Cartoonist Can Beat A Machine

The investment business is my Bruce Wayne to my Boon cartoonist secret identity .  Something I've witnessed and anticipate to further be inevitable is software/robots will eventually make what I do as Bruce Wayne obsolete. It just follows one of the greatest truths in any endeavor,  gaps in information/time/skill will be exploited until the gap narrows to nil and this is exactly what computer trading has done and should of done.

I had a conversation with a neighbor, he works as a CFO in the tech/IT industry,  the other night, after seeing this 60 minutes piece on robots/software
 
and another piece on, a show who's name escapes me now, but similar premise robots/software replacing humans as pilots and soldiers. The use of machines and software to replace humans is only natural.  Which leaves humans at trying to figure out what they can do better than machines/software to assure job security.  And realized that cartooning was a safer industry than investment management, because creativity, as best I can tell can not be replicated by machines.

I advised my sons to both pursue some endeavors that could not be boiled down to repeatable processes that lead to a range of predictable outcomes. Because it is only those occupations that are safe from the machines.

But that all being said, so much of the traditional markets for cartoonist is drying up.  More and more papers are disappearing, magazines are dying, yet the use of cartoons and illustration on the internet should be expanding.  What has complicated the matter for me, is the market has gotten so huge and so diluted it is hard to identify where to go or how to approach it.    You can see below my new widgets for Greeting Card Universe and Cafepress.  I'm trying to create more traffic to raise exposure.  Of course in the long run it is all in an attempt to replace my dependence on Bruce Wayne.

Boondawgoggles Bourbon Shot Glass Bourbon Clarity One Guy Drawing

Boondawgoggles Bourbon Shot Glass Bourbon Clarity One Guy Drawing

Valentine's Day Cards

These four cards have been loaded to Greeting Card Universe for Valentine's Day.  They are awaiting approval but if you want one before they post to the store front let me know and I can request expedited approval.  Clink on my GREETING CARDS link below to be taken to the store.

Greeting Cards - One Guy Drawing

Store - Shirts, mugs, hats and stuff

Photoshop CS6 and Bamboo Test

So I took yesterday's doodle and pulled it into Photoshop CS6 that I'm testing, and with my new Bamboo change it to what you see at the right.  

There are a lot of things I didn't figure out, but feel like it was a pretty good test.

Greeting Cards - One Guy Drawing

Store - Shirts, mugs, hats and stuff

Google Search Provides Gag Idea

This started as one doddle of the dude in the far upper left corner, all alone.  I had no thoughts or intentions. Then I scribbled the other little dude who for some reason was prompted to ask a question.  I recognized I had a misspelling and it evolved from there.  I knew I was looking for sullen, and of course I was familiar with solemn, but when I did a google search on "sollum look" both sullen look and solemn look came up.  Since the definitions were almost opposite - sad and serious, respectively I figured that was a nice play on words and this is what you get.

Greeting Cards - One Guy Drawing

Store - Shirts, mugs, hats and stuff

Golf - Fixing That Slice, Living In The Rough

On a golf course, those areas on either side of the fairways, the area my ball seems to gravitate to, is called the rough.  You ask any golfer "Why is it called the rough?", and I'm sure you'll get a reply that involves something about the grass is rough cut over there, or the grass is higher and unkept.  Without a doubt it will be something to do with the manicuring of the grass.

Perhaps the rough is called that because it is so rough to correct your swing to get that damn ball to travel straight.  Or perhaps it is just a rough neighborhood where all the bad balls hang out.

Greeting Cards - One Guy Drawing

Store - Shirts, mugs, hats and stuff

Change is Never Easy

Change is never easy especially for those who are getting the raw end and someone always gets the raw end.

Well just about all the cards I've put up on my Greeting Card Universe have been approved.  Now I need to load up more.  Go check it out.  If you've been follow the blog long you might recognize some older work that I've re-purposed.   I have few more ideas for V-day and then I've got to get on with just other random cards.  I'm going to try to figure out some ideas that can be cross used to the Cafe Press store also.

Greeting Cards - One Guy Drawing

Store

Writing Beats Out Art or Does It?

So I had this thought the other day.  I want to get into a regular routine to develop some strip or series, but I'm limited by time.  I really can't spend endless hours sketching, roughing, and inking elaborate pieces.  I hate that I can't, but right now it is my reality.  The idea that came to me was figure out a way to reduce the time commitment and what I came up with was over simplify the art.

Now this idea doesn't appeal to my main reasons for enjoying cartooning, which is the drawing of cartoons, but it seemed to speak to the idea I've often heard and read about, cartoons aren't about the art they are about the writing.  Yea seems strange to me also, but evidently good art can't carry bad writing, where good writing can carry bad art (to an extent).

So this is my first sketch on this new idea.  I don't guess I could of drawn anything more simple than a circle (ball) and square (box).

Greeting Cards
Boon Store - shirts, mugs, mouse pads, 

THE END...WHAT? THE END? Oh, Shit!

So if your girlfriend thanks the end is near, and the one thing she wants to do is have endless sex, do you tell her the end isn't really near?  Quite the quandary

Frankly, I'll be glad to be at the end of this sketch pad.  It has been a pain in the ass and time consuming.  Why? you ask.  How could a sketch pad consume time?  Well it is bigger than 8.5x11 so it has been awkward on the scanner and has many times required more attention to scanning than I should have to allocate.  I'd planned on flipping it and drawing on the back to save money and not waste paper.  I'm not so sure right now..

Greeting Cards Starting to Come Online

Well it was longer than I anticipated, but my greeting cards are coming online at Greeting Card Universe.  I missed the whole Christmas season.  Live and learn.

Don't forget the store: One Guy Drawing - Store

Actually, the approvals were tentative at first due to my formatting errors.  I had to get a trial version of Photoshop to make the corrections as I wasn't sure how else to do it.  So I've learned a small amount about Photoshop.  Now I'm in the market to buy an older version.

Now that cards are coming online, and I have a better understanding of the formatting and time frames my objective will be to get my store loaded up for Valentines (have a couple already in the pipe), and then step out to Mom, Dad days, and monitor what seem to be the bulk sellers that are not holiday specific.

Below is the only doodling I've done lately.

A Behind The Scenes of 2012 Christmas Card

Idea jogglers and free flow thinking

For whatever reason the naughty idea made me laugh and tried to work it out

Continuing to work the naughty idea

Organizing the characters and lay out

Testing pens.  I did decide to use the dip pen.

Pretty much the final rough-rough.

Always have to have a corresponding logo for the back

One Guy Drawing - Store                                                          One Guy Drawing - Greeting Cards