Ferdinand Chicken

I finally finished my first one-page cartoon.

(click to enlarge..)



I'll be sending it to a couple of magazines.

Let's hope someone bites!

All images copyright © Gerhard Cruywagen 2009

Exploring Character..

I'm really starting to explore the possibilities with my two characters - trying to find a balance between good design, cartooniness, fun, and originality. And I have to tell you, once you let go of your intellectual preconceptions, it's really not that difficult. I'm having such fun. Lately I've been inspired by the creative thought processes and ideas of Ralph Bakshi, Tex Avery, Ed Benedict, Ward Kimball, Matt Groening, story artist Warren Foster, and, of course, John Kricfalusi. I've also been very inspired by the idea of creating something that doesn't suck as much as most modern "designy" cartoons, and bad 3D animation movies.

I would really urge anyone in the business of creating cartoons to read this great post by Ralph Bakshi: http://www.animationarchive.org/2007/08/opinion-bakshi-on-2d-vs-3d.html

Children's Book Drawings

Two illustrated children's books that I've done this year:

All images copyright © Gerhard Cruywagen 2008

Die Probleem Met Dinosourusse, Jaco Jacobs

http://www.kalahari.net/books/Die-Probleem-Met-Dinosourusse/632/33624520.aspx

Pasop Vir Die Feetjies, Jaco Jacobs

New Characters..

I started playing around with a couple of cartoon characters the other day. Not really sure what I want to do with them yet. Maybe a cartoon strip. Maybe I'll create an animated cartoon. I'll see.

All images copyright © Gerhard Cruywagen 2008

The one is a rhinoceros. The other is a chicken, i think - or at least some sort of big bird (which strikingly resembles a chicken). I started refining the designs and exploring their facial expressions. More to come soon..