Behind the Scenes - Roughs

This is the rough which I traced, inked, then scanned into the computer to be copied into
7 of this 8 panel Sunday strip.

* click image to enlarge.


The finished cartoon below is what is called in the cartooning industry a "wallpaper gag"... That
is, just like a wallpaper pattern it uses a repeated drawing throughout the cartoon but changes
one panel to create the gag.

 I love these types of gags, as you only have to draw two panels (I'm into saving time.)



With most of my strips the pencil rough is drawn directly onto the finished paper then inked
over and finally rubbed out before scanning.  

 Sometimes as in these sample roughs below I explore a couple of poses on separate pieces of paper.
(Check out Ding's extra leg.)

If the pencil rough is not drawn well enough I go over it again with a blue brush pen.
Sometimes I use a fine felt tip pen instead of a pencil.




Thumbnail Roughs

These two roughs below are the quick scribbles I do to visualise a gag once the idea has been
written. These 'Thumbnail roughs also become the complete guide for the layout and
composition of the finished strip.

 Because the scribbles are done so quickly they often have a lot of life and capture a
characters expression better than the more carefully drawn finished cartoon.









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