I’m back in the saddle with my KDP book projects, getting ready to publish my books again at Amazon. I spent the past month learning new publishing techniques that will help ease the burden of being an indie author who self-publishes their books. First among the list was learning the latest Microsoft Word program afterContinue reading Old Dog, New Tricks In May
Apple Orchard [poetry repost]
In small acreage on a hilly clearing, Sunny morning shines golden on chalky-pink blossoms; I pause and prolong my hike to watch sunbeams lick away dewdrops Soaking in shaded greenery of an apple orchard. Craggy, crabby branches nod jaggedly at a breeze dashing across the way; Wasps complain from gray papery hives swaying above me;Continue reading Apple Orchard [poetry repost]
Slap Happy [comic strip]
This comic strip is the last of my recent finds from the 1980s. It’s a large-format comic from December 1982 and it features a rarity in the world of Louie & Bruce. It shows the guys in class at their local community college. I hope you enjoyed this run of rarities from the past.
Changes [comic strip]
This is it! This is the 1982 Louie & Bruce strip showing the day when the boys lost the sawmill—their place of employment for over a year (in actual human years; time runs wibbly-wobbly-whacky in cartoon worlds). Writing and drawing large, multi-panel strips were fun because of the room they allowed for storytelling, which wasContinue reading Changes [comic strip]
10-Year Blogging Anniversary
I received notice last week from the good people at WordPress that my blog reached its 10-year mark. Happy Anniversary, dear blog. I recall when I began chiseling its foundation in January all those years ago, publishing my first post in February, and getting my first follower. I received many more followers in the nextContinue reading 10-Year Blogging Anniversary
John Sells the Mill [comic strip]
It’s August 1982 and the boys find out that the owner of the sawmill is selling and moving to Florida. Life for Louie and Bruce is changing. Oh my! But this strip never made it to publication. None of the large format strips that I drew in 1982 did. I turned to 3- and 4-panelContinue reading John Sells the Mill [comic strip]
Rude Awakening [comic strip]
I spent January away from WordPress while I worked on some art and writing projects. Since retirement from my 9-to-5 job, I’ve been busy planning to republish my books at Amazon and setting up a workspace so I can paint again. Last week, I found more Louie and Bruce comic strips. Two were heavily damagedContinue reading Rude Awakening [comic strip]
A Louie and Bruce Christmas Surprise [comic strip]
While going through more boxes in storage, I found this Louie & Bruce comic strip among my papers from teaching cartooning to kids years ago … I think it was 1988. I know … I thought I had finished writing about my old strip, but chance and fate had other plans. With Christmas five daysContinue reading A Louie and Bruce Christmas Surprise [comic strip]
Teaching Art Is FUN
Not long after I stopped drawing my Louie and Bruce comic strip, I began teaching art courses to adults and children. One of the youth courses was Drawing Cartoons, so I used my strips as teaching aids during the 6-class course. About halfway through the course, we discussed anthropomorphism—giving human characteristics to animals or inanimateContinue reading Teaching Art Is FUN
Louie and Bruce Singles, 1982, Part 2 [comic strips]
Old jokes and gags were common in Louie and Bruce’s world. I sometimes stole gags from TV, tweaked them, and used them in my strips. The snowball gag above is probably older than my dad, and he’s in his eighties. But it was a perfect gag for Leroy. Mark Twain said that because of humor,Continue reading Louie and Bruce Singles, 1982, Part 2 [comic strips]
Louie and Bruce Singles, 1982, Part 1 [comic strips]
Leroy is Louie’s brother. Louie has a pointed head and Leroy’s is flat. I referred to him as a carrot top—not because his hair was red (which it wasn’t), but because the three hairs that grow from the center of his head reminded me of three stems of a carrot after the leaves have beenContinue reading Louie and Bruce Singles, 1982, Part 1 [comic strips]
Louie’s Cat Acts Up [comic strip]
In January of 1982, I drew an anthropomorphic character for the Louie and Bruce comic strip: Louie’s cat. I didn’t have a name for the stray alley cat Louie took in, so he was called “Louie’s cat.” Names that I kicked around were Barfield (a play on Garfield), Rowdy Dangerfield (because he thought he wasContinue reading Louie’s Cat Acts Up [comic strip]
