History cartoon: The Normans

Every time I turn on the BBC these days they're talking about The Normans, the new history series, so here's "another chance to see", to adopt the current TV euphemism for repeat showings, a Normans cartoon which appeared in Private Eye earlier this year. Click the image to enlarge.

This is one I will almost certainly be showing at my aforementioned talk on cartooning. Have I aforementioned that enough yet?

Royston's portfolio website

Morris dancing cartoon: For Broadstairs Folk Week

"It's important to keep up English traditions." – "Hic! I agree. The morris dancing is fun, too."

I drew this cartoon a while back, as I've always found it funny that hobbies such as morris dancing, bell-ringing, and the like, are usually just a cover for serious drinking, which is fair enough.

The cartoon is posted here to mark Broadstairs Folk Week, which begins tomorrow (August 6). It can also be seen over at the local Thanet website Isle One, along with a short interview with me, plugging my aforementioned talk on cartooning.

Folk Week means that the town will be overrun with morris dancers, musicians and lots of people with beards for the next seven days. It's always good fun and there's lots to see and do. I'm even planning a bit of time away from the drawing board myself.

Now, where did I leave that tambourine?

Royston's portfolio website

Cartoon talk at the Summer Squall arts festival

I'm going to be presenting a slideshow and talk entitled "Back to the Drawing Board" at Ramsgate Arts' A Summer Squall festival on the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

The idea is that I'll show a load of cartoons – mostly published but maybe a few rejected ones as well – read the captions and talk a little about themes covered, the background to the cartoons, the process of coming up with ideas and drawing the cartoons etc. Hopefully it'll raise a few chuckles and there will be questions and input from the audience.

The talk takes place at 2pm at Ramsgate Library on Saturday 28 August. Admission is free but you need to book. Tickets are available at the Custom House, Harbour Parade, Ramsgate, or by calling 07544-971 685.

A Summer Squall is a three day event with a wide variety of arts activities, including music, theatre, film, exhibitions, workshops etc, for people living in and visiting Ramsgate. For updates and more details see the Ramsgate Arts website.

Rationalist cartoon: A little bit of toast

"I know our brains see patterns where there are none, but you must admit that looks like Richard Dawkins."

Here's a cartoon from the new issue of Prospect magazine. Is there a point being made here? Probably not. It's just a silly joke. I am not a religious person and agree that images of deities on toast etc are nonsense. But if it looked like the face of someone you know, it would still be a bit weird, wouldn't it?

Royston's portfolio website

Not Yet Sold: Sherlock Holmes cartoon

"I remember when you used to look for answers using your astute powers of deduction."

As there's a new Sherlock Holmes on our TV screens here in the UK, and he's a contemporary, all-texting, all-Googling kind of guy, I thought I'd dig out this cartoon from last year, for my occasional series on rejected cartoons.

I now realise that instead of being a one-off, joke cartoon, the idea of a Googling Holmes was really best suited to a three-part BBC TV mini-series. Missed a trick, there. I do hope that as it has a contemporary setting they will at some point work in the tried-and-tested line of dialogue "No shit, Sherlock?"

Click the link for more Not Yet Sold cartoons.

Medieval cartoon: Not exactly topical

"When did we permit the Jester to start doing impressions?"

Here's a cartoon from the current issue of Private Eye which shows that they don't just use topical cartoons. More medieval humour, that's what we need.

Exaggeration is the key to this joke, and I went to great trouble to make sure that the mimicking Jester is an exact copy of the King, right down to the throne and the way he's sitting.

Royston's portfolio website

Seagulls cartoon: (I hate seagulls)

There, I've said it. I don't understand why birds such as ravens and crows are depicted in films as the personification of evil when clearly it should be seagulls.

Holding this view is a little unfortunate though, as I live in a seaside town. (Although, it should be pointed out that I did not hold this view before I moved to the seaside town.)

Part of the problem is that I work in a converted attic so I am mere feet away from the noisy blighters. Having a nest on the roof doesn't help. The chicks' cries are almost as annoying and twice as persistent.

Anyway, when a local paper asked for a cartoon to go with a story about seagulls terrorising residents, attacking them as they leave their homes and so on, I could relate.

Here's more moaning about seagulls, but with a rather nice photo.

Royston's portfolio website

Fortune teller cartoon: Size matters

"You are going on a short journey ..."

This is the original version of a cartoon which appears in this week's Private Eye. The magazine was concerned that the shopping list on the man's hand might not be readable when printed, so I drew a "close-up", single-column version.

It's important to bear in mind print size, particularly when the drawing contains a key detail, as this one does. In most magazines these days cartoons are usually printed quite small. The new drawing works fine but I still prefer the original, and as it looks OK online I've used that one here. Plus, of course, on the internet there's always click to enlarge.

Royston's portfolio website

Social cartoons: The way we live now

"This is one of the pitfalls of shopping online ..."

When I tell people I draw cartoons they usually think primarily in terms of "topical", asking if I watch the news all the time to keep up with what's going on.

Of course, topical cartoons are part of what I do, but mostly they're not "this week's news" topical, they're more about reflecting the way we live now. And often it's the little things in life that I make jokes about.

This cartoon, from the current issue of The Spectator, is a case in point. Many people who do online shopping will recognise the scenario, even if it is a slight exaggeration.

Here are some more examples of this type of cartoon. They don't shout as loudly as newsy or political cartoons because they're not about the "big" issues, but they play a part in comment on society, I think. And, importantly, they usually have a longer shelf-life.

"I like to wear loud ties at work to project my true personality."

