Journey to become, Cartoonist

Why Cartoons?

Why not, that's what I say. Why not...but, well... I cannot help but be drawn (literally) to art. And to create. Pencil in hand. Scratching out shapes, erasing, refining. I just...love it. The whole process. And cartoons - a love affair. Stretching way back to some of my first fond memories, as a child (see below on Murray Ball).

It started when I was young. At my Grandparents house. My Grandad had these receipt books which had this transfer paper. Which, when you placed it underneath the page you were to write on....it would magically copy the marks you made and transfer them to the next page. For a five year old - mind blowing!!! 

I was never really great at school. Average were most of my school grades. But I always did well in the arts. I loved it. 

Fast forward to my mid twenties where I reconnected not only to my art, but started to wonder, could I do this as a career? It was during this time that I found a correspondence course that offered a Diploma in cartooning. I was sold. It is funny, but even as I write this now, this course was still one of the best decisions I had made in regards to my education. Even now the Diploma certificate is mounted in a picture frame. Which is saying a lot, as other courses I have completed are just stored away, in a box, somewhere.

Fast forward another year or so, Sonya, my wife and I, did a graphic design course. Two years in the making. And at the end of it, I had fairly much done a concept art portfolio. I went out into the big wide world, met with working designers and also applied for design work. Of which all these experiences revealed that graphic design was not the path for me. So I took that Graphic diploma, put it in a box out in the garage. And said good bye to graphic design.

Proud achievement

First fond memory: a letter from Murray Ball (at primary school)

Back in primary school, maybe around 6-7 years of age, a friend and I decided to write a letter to Murray Ball. Murray Ball is an iconic New Zealand cartoonist, best known for drawing a syndicated cartoon strip called Footrot Flats, which is awesome!!!!

Footrol Flats, number 1

I will admit the details are a little hazy but it went something like this. After sending the letter off to Murray Ball, we got a response. From thee Murray Ball... on an official Footrol Flat letter head. To say that both my friend and I were blowing away was an understatement. As for the contents of the letter from Murray Ball, it was an encouragement to keep up our drawings and best wishes for the future. And it had a small drawing of dog on it - awesome.

Unbeknownst to me, this single event would shape my love for cartooning, inspire me to draw like my art heroes (and Murray Ball of course), and actually discover a passion.

As a side note, both at home and between both sets of my grandparents, it was common to have cartoon books lying around. This exposure to these books helped me to discover the joy of art which has lasted me a lifetime. And a love for books, reading and cultivating the imagination too.

So thank you Murray Ball. You are a legend.

So why cartoons?

I always marvel at how someone comes into their happy place (enjoyment), by way of passions/gifts. 

This joy is not something you can manufacture or force (whether by your own efforts, or the efforts of others). And if you are fortunate enough to not only discover what makes you happy, but nurture it throughout your life, you are blessed indeed. 

I often need to remind myself that creativity, the joy of it, is a truly high order of spirituality. It nourishes you. Sustains and keeps you of sane mind. There has been countless times when I have felt down and restless, only to be re-focused and fulfilled after a session of drawing. Reading too.

So why cartoons? Why this particular art form? I can only answer it through a magical lens - that it chose me. I didn't go initially looking for it. And I didn't try to force it. I just found myself, scribbling at first, then doodling. And from there, marveling at these magical beings called cartoon characters - how they occupied a world that was funny, sad and everything else - so human, yet so zany, crazy and loveable.

So in a nutshell, I love, cartoons.

A little collection of cartoony stuff I own

** the x2 footrot flat images are cels from the actual animated movie.

Murray Ball - Legend - R.I.P

 

Murray Ball, pictured at his home in 1993 - BILL KEARNS/STUFF

Kiwi cartoonist Murray Ball farewelled

The life of iconic New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball was celebrated in Gisborne today.

Ball was the creator of the famous Footrot Flats cartoon strip, which was made into a movie in 1986. Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale was New Zealand's first feature-length animated film.

He died aged 78, after a long battle with Alzheimer's, at his home at Gisborne on Sunday.
Funeral celebrant Norman Maclean said the family, wider community in New Zealand and abroad were hopeful Ball's death was a long way off.

"But it was not to be. The severe limitations of ill health imposed on Murray for such a long time have now gone. He has been released from all that has hampered him from being the man he was."

But the departure was still a major blow.

"He was a man larger than life itself."

For Ball, the sun rose and set on his wife Pam.

She was a wonderful partner and Mason, Gareth and Tania (their children) and seven grandchildren were privileged to have a husband, father and grandfather of such calibre, said Maclean.

More than an expression of sympathy, the funeral at the Bushmere Arms this afternoon was a celebration of Ball's extraordinary life.

All walks of life from the Gisborne community were represented at the funeral.

"Your fundamental decency and kindness touched us all."

Murray Ball was the antithesis of the party animal.

"He would shy away from crowds and publicity. Interviews he did not enjoy at all but, to avoid disappointing his fans, he did them."

Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon said Murray was a legend who lives on in his work.

"I thank you for your marvellousness, from our community."

He loved travelling and music, rugby and cricket.

His daughter Tania Fowell thanked all the health workers involved in caring for Ball on his difficult journey.

"Without these people helping, dad would not have been able to stay at home."

She thanked her mother Pam.

"Dad's rock, best friend and fierce protector of dad's privacy."

Fowell said her dad had strong beliefs and principles.

"And he was the enforcer. We soon learned to do what he said. He was hardworking and up before anyone. That was his favourite part of the day. He had a strict daily schedule and I always knew where he was at any time.

"Sometimes the boogie man came out in the form of dad dressed in a sheet and he would jump out and frighten us. He would walk around in his undies . . . freely . . . was known to pour a bucket of water over his head in the courtyard . . . often. And he sneezed so loud he would scare the sheep and it echoed around the valley."

He did not show much emotion, but she remembers sadness when the cat Horse died.

"He was really sad - Horse was real, he was our cat. He really used to drag eels across the road from the creek."

Her husband James Fowell said Ball was "like a father" to him and loved the All Blacks.

"Once I remember watching him being interviewed and up came this probing question - 'if you could change something what would that be?' He quickly answered, "that the All Blacks would keep winning all the time."

Fowell said he found solace in the Ball household.

"I loved the structure. There were right and wrong ways to do things and no one stepped out of line."

Eldest son Mason said even though his dad was not comfortable with crowds, he would have appreciated the large crowd at the service.

Family members had travelled long distances, including from Tokyo, Australia, England and from around New Zealand.

He said Ball's dad Pop Kelly was very important to him.

"He was monumental in dad's eye. He financed dad in his early writing and cartooning days - without this support at the start he might have got nowhere."

Mason said his dad was not funny "at all - in fact he was always very serious at home" - he had one standard joke he reeled out now and then, and did not get into chatting.

"His idea of a chat was 'so what are you going to do with your life? Where do you see yourself in the next seven years?' - well that was the end of the chat."

Ball's wife Pam said it had been a devastating, sad week.

She is English and Murray a New Zealander. They met in the middle in South Africa in September 1963 and married in under a year.

"Some people, including our parents, thought it was a bit quick, but we proved them wrong and recently celebrated 53 years of marriage."

She said her children had been amazing support, but it had been a hard journey.

"He has not talked for the past two years. I found that hard. It is time to rest now Murray - you have given us all wonderful lives. We miss you. We are so lucky to have had you in our lives - rest now darling."

Article: 17 Mar, 2017 05:20 PM / NZ Herald - click for original article here