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by Glenn Marshall

NOT the National Portrait Gallery

August 21, 2018 in Events, General, News

Poster cartoon by kind permission of © Richard Jolley/ Private Eye magazine.

PCO Chair human Clive Goddard writes:

“No, its ‘Not the National Portrait Gallery’ but it is right on its doorstep in a brand new gallery space at Charing Cross Library. It is an exhibition full of irreverent, funny and, in some cases, downright disrespectful caricatures and cartoons, all poking fun at the singularly human business of having a likeness made.

The show features work by just under 50 members of the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation (PCO) including a host of familiar cartoonists from the pages of The Guardian, The Independent, Private Eye and the rest of the British press, whose signed originals and prints will be on sale”

‘The exhibition is on from 10th-23rd September, details of location and opening times here. During the run we have two associated events:

Martin Rowson with hands on a naked Boris. Photo © Zoom Rockman

Panel Talk

Monday 17th September 6-8pm

Discussion hosted by The Guardian cartoonist and author Martin Rowson with Chris Burke (The Times), Andy Davey (The Sun, Evening Standard, The Telegraph), Rebecca Hendin (BBC, Buzzfeed and more) and John Roberts (live event caricaturist) who all work across different fields as cartoonists, caricaturists and illustrators.

Angela Merkel by © Chris Burke

Samuel Beckett by © Andy Davey

Theresa May by © Rebecca Hendin

Amy Winehouse by © John Roberts

The talk is free but we recommend you book one of the limited places on the Westminster Libraries website.

 

Helen Pointer with presenter and comedian Sue Perkins. Photo © Helen Pointer

Caricature Workshop

Sunday 16th September 2-4pm

An ‘Introduction to Caricature’ with Helen Pointer. Helen is a highly experienced and much in-demand caricaturist.

This is suitable for all ages.

Again the event is free but you should book one of the limited spaces via the Westminster Libraries website.

 

with apologies to the real National Portrait Gallery. Why not combine a visit to both!

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by Royston

Martin Rowson (and mini Farage) visit the Herne Bay Cartoon Festival

August 9, 2017 in Events, General, News

Martin Rowson took part in the Herne Bay Cartoon Festival for the first time this year, where he gave a talk and was interviewed by Rosie Duffield, the first ever Labour MP for nearby Canterbury.

All photos © Kasia Kowalska unless otherwise stated

Martin Rowson and Rosie Duffield at the Kings Hall, Herne Bay

Martin Rowson and Rosie Duffield at the Kings Hall, Herne Bay

But the Guardian cartoonist brought an extra guest to the event at the Kings Hall last Saturday, a rather disturbing Nigel Farage piñata — already beaten up from a party — that sat on the stage throughout the event.

Duffield, Rowson ... and Farage

Duffield, Rowson … and Farage

Ronald Searle was described by Martin Rowson as the greatest cartoonist of the 21st century.

Ronald Searle was described by Martin Rowson as the greatest
cartoonist of the 21st century. Photo © Andy Miller

Martin’s wide-ranging talk and slideshow covered the reasons we laugh at our so-called betters and ridicule them through drawings, taking in his own influences and his motivations behind drawing cartoons.

After the talk he was interviewed Rosie Duffield, who has put her own career as a satire writer on hold since becoming an MP.  The floor was then opened to questions.

At one point, cartoonists in the audience were heard chuckling at the often-asked “where do you get your ideas from?”

Martin Rowson is skewered by one of the HBCF pencils

Martin Rowson is skewered by one of the many HBCF pencils that
have appeared around the town over recent weeks.

An exhibition of Martin Rowson cartoons continues at the Bay Art Gallery in Herne Bay until Sunday 13 August.

The piñata on the Pier

The piñata on the Pier. Pics © Jason Hollingsworth

The Farage piñata was shown a good time during the live cartooning day on the Pier the following day … before being stuffed with chips and thrown into the sea for the gulls to peck at.

We have more on the live event on the Pier on this blog. In the meantime you can see plenty of pictures by visiting @HBCartoonFest on Twitter or Facebook.com/ HBCartoonFest.

Herne Bay Cartoon Festival is sponsored by the Professional Cartoonists Organisation and supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

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by Blog Team

Fun in the sunshine at Herne Bay

August 10, 2015 in Events, General, News

Board by Rob Murray. Photo © Gerard Whyman

Board by Rob Murray. Photo © Gerard Whyman

The sun shone on the Herne Bay Cartoon Festival yet again this year. Here’s a selection of photos of the live-drawing day, 2 August, by Kasia Kowalski and Gerard Wyman.

Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Cartoonists at ease, at easels. Click image to enlarge. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Surreal McCoy and Cathy Simpson with the essential tools of the trade: pens. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Surreal McCoy and Cathy Simpson with the essential tools of the trade: pens. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Jeremy Banx at work. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Jeremy Banx at work. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

... and his finished board. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

… and his finished board. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Several flags by Banx, all with different seaside designs, were flown from the turrets of the Bandstand. Pic © Jeremy Banx

Several flags by Jeremy Banx, all with different seaside designs, were flown from the turrets of the Bandstand. Pic © Jeremy Banx

Here's another of the flags from a few days earlier, the festival launch, with Royston Robertson, Nathan Ariss and Be a Francis, 8. Photo © Brian Green for the Herne Bay Times

Here’s another of the flags from a few days earlier, the festival launch, with Royston Robertson, Nathan Ariss and Bea Francis, 6. Photo © Brian Green for the Herne Bay Times

Simon Ellinas draws caricatures. Photo © Gerard Whyman

Simon Ellinas draws caricatures. Alex Hughes also tirelessly drew festival-goers throughout the day. Photo © Gerard Whyman

The weather allowed cartoonists to display a range of silly hats. Left to right: Ger Wyman, Royston Robertson, Matt Buck. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

The weather allowed cartoonists to display a range of silly hats. Left to right: Gerard Wyman, Royston Robertson, Matt Buck. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Tim Harries hosted a cartoon workshop. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Tim Harries hosted a cartoon workshop. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

The illustrated man: Glen Marshall's board was more performance art than cartoon. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

The illustrated man: Glen Marshall’s board was more performance art than cartoon. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Bill Stott's board tackled a favourite current obsession of the media: seagulls. Perfect for Herne Bay! Photo © Gerard Whyman

Bill Stott’s board tackled a favourite current obsession of the media: seagulls. Click to enlarge and read. Perfect for Herne Bay! Photo © Gerard Whyman

More seagulls by Royston Robertson. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

More seagulls by Royston Robertson. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Cartoonist Rob Murray does like to be beside the seaside. Photo © Gerard Whyman

Cartoonist Rob Murray does like to be beside the seaside. Photo © Gerard Whyman

One of the communal boards, with cartoons by Ger Wyman, Matt "Hack" Buck, Royston Robertson, Des Buckley, Tim Sanders and Nathan Ariss. Photo © Gerard Wyman

One of the communal boards, with cartoons by Ger Wyman, Matt “Hack” Buck, Royston Robertson, Des Buckley, Tim Sanders, Steve Way and Nathan Ariss. Click image to enlarge and read. Photo © Gerard Wyman

Herne Bay Cartoon Festival wouldn't be complete without a great seaside cartoon by The Independent's Dave Brown. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

Herne Bay Cartoon Festival wouldn’t be complete without a great seaside cartoon by The Independent’s Dave Brown. Photo © Kasia Kowalska

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by Blog Team

My year on the campaign trail

December 22, 2014 in Comment, General, News

Procartoonists.org member Chris Cairns features in a video looking back at this year’s independence referendum in Scotland. He takes us through some of his political cartoons as well as the process behind creating them and reflects on the referendum result and the future of the campaign.

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by Royston

The Round-up

September 10, 2014 in Events, General, Links, News

Detail from Scene & Heard on the hacking trial © David Ziggy Greene

Detail from Scene & Heard on the hacking trial © David Ziggy Greene. Click to enlarge

An exhibition of original art by Procartoonists.org member David Ziggy Greene, drawn for the reportage strip Scene & Heard, which has appeared in Private Eye since 2011, is at the Orbital Comics Gallery, 8 Great Newport Street, London, from 12 September until 10 October.

Entitled Scene & Hung, the exhibition ties in with the release of a book collection of Scene & Heard strips, described by Charlie Brooker as “as addictive as shelling and eating pistachio nuts”.

Meanwhile, PCO member Martin Rowson also has a collection out, called The Coalition Book, and is profiled by his local paper in south London.

Moose Kid Comics, the new venture by the cartoonist Jamie Smart and others, is taking over the Cartoon Museum in London for one afternoon only on 20 September, with workshops and talks by Smart, Gary Northfield and others. Booking is advisable: more details at the Cartoon Museum site.

BuzzFeed has a long piece, with lots of cartoons, “readers’ letters” and photos, on the unlikely rise, fall, and rise again of Viz comic.

Private Eye cartoon © Cluff

Private Eye cartoon © Cluff

An exhibition of cartoons, drawings and paintings by John Longstaff, better known as Cluff, is at the Crown Street Art Gallery in Darlington from 20 September until 13 November. Cluff has been the Northern Echo cartoonist since 1990 and is also seen regularly in magazines such as Private Eye.

The Echo has news of an exhibition of Matt cartoons at Nunnington Hall, near York, from 13 September until 2 November. The selling exhibition is organised by the Chris Beetles Gallery.

A few interesting articles from the US: The Atlantic has an interview with the influential political cartoonist Pat Oliphant; Comics Alliance has a career-spanning interview with Berkeley Breathed; and the Huffington Post talks to the Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi.

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by Royston

Talking truth to power

February 2, 2014 in Events, News

Cartoon © Andy Davey @ Procartoonists.org

Cartoon © Andy Davey @ Procartoonists.org

Andy Davey, PCO member and former editorial cartoonist at The Sun is presenting a talk hosted by the Centre for Journalism at the University of Kent on Wednesday (5 February).

It’s called Truth, Power and … Cartoons: Are political cartoons irrelevant? and is part of a week of presentations on activism, campaigning and politics at the university.

