimension to your marketing, differentiating your message from your competitor’s. Comic strips encourage readers to look at topics they might otherwise skip.

Where do you get custom created comic strips that market your message? If you see a comic strip you like on a blog or website, write the cartoonist in care of the publication and ask about availability and pricing. If there is a particular cartoonist whose style you like, contact the cartoonist about a custom comic strip. This has worked very well for Bruce Sallan and he owns total rights to use the comic strip as he wishes.

Comic strips are great for the home page of your website, newsletters, training materials and presentation visuals. In each case, the unexpectedness of a comic strip immediately captures your audience or reader’s attention and visually reinforces your message.

Using humor in the form of comic strips is a powerful way to brand your marketing and drive home important messages to your prospects and clients. Not only are comic strips fun, it’s easy to get started and they work like magic to increase sales and attract brand new clients. Contact VoogDesigns@gmail.com for a creative consultation to discuss your custom comic strip today.

"Toon"Into VoogDesigns by Email

VoogDesigns Volunteers

I believe that the gifts we are blessed with are meant to be shared.
Beginning on September 30th, VoogDesigns will be volunteering their time every Friday at Saint Augustine Academy in Ventura, CA to offer a 45 minute class that will explore the following subjects to students of all grade levels that are interested in: Cartoons, Animation, Caricatures, Illustration and Comic Strips.

When You Were A Kid

As parents, we are often asked the most inquisitive and innocent questions by our children. For me, my daughter often asks the question,  

"Dad, when you were a kid, what was your favorite ________ ?"

Well, tonight I gave my daughter the answer to the question, "What were my favorite cartoons when I was a kid." We sat down in front of our computer and after hearing theme songs of Saturday mornings past and viewing iconic images of my boyhood, one cartoon stood out from all the others.

Listen to the energetic theme song as the crisp action is perfectly timed to the beat. Look for the strong and dramatic anatomical poses during each character's introduction and a collage of the cast so nicely composed within the television frame. And finally the harmonious pacing of quick and slow movements, camera angles and perspectives.

The childhood cartoon that I deemed my favorite was, ThunderCats!

Strike a Pose

Whenever you are developing your character, it is always a good practice to draw your character in various positions. Try to capture them in different attitudes by focusing on strong silhouettes in their poses like this Lil' Ninja is showing us.

How Do I Look?

Before leaving the house, most of us will take a quick look in the mirror to make sure we aren't missing anything. The same is true for the characters we create. A great exercise when you are creating new characters is to do what is called a "turn-around".

Start by drawing your character in an interesting pose. Now imagine that your character is a statue on a rotating platform that you can turn around. What would your character look like from the front? The sides? The Back? How well do you know your character so you can draw them in poses you rarely use? Try it. And if you are having a difficult time drawing the backside, take a little more time to think about the smallest details of your creation so that you aren't missing anything.

Personality

One secret to creating animated characters that are so believable can be found in the lyrics of the old Lloyd Price song, "Personality."

♫ Cause you've got (personality). Walk (with personality). Talk (with personality). Smile (with personality). Charm (with personality). Love (with personality). An' plus you got a great big heart. ♫

Keep this in mind while roughing out your scene, and your drawings will come to life!

Creative Space

When I am assigned a project, I always ask the client what design style they are looking for. Disney looks different than Looney Tunes, which looks different than Nickelodeon. Some of my most favorite projects are the ones in which a client allows me the creative freedom to take their idea and adapt it to my particular style of drawing. On the left is a drawing of their concept character, and on the right is my design.

Furry Friends

My daughter loves the movie Cats & Dogs. And although I have always grown up with canine companions, I'm told that they can coexist. Hey, I've seen stranger pairs on AFV!

This is a concept sketch of a logo I was designing for a local pet store, which was not used. However, I always attempt to make my drawings esthetically pleasing to look at, and of course with pets, I was going for "cute".

Deutscher Hund

Inspiration can be found anywhere, and it just so happens that I found some while visiting my in-laws in Germany.

 

Here are some cartoons of their dog, Benny. He is a very timid shepherd, but loves sure his walks in the snow.