The fountain of youth

See more cartoons at my portfolio website

Science cartoon: The gravity of the situation

Newton discovers comedy

This, I suppose, is really a cartoon about cartoons. Animated Looney Tunes-style cartoons, that is.

It's odd that such a violent image as getting hit by an anvil, safe, piano etc, can be seen as the pinnacle of comedy. But, of course, we laugh because it's not us being hit by the anvil.

Royston's portfolio website

Writing about other cartoonists

Unlike a lot of cartoonists' blogs, you won't find too much stuff about other cartoonists here. It's all a bit "me me me" isn't it? But there's a reason for that, it's because most of my articles about cartoon exhibitions, events etc appear at The Bloghorn, the online diary of the Professional Cartoonists' Organisation.

If you were to head over there now, you'd find a review of the exhibition Ray Lowry – London Calling, right, which I posted today, plus recent pieces on a Martin Rowson auction and the "Alex" show and an article about a cartoonist's football song.

This week I'll be seeing the Modern Toss exhibition, so I may well post something about that on The Bloghorn too.

Football cartoon: Make some noise

His Master's Vuvuzela

As the England football team face their final chance in the World Cup in South Africa tomorrow, here's a topical spin on a favourite cartooning theme. Paarp!

Royston's portfolio website

Not Yet Sold: Office cartoon

"You were the last person I expected to fall down on the job, Trubshaw."

Here's another rejected cartoon for you. I liked this gag, but perhaps the reference to the Weebles toys was lost on anyone who wasn't brought up in the 1970s like me.

Click the link for more Not Yet Sold cartoons.

This gag has actually been given an airing, albeit in a non-earning fashion, as it appears in the latest edition of the Foghorn, the magazine of the Professional Cartoonists' Organisation.

You can read an archive of the Foghorn online, just click the button on the right-hand column of this blog (scroll down). To buy a print subscription to the mag, which comes out six times a year, go here.

Football cartoons: Bluffing it

The World Cup is here, time to dig out my one and only football cartoon! ...

"I must admit, your explanation of the offside rule was spot on."

OK, this old Reader's Digest cartoon is not quite my only football cartoon, but I haven't done many. Largely because I'm a bit like the guys in this cartoon:

"You know nothing about football either? So we've both spent TWO HOURS bluffing?"

Here's a recently published football cartoon, drawn to accompany an article about a new World Cup beer called 4-4-2. Now, beer is a subject I have done lots of cartoons about. Write about what you know, I say.

Footnote: Footnote! See what I did there? While on the subject, I recently posted an article about a cartoonist's World Cup song over at The Bloghorn.

Royston's portfolio website

Rude Britannia: Some naughty cartoons

"Ignore that. It's just my inner child."

Inspired by the Rude Britannia show at Tate Britain, which opens this week, I thought I'd dig out a few naughty and/or juvenile cartoons.

Being a person of taste and culture – ahem – I don't normally do much of this kind of thing (OK, it's mainly because there aren't that many markets for it) but here's a selection of a few that I've sold over the years. Or rather, those that I'm not too embarrassed to put on my blog.

"Some blue-arsed fly you turned out to be."

"I suppose it had to happen."

"Have you considered becoming a kiss-and-tell slapper?"

"I'm sick of you wandering around in your underwear ..."

OK, that's quite enough filth! Normal family entertainment will resume as soon as possible.

Royston's portfolio website

Captionless cartoon: A new Dalek

This week's caption contest on the Cartoonists' Club of Great Britain public forum is a actually a no-caption contest. Instead, a theme is provided and you have to draw a "silent" cartoon to go with it. And the theme is Daleks. Having done so many Dalek cartoons in the past, I couldn't resist.

Royston's portfolio website

Reader's Digest caption contest hat-trick

"You hold no authority that will allow you passage and are ignorant of the magic password ... can you at least tell me your mother's maiden name?"

The results of Reader's Digest's Beat the Cartoonist contest are in ...

Woo-hoo! That's a hat-trick for me, having won twice before. I did a lap of honour in WHSmiths when I saw that. The cartoonists' team is still behind though, with a fair way to go, as it's 10-5 to the readers.

For those not familiar with the contest, it goes like this: the mag prints the cartoon with no caption and readers submit their ideas. Then the best three are printed alongside (anonymously) the cartoonist's original and it's put to the vote.

You can see my other Beat the Cartoonist cartoons here and here.

Royston's portfolio website

Music cartoon: Taking it easy

His master's chill-out album.

It's been a while since I've had a cartoon featuring this little fella on the blog, so here's another one.

I've drawn so many variations on this theme over the years. Perhaps I should do a whole book of them and try to sell it through the HMV chain. Or maybe they would just tell me to stop.

Royston's portfolio website

Not Yet Sold: Duel cartoon

"On second thoughts, shall we go for Rock-Paper-Scissors?"

Haven't had one of my rejected cartoons on here for a while, so here's one from 2008. I was quite pleased with the drawing here but, alas, the cartoon failed to find a home.

Click the link for more Not Yet Sold cartoons.

Royston's portfolio website

From the archives: Olympics cartoon

"Behind schedule? Not at all. Over here we have the sandpit, the high-jump, hurdles ..."

This was drawn for a business magazine in 2004, shortly before the Athens Games, when the media was going crazy about how the building work was behind schedule etc. No doubt I'll get to recycle this joke for the London 2012 Games!

This six-year-old cartoon looks a little stiff and clunky to me now. It was drawn before I started using brush pens, but I can see the beginnings of my current style coming through. It was also one of the first cartoons I coloured using Adobe Photoshop, although by the look of it I was mainly just using the "fill" tool at this point.

Royston's portfolio website