The Importance of Play
Perhaps dogs are on my mind because I saw a story that the Bidens got a new puppy. I am so jealous! We are not with dog at the moment, but that will change—we’ve always had a dog, except maybe for one year. Comander, Joe and Jill’s dog, is the picture of enthusiasm and happiness. That’s what dogs are, and love.
I drew these dogs with a brush this afternoon, just playing around. They are my default thing to draw, often when I put pen (or brush or penci) to paper, a dog emerges. Sometimes I use a brush when I am trying to loosen up and just play. It’s important to remember to play, no matter what you do. But in cartooning it is essential; the best ideas come from playing, experimenting. At least at first; later, if you are trying to create an actual cartoon, you have to do some crafting of the idea/caption so that others can understand what you are trying to communicate.
At this point in my career, I am trying to get back to drawing more like the man whose drawings inspired me, James Thurber. I can’t publish his work here, it’s a copyright thing, but you can google him and you’ll know who he is. He was also a humorous writer for The New Yorker (Walter Mitty, The Night The Bed Fell) as well as a cartoonist. He loved to draw dogs. I used to trace his drawings when I was a little girl and that’s how I started.
The lines in a drawing can communicate so much. Not only just the actual thing they are depicting, if they are depicting anything at all, but often there is energy in a line and when drawn with feeling. The viewer can sense the feeling as well just in the line itself. Don’t always acheive it, but that’s what I try to do when I am focused and not distracted.
Here’s to play in all that you do. Be like a dog.