Cranial Transparency
An old friend and I got together for a rare night out early this week. We had a bite at a terrific local pizzeria, followed by a concert. Although it rained all night, the great company, good food, and live music left me feeling warm and happy.
Our musical entertainment was Jonathan Richman, who performed with his frequent collaborator, drummer Tommy Larkins. They played in the lobby of the Andy Warhol Museum, and the experience was delightful. Jonathan and Tommy were barely amplified, and it was a treat to attend a show without needing ear protection. They started at 8:00 PM and ended at 9:10 PM, so I got to sleep at a reasonable hour.
The downside of the night was losing a credit card somewhere along the way, but I was able to lock the card and arrange for a new one to be issued, with no weird charges showing up. Not even the knowledge that I’d soon be updating a bunch of automatic payments could befoul my joyful mood.
There’s nothing like live music, which, as my good friend Tim says, improves the human condition.
The next day, I jumped into my work with renewed energy, and wrote the blog post that now awaits your eyeballs.
In addition to the bloggery, I wrote and drew a sextet of cartoons featuring medical imaging, an aquarium, a board game, farmland, and a tax audit.
Looking Ahead & Looking Back
This is what a Bizarro character’s MRI looks like.
Our unearthed artifact for today is a 1998 “Itchy Acres” page from the fondly remembered Nickelodeon Magazine. That texture in the background at Terwilliger’s home is a wallpaper swatch scanned from a sample book that a hardware store was throwing away.
Reader Q & A
Ric B. asks:
Just wondering if you have any “rituals” that you follow when setting up cartoon, like lots of coffee, position of the chair, music background, ambient room temperature, time of day?
I firmly believe that the structure of normal daily habits is necessary for consistently producing work year after year.
Every morning, I have breakfast with my spouse, which includes an espresso or two (or more). I read the New York Times (print) and the Guardian (online), and do the Times crossword, Wordle, and Spelling Bee puzzles (sometimes, a single word can be the seed of a cartoon idea).
I maintain fairly regular work hours and have a dedicated workspace, but I occasionally step away from it. A change of scenery can refresh a tired brain. Sometimes, I’ll take my sketchbook to a coffee shop to do some writing.
I almost always carry the sketchbook or have it nearby, and will jot down words, phrases, or tiny thumbnail sketches that might be developed into usable gags. I usually write and sketch out a batch of gags one day a week.
I love music, but when I’m writing and sketching, most music distracts me, so I’ll listen to white noise or very minimalist music at a low volume. I recently learned about Éliane Radigue, a French composer whose music is perfect for writing days.
If I’m writing at a coffee shop, I’m able to tune out all of the overlapping sounds, and occasionally overhear something to fit into a gag.
A different part of the brain is at work when drawing, and I can listen to any music I want while making art. Using physical media helps me stay on task. I’ll try not to move away from the drawing board to check email for the length of a CD or an LP side.
Thanks for asking, Ric!
Questions of any type are encouraged. Drop one in the comments or send a message to WaynoCartoons(at)gmail(dotcom).
The Devil is in the Details
Sharp-eyed horror comics aficionados may have spotted an Easter egg in Saturday’s panel. It’s a tiny tribute to 1950s EC Comics artist Graham Ingels, who often signed his work as “Ghastly” Graham Ingels.
Encore!
Here’s a much younger Jonathan Richman performing one of the songs he played this week, which included audience participation. Enjoy.
Thus ends another Substack communiqué from the Little Shop of Humor in Hollywood Gardens, PA. See you next week.
Your cartoon pal,
Wayno
Very much enjoyed your answer to Ric.B. It's always interesting to hear how various artists and creatives go about their weeks and days. And the video you shared was Awesome. Thanks.
Great stuff, thank you!
Please keep it up -