The 'Daily Sketch' [6]

A QUICK SCROLL through this site will attest that the content of the material I place on here is in a state of constantly-changing flux: recently there has been a shift towards more 'satirical' output, and although I loved doing this stuff, I have decided to pare back the screening of further satirical drawings: or at the very least, I have chosen to shelve it for the forseeable future...I may well release more of  this work in future, we will see.


It is not a case of the material being too weak: on the contrary, I am more concerned about it being too strong to exhibit publicly, ---believe me, there is quite a stack of these unseen cartoons and I would love to show them-------but fear not, there is an abundance of alternative cartoons for me to place on here.


The vast majority of the material I place on here originates from me soley: I can 'do' characters originated by others, and although this approach has never  especially attracted me in quite the same way, a good character is a good character, period:  which is usually a joy for any cartoonist to work on.


Here we see a more updated version of one of the very earliest characters I got paid for drawing by Scottish Publisher  D C Thomson:  my early works were largely accepted by the Editor, who, looking back, clearly took into account my inexperience and shortcomings at that early period of drawing-skill .


One of the very first characters I drew there was aggressive supporting character GRIZZLY GUS,  a very-well designed heavy from the long-running The Three Bears strip, a very good character,   in my long-term view. I took a stack of very early inkings in, and I remember asking the Editor:



Have I made Gus accurate-enough looking?




---Hmmm...your version is OK but he needs to look a bit burlier.




I am often criticized by other cartoonists for just storming ahead, drawing whatever I want , regardless of the consequences---and yes, there is some truth in this observation...however I do remember the Beano-writers' criticism from the mid-80s, and I do hope I have made amends here, in light of getting Gus to look a bit like his burlier on-page persona.....



I am reasonable at identifying the majority of BEANO characters from my youth, however here I have to come clean and admit that I never did find out the name of Gus' son, as he is seen here.







PLATE ONE:   Finished composite/just drawn in 10 cent biro pen for speed 



PLATE TWO:     Close-up of the head, in all it's savage Glory.




GRIZZLY GUS character Copyright of D C Thomson and Co Ltd 2015:







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