For about the first three (3) years of my weekly cartoon contributions to Gympie Times (April, 1982 until maybe April,1985) my original art was inconsistently sized -from A4 to A3 and in between, to fit the action or subject drawn. Those patient compositors regularly re-arranged the page to suit until I disciplined myself to produce every cartoon in standard A4 dimensions. This is where I begin this record of my work because it was only from that point that I scanned them in A4. Those were the days before the digital phone camera, as I recall.
So, at this late date, I begin to systematically upload those originals (mostly) by scanning them to my computer storage and to my Blog. It will take time and there is a reducing (Yes!) number of hours available for the task in these, my retirement years. The earlier, odd sized cartoons still await photography before they can be uploaded. If there is time, why not do that as well?
Come along for the ride (I'll be reminiscing) comment if you feel so moved, and as we progress I will try to add info related to the cartoons and circumstances of the times as I remember them.
April 13, 1985
My drawings at that stage were drawn as pencil sketch, overlayed in black ink with a fine pointed brush, text and signature drawn with felt pen. NB. My signature then drew a dove using the letters of my surname. I changed that a bit farther down the road 'cause I doubted how many deciphered it. Notice that this drawing was not signed - clean forgot!
April 20, 1985: This depicted our Qld Premier of the day, Jo Bjelke Petersen, defending his castle from a significant "uprising" of the Unions at the time.
27 April, 1985 A visit from a Royal pair matched a current conflict between Mayor Venardos and Chairman of the neighbouring Widgee shire over Gympie's use of Widgee's amenities, here listed by Chairman
Adrian McClintock NB. This may have been the starting point of my switch to Felt Pens to replace the more time-consuming brush. Also caught short for this one with no cartridge paper at hand, Typing paper substituted (thin enough to expose the pencilled date on reverse).
4 May, 1985 Mayor, Mick Venardos and Councillors took my jibes in good part. Every element was exaggerated, of course.
11 May, 1985 Footy was, of course, obligatory. What cartoonist can complain about the animal motifs?
18 May, 1985 Annual Show Day is the same everywhere. Right?
25 May 1985 You can guess what the discussion in council was about.
1 June 1985 Sometimes, A4 is too small for the job. Especially to include a poem more suited to portrait format. 'Had fun with this one. After all the Shires friction, amalgamation had to be considered. Only now have I come to photograph the original with my phone, art too big for A4 scanning.
NB. My ideas were never vetoed, I am pleased to say. I enjoyed a great relationship with each editor in turn and all my ideas were accepted as good fun.
