A Big Draw first-timer writes

Cartoonist Ben Jennings made his debut in the Big Draw over the weekend and he told Bloghorn about what happened to him there:

Since I was lucky enough to have my cartoons appear in The Guardian, I have been overwhelmed with the company I’ve been keeping. I’ve met cartoonists who I had admired the work of previously but who were nothing more than a signature to me.

Martin Rowson and Steve Bell mentored I and the other cartoonists who took part in the newspaper’s cartoon showcase over the summer. Being some sort of protégé was one thing, but the thought of working alongside these pencil-wielding heroes on The Guardian’s team at the Big Draw was another.

Despite the nerves, I was quite relieved in the end to be on a team with the big boys, as Martin had finished half of the canvas within the first 20 minutes (beautifully I may add), which meant less pressure. Steve’s sporadic mutterings and singing whilst he drew were therapeutic and helped put me at ease.

I wondered if any of the anonymous “Comment is Free” trolls had turned up (read the story here – Ed), possibly they were viewing our work from the safety of a bench thirty metres away. Spying our efforts through circular cut holes in a newspaper before retreating for some more spiteful blogging.

But all in all it was great fun with some hilarious banners produced and I was honoured to be a part of it. The judging was too much for the compere to handle alone, so he found a scapegoat in a young girl who chose the winner: Private Eye. But hey, it’s not the winning it’s the … bah, who am I kidding!

Bloghorn thanks Ben for his words. You can read the full report on the day here.