New 'toon.

A groaner.

This is from a few years ago. Done on the back of a menu at work. Drawn directly in ball point.

It's funny to put all this material in one place. Remembering the mental state I was in at a given time. In this piece for example. I was reading a TON of cartoon books. I had just acquired 'The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker', was picking up and digging into works by Gahan Wilson, Mort Gerberg, George Herriman, George Booth, Charles Addams and others. I had this idea that I needed to try and develop a one panel 'style'. Throughout my drawing life I have tried to stay away from an intentional style, mainly because I have never had any idea of how to analyze the fundamentals of a particular style in such a way as to consciously incorporate or imitate it. I know a guy who has always impressed me with his quick grasp and mastery of the fundamentals of the way something was presented. Whenever I have tried to make my work fit into a style of conscious presentation, I have found that it is usually quite unpleasing to me(and not very well executed at all.)

So here is one of my attempts to draw 'cartoon-y'. Meh.

Lately though, I have been trying to focus on developing a 'big-foot' style. I could be wrong, but it seems that this idea of 'style' has more to do with, stay with me here, stylizing your own style. If that makes sense. If not, sorry. I don't feel like going further into that idea right now. Feel like I have used my entire day's quota of the word 'style'.

I have had a few ideas all of a sudden and have become sidetracked. I will have 'new' new work up soon.

Burt and Randy #1...Origins.

This is the first Burt and Randy. I guess some explanation is finally required. I shall do my best to recall the specifics.

I believe I was with 2 of my friends drinking coffee at the local coffee shop one night/early morning(2003-2004?). [This was common, and we would stay up for hours smoking and drinking coffee and making each other crack up. Many, MANY bits of lore from those halcyon days still survive(thankfully).] One of my buddies is a really good artist, and he was one of the people there that night. We had grown up making each other laugh with our art(and some friendly competition never hurt).

One of our games at the time revolved around words(as a matter of fact, words were one of our greatest sources of humor, ie; this particular artist friend, at one time, could not keep a straight face if he heard the word 'corn'). We were playing with rock star names. The name 'Burton Cummings' was mentioned. I didn't know who this was at the time. It was revealed that he was a member of Guess Who(though at the time I think he was erroneously linked to Humble Pie). Another game of ours was to play with band names/songs, so we made up a fictional discography for Burton Cummings. At the same time we came up with the name 'Randy Burton' for some reason.


FICTIONAL LP's and EP's by Burton Cummings(with apologies to the real Burton Cummings)

- The Real Burton Cummings
- Earfull of Cummings
- Hot Cummings
- Cummings : In Your Face!
- Cummings and Goings
- 2 Tickets to Someplace Nice
- The Thriller Album
- Shut Your Magic Mouth
- A Song About Magic
- Steamin' Hot Magic
- Magic, in Your Ass

As one can see we were pretty ridiculous and delirious from caffeine/nicotine overload plus (usually) a decent amount of sleep deprivation. So, somehow, after all of this, the creation of the name 'Randy Burton' changed to 'Burton Randy' Now I have NO CLUE as to the actual mechanics behind the evolution of 'Randy Burton' to 'Burt and Randy', but it happened.

Further, I have no idea where the idea for the first comic came from. Thin air I believe. As one can see, even the spelling of Burt was up in the air, changing throughout the course of that first comic.

Also, in my defense, this was done directly in pen as the idea was coming to me. And, frankly, I believe it to be one of my first true attempts at a 'comic' Usually the quality stuff seems to come from goofing off. Either way it made my 2 pals laugh enough that it inspired more comics by both myself and one of my buds.

And, in closing, by way of clarification, a brief explanation of Burt and Randy. Burt is your typical mean, mostly drunk hillbilly. Randy has apparently been deformed from birth, most likely as a result of poor prenatal treatment and the local water table being used as a dumping ground for toxic chemicals. In his first incarnations Randy wore a cape and was able to fly. He also has gorgeous boobs.

This weeks comic.

This is old. I am not sure how old. Yeah, that old. My friend Joel rescued it from it's seemingly inexorable journey from the table to the busboy's bus tub, to the trash. Some random sketch made at a restaurant, more than likely to make Joel laugh. I'd say...1997? Wow.

The weird face thing in the background is due to my, at the time, recent discovery of the work of Francis Bacon.

As you can see, my tendency to 'head for the hills' when looking for comedy was well in place back then. I don't know what caused it. I suspect that watching 'Hee-Haw' on a regular basis as a young child has some small part to do with it. And my obsession, around the same age, with 'The Dukes of Hazzard'.

Is that a bit of proto-Burt and Randy?

More archeology next week. I'll post some of the early 'strips'. Working on a rather lengthy piece right now that has remained unfinished for several years. Taking my time to be careful. Not sure how I want to finish it.

Burt and Randy comic version 2

Another version of the 'Drinkin' comic. I did these while working on a larger piece that was also a Burt and Randy story. I was trying to pin down how I wanted the characters to look. I was trying for the 'bigfoot' style. I hadn't really played with that style before. I used a thinner line for this rough. As such I decided that it would be an interesting thing to give it color instead of a wash. I like the big flat areas of color easily done in photoshop. Fun to play with.

Next week will be a different comic.

Old Sketchbook piece

Burt and Randy

Burt and Randy : Drinkin'
By D. Spearman
Sorry the text is crap. This is just a first draft that I later decided to apply a wash to.

Comic a week.

I am going to try this. One comic a week. I have some saved up, so I'll be able to cheat a bit. I also, may redo some from time to time.

A recurring duo that go by the name of 'Burt and Randy' will likely be the most prominent feature.

Flyer

Old show.

Much Doper and more Hopeful!

Yeah. I'd vote if this man was running.