Newsletter: What Kate Doesn't Like About My Cartoons + Stuff I Like + Cartoons
Newsletter #20
Kate's Complaint
As you probably know, many of my cartoons are about my family. So what do my kids think about seeing themselves as cartoon characters? They like it. But Kate does have one complaint.
She doesn't like the clothing I draw for her.
Cartoon Kate tends to wear simple items, like this:
Real-life Kate does not approve of these looks. I'll show her a cartoon and she'll say, "That's funny, but I would NEVER wear that outfit!"
I'm like, "What am I supposed to do, Kate? Sit there and spend half a day designing something trendy for your cartoon character to wear?"
"YES!" she exclaimed. "Exactly!"
Sigh. It's not like I haven't tried. There have been times I've attempted to get a bit more creative with Cartoon Kate's wardrobe.
But honestly, I can't be bothered with fashion in my cartoons. I'm especially lazy when it comes to drawing shoes. Just look.
There are no laces, no elements of style or decoration. Just a blob of a shoe. Who would walk into a shoe store, see these, and think, "YES, I must own those."
I was about to write "no one in real life wears shoes like this," but then I realized I WEAR THEM.
These are technically socks, with a reinforced sole. I think maybe I got them free on an airplane? I don't know. Regardless, it looks like I'm becoming my cartoon self. Oh brother.
Hmm... maybe I should get a pair for Kate, too. Along with some shapeless pants and a long-sleeved, boxy shirt. I think it's time for her to fully embrace Cartoon Kate. I'm sure she'll love this idea.
Things I've Been Enjoying
Looking for some good books, music or TV? Here are some things I've enjoyed lately. Reply to this email if you have any suggestions for me!
1. Schitt's Creek on Netflix. A funny show, three seasons (and they're working on the 4th season now). We really like it.
2. The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series by Sue Grafton. I totally enjoy this series and I've been re-reading some of the books this summer.
3. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. A hilarious, heartwarming book. I'm re-reading it this summer and loving it.
4. Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. A fun, fast read. Enjoyed it.
5. I like these three playlists on Spotify. If you use Spotify, you can search for them and then follow them. The playlists are called:
Happier 911 Songs
The Songs of Summer 1962 - 2017 by NPR Music
Roséwave: Your Summer Soundtrack by NPR Music
(Once you search for a playlist and find it, tap the "follow" button, and it will appear on your personal collection of playlists.)
Cartoons
In the past two weeks we've covered summer fails, speed limits, life coming full circle, and more. If you missed any, head over to my website to check them out!
The most popular cartoon in the past two weeks was this one I did in collaboration with Stephanie from Six Pack Mom. This was based on one of her many funny tweets.
Ahhh... we humans are funny, aren't we?
I also wanted to show you something I did with this "social situations" cartoon. A few days after I posted it I decided to change the title. Here it is with the first title, about social "Don'ts."
Later in the week, I posted it somewhere else and I changed the title and the approach. I actually think the cartoon is funnier this way -- when these situations are presented as something you SHOULD do.
This is a good example of how you can take the same basic idea and execute it in a few different ways. I think about this kind of thing a lot when I'm creating the cartoons. How can I make this as funny as possible? With this cartoon, I think I got it right on the second try.
Hedger Corp Update
Hedger Corp is returning after a short break! Watch for a story about Derek's unusual therapy session. Coming next weekend...
Enjoy the Cartoons?
My Hedger Humor cartoons are supported by you! People are pledging $1 or more per month over on my Patreon page. I send out behind-the-scenes information to patrons, and different rewards for different levels. THANK YOU to all those who support my work!
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