On Becoming A Cartoonist

Someone once told me there are two things to consider when thinking of becoming a cartoonist: 1. You must be funny and 2 You must know how to draw.

Though the jury is still out whether I am funny, I know for a fact that I cannot draw a straight line. So I felt certainly given the advice I was given, no matter how many funny concepts and concepts I'd written, I would probably never be a contender. Then I met the late Marc Cohen online, a close friend of Peanut's creator Charles Schulz who advised me that many cartoons were done by teams of artists and writers. As I researched this even further, this was confirmed by top single-panel syndicated cartoonists Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), Leigh Rubin (Rubes) and John McPherson (Close To Home). Oddly enough, it was the bigger cartoonists, the one's who were "superstars" who spent their generous time talking to me about the business. By the time I finished learning from them, my confidence was up. That was April of 1997.

I won't bore you with too many of the details of my beginnings. Let's just say it was not a piece of cake.

The secret is simply to learn, research, and act. Keep working. If you draw, draw your cartoons. Send them out. Post them on the net. Let trade magazines know you exist. Blog. Do article marketing. Do everything you can. You will succeed if you don't give up. You will be one of the 1% or so who does.

No neon light went on that said, "You've made it. Artists will start seeking you out now. They simply did. It was a process. It was slow. But it happened.

I can draw but not well. I wanted a well-drawn cartoon. I found artists who were good at that. Many are still with me. You can do it too if you don't mind some rejection at the start.

Not all cartoons are meant to be funny. However, if you are billing your cartoon as a funny one, I might suggest you either be funny, or have a funny ghost writer.

From my main cartoon site I have given birth to a superstore, Londons Times Superstore with over 70.000 gifts in 23 different categories, even my own private label coffees, Ruth Londons Exquisite Coffees that come in gift boxes with cartoon mugs and coasters (none other like it anywhere). I also launched my own offbeat cartoon designer clothes (again a first) with Rick Londonwear. And I'm planning other stores as well. There is always something new to learn.

So what do you have to do to become a cartoonist? First get organized. Have a plan. If you are like me, a writer, and not an artist, you *must* believe in your humor. If you don't, it will suffer and so will those who have to view it.

Rejection is a part of the game. This is not for the weak of heart. But remember, some of the greatest writers of our times experienced rejection, a lot of it; such as Margaret Mitchell, Isaac Asimov, John Grisham and many others. Even Charles Schulz and Gary Larson (and of course yours truly, me)

When I started Londons Times Cartoons I could not afford a private domain so I put it up on a free web host with more pop-up ads than images. I was ridiculed in my community incessantly. It was brutal. I persisted. I learned that was the key as much as talent if not more so.

If you have been a starving artist or writer for seven years, you know what to expect. It is not fun, but it is familiar. Suddenly success comes and you don't know how to act. My advice, don't buy a new red Mercedes convertible just yet. But be prepared. If you've put in the legwork and laid the foundation, you may just be one of the 1% or so who "make it".

Charles Schultz and the other early pre-Internet pioneers are the true heroes. They had to work 1000 times harder than we do.

The English language is gold to a cartoonist. If you know what to do with words and phrases, you've jumped the highest hoop. If you don't, you can learn. Info is all over the Internet.

The Internet has virtually (no pun intended) leveled the playing field for anyone with the least bit of creativity who wants to express it.

To me, cartooning and journalism is watching the U.S. Constitution in action. Nothing could be more pure than this sort of freedom of expression by the people. Our founding fathers were beyond brilliant, don't you think? Whatever your goals, I wish you the best of luck and a prosperous New Year.

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4.5 million visitors click on Londons Times Cartoons by Rick London each year at offbeat cartoonsand his new unique comic merchandise gift shop, Londons Times Superstore, and new designer clothing line store Rick Londonwear. He launched his venture in an old warehouse in Ms. in 1997.

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