Andy told us: “I’m showing how important, trenchant and powerful cartoons have been in times of yore and comparing with today’s cosy relationship between cartoonists, newspapers and politicians.”

He said the talk will also look at how political cartooning is “a life and death business” in other. less democratic countries.

“I want to make the point that we mainly address the Westminster Village soap opera, regardless of the fact that it has less and less power. Why do the real power brokers – global institutions, banks, funds, world trade organisations etc – escape criticism while we shout at the Westminster puppets on stage?”

He will also look at the changes cartoonists face in the digital age and what their future might be. Andy said he will be “making a plea that cartoons can still be powerful – perhaps when released from editors’ whims”.

The talk, which will be followed by a question and answer session, is at 1pm in room PK008 of the Pilkington Building, in the university’s Medway Campus in Chatham.

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by Rob Murray

The Round-up

February 8, 2013 in General, Links, News

© Kevin Siers for The Charlotte Observer @Procartoonists.org

Kevin Siers, editorial cartoonist for The Charlotte Observer, has found his name on a list of hostiles kept by the National Rifle Association. Read Siers’ response here.

Mike Lynch tells an amusing story – through the medium of cartoons, naturally – about his early attempts to sell gags to that most notoriously esoteric of markets, The New Yorker. Read The Petty Indignities That Ruin My Life here.

Elsewhere, New Yorker cartoonists have been trying out an Etch A Sketch app – with decidedly mixed results. The experiment was so disastrous for Mick Stevens that it resulted in him speaking out against all forms of digital drawing. Read more, and see their attempts, here.

Lafayette, Louisiana newspaper The Advertiser provides a full and comprehensive answer to a reader’s question about how political cartoons are selected (be sure to click through to page 2 for the full response).

And finally, for those with an interest in animation, Complex.com has compiled a list of 25 cartoons that aren’t for children.

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by Royston

Cartoonists on the road

August 22, 2012 in General, Links, News

Martin Rowson at the Edinburgh Book Festival

Martin Rowson at the Edinburgh Book Festival @ Procartoonists.org

Sometimes cartoonists have to get out of their squalid garrets and get out on the road.

So Martin Rowson, political cartoonist and Procartoonists.org member, has been telling the world about his work, most notably new graphic novel take on Gulliver’s Travels at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Forbidden Planet has a report.

Meanwhile, the US cartoonist Rob Rogers is proposing a new way to make sure he can cover the Republican and Democrat National conventions on the ground, rather than being stuck at his drawing board.

T-shirt design by Rob Rogers

T-shirt design by Rob Rogers @ Procartoonists.org

To see how he plans to do this, watch his Cartoon Delegate video.

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by Blog Team

Exhibition is animal magic

July 22, 2012 in Events, News

Animal crackers cartoon by Royston

Animal Crackers cartoon by Royston Robertson @ Procartoonists.org

The exhibition Animal Crackers: A Cartoon and Comic Bestiary is at the Cartoon Museum in London from this Wednesday (July 25).

It looks at how animals have inspired all kinds of cartoonists across the ages, whether they are working in comics, political cartooning, magazine gag cartoons, newspaper strips or animation.

The show promises something for everyone with more than 140 cartoons, caricatures, comics and graphic novel pages by more than 60 artists. From political images, such as the Russian bear and the City fat cat, to Wallace and Gromit and The Bunny Suicides, all anthropomorphic animal life is here.

Some cartoons suggest how much animals are just like us, such as King Louie of The Jungle Book, or Fred Basset. Others, such as Simon Tofield’s Simon’s Cat and Norman Thelwell’s lovable ponies, highlight our pets’ irritating or endearing habits.

Animal Crackers cartoon by Nick Newman

Animal Crackers cartoon by Nick Newman @Procartoonists.org

Animal Crackers includes works by major names from past and present, including Leo Baxendale, Simon Bond, Peter Brookes, Dave Brown, David Low, Mac, Matt, Chris Riddell, Ronald Searle, John Tenniel, Trog, Dudley D. Watkins and Gahan Wilson.

There’s a healthy showing of Procartoonists.org members, with Nathan Ariss, Ian Baker, Steve Bell, Andrew Birch, Andy Davey, Hunt Emerson, Jacky Fleming, Martin Honeysett, John Jensen, Nick Newman, right, Ken Pyne, Royston Robertson, above, Martin Rowson, Ralph Steadman, the Surreal McCoy, Colin Whittock, Kipper Williams and Mike Williams.

The exhibition runs until October 21. The Cartoon Museum is in Little Russell Street, near the British Museum. For further details, visit cartoonmuseum.org

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by Blog Team

Car-toons and situationist satire

April 24, 2012 in Events, News

French protest cartoons
As the French presidential election rumbles on, here are two example of cartoons of protest. A car is plastered with cartoons during a 20,000-strong rally in Paris, and feelings about Nicolas Sarkozy are made clear in a piece of situationist satire.

Pictures courtesy of Andrew Nickolds, co-writer of Radio 4’s Ed Reardon’s Week, via Nick Newman, Private Eye cartoonist and Procartoonists.org member.

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