Cartooning Props
Got some good news from the National Cartoonists Society yesterday. The Awards Chairman, Dave Coverly (Speedbump) called to tell me I'm one of three finalists for the NCS's Editorial Cartooning award for 2006. The other two are Mike Ramirez (late of the LA Times, whose syndicated work frequently runs on the Enquirer's editorial page), and John Sherffius (who left the St. Louis Post-Dispatch maybe a year or so ago and seems to be working independently now.) Ramirez and Sherffius are both hosses graphically, so I'm in there with some massive talent.
Dave also told me that Zits (which I do with Jerry Scott) is one of the three finalists for the NCS's Comic Strip award for 2006. The other finalists are Over the Hedge (Michael Fry and T Lewis) and 9 Chickweed Lane (Brooke McIldowney).
The awards are announced in May at the NCS Convention, in Chicago this year. There are ten or twelve category awards -- things like Animation, Greeting Cards, Panel Cartoons, Comic Strip, Advertising, Editorial Cartoons, etc. The awards are highly regarded within the cartooning profession because they are chosen by chapters of working cartoonists within the organization. Most other editorial cartooning awards, for example, are chosen by panels of journalists who may or may not have particular insight into our specialized profession.
The awards are loosely referred to as the Reubens (named for founding father Rube Goldberg), but in fact only the Cartoonist of the Year (across all categories) is given the actual once-in-a-lifetime Reuben Award. It's the Oscar of cartooning. The NCS gave me the Reuben in 1993.
posted by Jim Borgman at 9:34 AM
9 Comments:
at 3/7/06, 10:16 AM 
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at 3/7/06, 1:38 PM 
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at 3/7/06, 9:58 PM 
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at 3/8/06, 12:17 AM 
Jim Borgman said...
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at 3/8/06, 5:06 PM 
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at 3/9/06, 8:59 AM 
Jim Borgman said...
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at 3/13/06, 9:56 AM 
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at 3/14/06, 3:44 AM 
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at 3/17/06, 10:49 AM 
Jim Borgman said...
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Post a Comment*Jim, just curious how you feel about the future of political cartooning. The two cartoonists competing with you for the N.C.S. award both lost their positions at major newspapers. The Chicago Tribune hasn't replaced Jeff MacNelly since he passed away. Jeff Stahler hasn't been replaced since he left the Post. Newspaper editors seem to rely on syndicated work rather than employing an in-house artist. Editors appear to be most concerned with saving their newspaper money and not alienating the newspaper's advertisers.
Congrats on being nominated. Most editorial cartoonists go for the easy, predictable joke. Your ideas come out of left field and your art is much more refined than the bulk of cartoonists out there.
It's obvious you take in pride doing the work. Good luck.
Jim, just wanted to say that usually I just silently sit on the side and don't say much. But I thoroughly have enjoyed your blog and check in on it frequently. Having been a fan since growing up in Northern KY in the 70's, I think you deserve a multitude of kudos for your work. Congratulations. There's probably many of us out here, reading your blog, and taking it all in. It's been a pleasure to be invited into your thoughts.
To be fair, John Sherffius apparently left the Post-Dispatch over editorial differences by his own choice, or so goes the common understanding. The P-D hired a replacement within a year or so. Personally, I think they understand their cartooning legacy and have a high regard for the artform.
That said, it's hard to watch as our numbers decline. When I began editorial cartooning in 1976 there were about 250 of us around the country. I now hear that the number is 80.
I think blame for the decline lies with both editors, who seem not to grasp that a unique compelling graphic opinion can help save otherwise moribund acres of gray type, and with the cartoonists, who lazily aped one another instead of developing unique voices that resonated with their communities.
Jim, I wonder if I can get a follow-up on the first question asked in this thread which you responded to: do you have any recommendations, along that line, for student cartoonists considering attempting to get a foot in the professional door? I was 2005's winner of the Locher Award and SPJ's MOE award for student editorial cartooning, but in spite of that should I still just forget it, or only plan to devote a marginal amount of time to it when it comes to career-searching?
First, Big Congratulations for the awards!
It's hard for me to imagine the newspaper that goes out and hires an editorial cartoonist today. Most must be watching to see the upshot of the Ramirez/KAL/Curtis layoffs, and in any case, newspapers claim to have no disposable dollars.
I'd recommend versatility. Become technologically adept and develop several potential income streams. I think you're going to have to be quick to adapt to our shifting business.
If you haven't seen the Andertoons website, check it our. Mark Anderson is marketing his work in a lot of creative ways. Could be a model for you.
Congrats on being nominated for both editorials and "Zits".
Scott Stantis of "Prickly City" wrote a pretty good article on the current state of editorial cartooning and the Mohammand Cartoon controversy. Editorial Cartoons are usually powerful with readers and make them think, if done right.
Speaking of "Zits", I'm curious how big the originals are, for both dailies and Sundays. I'm trying to start my own strip and curious how big they should be. Any help works
Speaking of "Zits", I'm curious how big the originals are, for both dailies and Sundays. I'm trying to start my own strip and curious how big they should be. Any help works
Well, I'm not the proprietor of this particular establishment, but I believe the industry standard (at least according to King Features's website) is 4 inches by 13 inches, or anything else with the same height-to-width ratio. Obviously, Sundays are a different story.
I draw a strip for a college publication that fits these dimensions, but I often think I should probably draw it a little bit bigger with the amount of detail I frequently try to put in. Here is a sample.
As I understand Charles Schulz's were huge in spite of being minimal, though.
When I started Zits, I just measured the dimensions of a strip in the newspaper and blew it up to a proportion that fit my comfort level. Turned out to be about right, so I cut a template out of cardboard and have ever since just traced a line around the outside of the template. Nobody ever officially told me if I was drawing the right size or not, so I just kept doing it my way.
The dailies have settled in at 14" x 4 1/2".
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