WolfieToons by Dave Wolfe

WolfieToons by Dave Wolfe

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Pardon Me, Your Process Is Showing

In the previous post, an Unnamed Source (it might have been A. Nonny Mouse, but I can't be sure) wanted to know how WolfieToons are born.




Getting the ideas is a deliberately conscious process, derived from a joyous lifetime consumption of comedians, cartoons, comics, humorous friends and relations, and being a Wisenheimer In General.  

When I was working to a deadline, current holidays and seasons might suggest something.  Many more ideas get tossed than used;  it's kinda like digging through coal for diamonds.  Well, come to think of it, very few of my finished cartoons are actually gems, anyway.



So, with some idear in mind, I start sketching and looking at photo references, trying to get the best staging for the gag, something cute and sexy that maybe I haven't already done a bunch of times.  I "build up" the characters from basic shapes.  It can be frustrating.  I erase a lot more now than when I used to be able to steal typing paper from work.




I start out with a fairly complete pencil drawing.  Other cartoonists are looser, doing most of their real drawing while inking, but they have more confidence than I.  I prefer to know exactly where I'm going.  

After the pencil, I ink, usually with pens, then scan, do any clean-up, and letter and color on the computer.  Here are examples!





Speaking of paddles, I had to adjust the staging for "The Wolfie Board" to make it clear what was going on!




As Larken would say, "YIKES!!"  

Looking at that one again, I'm not sure if it's really funny or really disturbing.  Maybe disturbingly funny?

Sometimes, like a lot of Engineers I've worked with, I keep fixing stuff that's not broken until it is.

For example, I decided to abscond with Dan DeCarlo's "Hillbilly" joke about the Daisy Mae-type gal wanting a spanking from the handsome, hunky, young Li'l Abner-type guy nearby instead of the long-bearded ol' codger on whose lap she was already perched.  

This "borrow" was going to be all right because it would be changed to a Police Scene, and I'd make it an "homage" to Dan's "Josie" comic book covers.  

At first, our Cat-Suited Burglar was facing the audience;  then I thought maybe I should better mimic the staging of Dan's "Hillbilly" cartoon, and turn her around to show you her fanny head-on.





--and then two things went wrong.   

First, the editor of "Discipline & Desire" said our Website Host, for Zeus knows what reason, was cracking down on bare bottoms (attempted pun) and asked me not to do any.  This made me spitefully determined to depict denuded derrieres, but in a way as to comply with Ye Ed's wishes and not have our Web Host throw "D&D" out on its ass.  

Secondly, and just as inexplicably, I decided to try a different cartoon style instead of an attempted aping of DeCarlo.




The result was a weaker set-up, and lost any humorous reference to Dan.  The final result was not bad, but not as good as what I started, in my questionable judgment.  



As you see, I relented.  A naked side view of her little butt without cleavage would have gotten by, but it seemed that having her revealed pink panties was funnier and/or sexier, anyway. 

Well, most times the changes along the way are for the better:





The Halloween 'toon below was pretty straight-forward.  My spanker is a caricature crash between Vincent Price and John Carradine, with Peter Cushing as an innocent bystander.



 




During the inking, I decided that leaving the lower shelves in black would help her sly face, and the somewhat subtle soapy symbolism gag stand out better.  I also took the time to put in extra background gags, à la "MAD" cartoonist Will Elder's "chicken fat" method! 

 Maybe it was a Poe attempt.

(Ba-DOOM, Ching!)


So here's a "blog re-run" of WolfieToon Progress, to wrap!

A fairly tight pencil:



Inked: 





Scanned and lettered:





Some Color and stuff, and, Viola!  

No, that's a little fiddle.  

And Voilà!  She's "Getting the Message!"





Thanks for giving me another chance to show off!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled InterWebs browsing, already impeding Progress.


16 comments:

  1. This was so fascinating to go through... thank you for sharing your process :)

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    1. I'm very happy you found it so, Fondles, thank you! I always enjoy seeing others' "behind the scenes" things, myself!

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  2. Thank you. I really appreciate your drawings especially how you capture the feeling of a scene. Nice job.

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    1. You're welcome, and thank you! Are you the same Anonymous who had prompted this post? (Nobody has bought charges so far, we're all right!) I do try hard to convey the emotions and make these appealing!

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  3. "...very few of my finished cartoons are actually gems, anyway."

    WHAT?! All anyone has to do is page through the archives, even just a little bit, to see what a brilliant humorist and cartoonist you are. Hrumph.

    Your adoring fan,
    Larken

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    1. Why, thank you most adorable one! That means a lot, and I am touched!

      Especially on Hrumph Day!

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  4. What a great job and such a nice explanation, Dave... Thanks for sharing those grafic secrets... It gives me some ideas to present the way I draw too

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    1. Thanks, Stan! Yes, I'll eagerly look forward to seeing your presentation!

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  5. Dear Wolfie: that was a fabulous post, and I left it until now to read, when I had time to enjoy it in all it's magnificence. So much effort is needed to create the art that you create. I am in awe of your work.
    Do keep up the wonderful posts, and re-post your older art that many people have never seen before.
    When this pandemic has lessened, and people can travel, it would be wonderful to meet for a beer or dinner.
    Hope you and the entire family and friends are safe.
    PS: i know why my comments never appeared when cruising for your blog. The Ipad is small, and I probably always clicked on sign out, thinking it was notify me.
    bottoms up
    Red

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    1. Why, thank you very much, Red!

      I figured there might be people peeking in who hadn't seen some of my older cartoons, although it might bore others. It's certainly easier for me! Ha! I do have another new one in the works, coming soon!

      And you are very kind! Yes, all my loved ones re doing well, and I certainly hope yours are, too!

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  6. Hello, wonderful artwork! Do you do commission work for people? If so, lets talk.

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    1. Howdy. Cowboy! Thank you, I'm glad you enjoy it. I sometimes have done commissions, depending on the nature of the project.

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    2. I'm not sure our take on TTWD coincides, though!

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    3. What I have in mind is sort of a reversing the roles in your drawings. We are a FLR, DD household. Could you draw a female administering a spanking to a male in a domestic setting? If possible, and if I supply photos of us, could you characterize the drawing with our looks. Not sure what you mean by TTWD, but I am aware there are costs for such a drawing. Your thoughts?

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    4. My thoughts are to rejoice in your relationship, in its exciting, fun love, and wish you all the best! But the proposed drawing really isn't something I'd be interested in doing.
      Oh, the humorous abbreviation "TTWD" is for "That Thing We Do."

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