Reader's Digest cartoon: A family effort

"I've lost count of how many times I've had to turn that kid away."

My son came up with the idea for this cartoon, hence the "Thanks, Fergus" in the corner. His original set-up and wording was slightly different – an angry barman saying "I've told you before, you're not getting served in my pub and you never will!" – but I saw straight away that it was a good joke.

So rather than asking why a young boy (he's just turned 11) is coming up with pub-based jokes I made a note of it. It can be seen in the July Reader's Digest and an appropriate pocket money adjustment will be made.

Click here to buy Royston's cartoon book

Shrewsbury Cartoon Festival 2010

"You wanna get some WD-40 on that, mate."

The Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival takes place next month, and the theme this year is Magic, Myth and Mystery. This is one of the cartoons I submitted for exhibition.

The dates are April 22-25. I'll be there again this year, blogging and tweeting on behalf of the Professional Cartoonists Organisation for
The Bloghorn, as well as drawing a few cartoons, of course. In the run-up to the big event, we'll be posting Shrewsbury stuff on the blog every Friday. We got the ball rolling today.

This is the seventh festival, and the fifth time I've attended. Here's what I got up to last year, and in 2008, 2007 and 2006. Or click this link for all Shrewsbury-related posts.

Royston's portfolio website

Movie cartoon: One from the archives

Here's my very first Private Eye cartoon, which appeared ten years ago this week. I know that because I remember that it was the week of my 30th birthday, and I've just celebrated my 40th*

Normally I cringe at the artwork when I see my older cartoons, but I think this one stands up OK. Probably because I was aping the Disney style. The idea for the cartoon came from the fact that there had recently been a Disneyfied version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, though the character designs here were based on Hercules (our hero and his sidekick, voiced by Danny DeVito, of course) which was the big Disney film of 1997.

*Here's a cartoon I drew for a 40th birthday party invite last year.



Cartoons by Royston