How I became a cartoonist Automatic translate

Which of us did not draw funny faces in childhood and did not leaf through magazines with funny drawings, thinking: “But I could have done that too!” I am no exception. “Crocodile” in the 70s, Czech “Studs”, Gedeer’s “Oilenshpigel”, collections of “Masters of Soviet Caricature”, April Fools issues of “Komsomolskaya Pravda” and, of course, the 16th band of Literature! Everything was carefully studied, collected, cited and used in school and subsequent wall newspapers and kapustniks… Then I did not suspect that I would become a cartoonist, and even quite “untwisted” and recognizable! There were guys in our class who drew much better than me. True, I also constantly painted something both in the lesson and in lectures at the institute, from where I later safely “flew out”, both in the army and at work, although those scribbles were not related to the caricature. When did I come up with cartoons myself? It seems that in the third year of the Moscow Aviation Institute, when one of my fellow students slipped me a stack of pictures of an unknown author on the topic "sadushki" and I carefully redrawed those two dozen miniatures to myself in a small notebook, and then unexpectedly continued the series. I remember how my friends boasted that I had collected 200 ways of mocking a person in an ironic form. (I still sell remakes of those first sketches!) Pictures were drawn, stacked on a table, and after the army I didn’t find them anymore…

Even studying in absentia in pedagogical (MGZPI) at the “hudgraf”, I did not think to professionally engage in humor and caricature, although I sent some works to some contests announced in newspapers, but there were no answers or invitations to cooperate. The originals were gone, there were no copies and sketches left, and my ardor died out… (Advice to beginners: Xerox is a great invention of mankind! Though it will be something to show my grandchildren…)

Perseverance, arrogance and arrogance! These are not curses, but the necessary qualities of a novice cartoonist. Verily, I tell you! Now I collaborate with at least a hundred publications and have illustrated dozens of three books, and started - like everyone else, from scratch!

Remembering and analyzing my career now, I finally formulated the answer to the question “How to become a famous cartoonist?”: You just have to be one! But this does not mean that everything will happen by itself, it is the hardest work, especially if you have pride and ambition. True, if you set a goal to earn some money in an easy way, there are no problems, although I met many colleagues - competitors who, having flickered and "lit up" everywhere, suddenly ceased to engage in caricature and went into other activities, unable to withstand the stress of work and implementation their works. I also have super friends, caricature professionals, who constantly cry for small fees and "the dominance of mediocre amateurs selling their miserable crafts on the cheap," but I suspect that the "maestro" just has such a lifestyle…

One must still be an optimist, and constant nagging is bad for complexion.

And I got into the professionals by accident, although for a long time I went to this. I bought the Devil’s Dozen newspaper, pure humor, often vulgar and not always smooth, I typed my “bugs” with one finger, drew a few caricatures with a ballpoint pen (now I understand, absolutely none) and sent it to the editorial office… I unexpectedly received a fee, five rubles, sent more… Oops! A letter from the editor - an invitation to the comedy club in the Central House of Journalists! He came, hung out, met humorous writers and cartoonists. I am still grateful to those people, and I am friends and collaborate with many of them until now. According to rumors, the club of Viktor Afonin is still sitting on the 13th in the “domjure”. I don’t know how I ended up in a breakaway faction with a base on the committee of playwrights, but that’s not the point, the main thing is that the people here and here are wonderful. They praised my pictures and asked: why don’t you carry them anywhere else? And they gave the addresses of small but honorable publications. Attributed. Printed. Paid!!! By that time, I was already working at school as a drawing teacher, so there was an opportunity to go somewhere in the afternoon, which I did listlessly.

I found the address in the newspaper, took a stack of my originals (there were no copiers then) and went to the editorial office, having phoned beforehand, finding out the address and the possibility of publication, most often with a negative result. The classic version: some famous grandfather in the then “Komsomolskaya Pravda" scanned my stack twice, returned it to me and said: “Never come here again. And in general, stop painting! ”And in some places they took pictures, published them - and nothing… I’ve been working with some publications and have been friends for over 10 years! They call, order pictures, congratulate each other on holidays… Conclusion: to become a caricaturist, it is absolutely not necessary to be able to draw and compose cartoons (who does not believe, flip through some kind of “Laughter Squeezer” or “Happy Family”, not all pictures are - masterpieces of the genre), the main thing is to work and look! To look for friends who will help and tell you something, editorial offices where they will not be “sent”, and most importantly, to look for yourself, your style, your “ecological niche” and in no case do not stop and give up! Beginner’s Prayer: “I am cool, talented, smart, original! But so far not all editors have understood this… "

Some artists, especially from the provinces, were able to become leading cartoonists of the "central" publications thanks to a similar philosophy. True, there is such a staff turnover! Everything depends on the person. Some of my friends of friends, “competitors”, having dug in this way, feel “in chocolate”, although they don’t even consider themselves talents. This is a job! And, as everywhere, intrigue, discontent and spitefulness: someone sat me, someone I, life! One "stamps" caricatures on a computer, only changing signatures, the other anecdotes illustrator (and it’s also offended that competitors steal themes, but what if he found them on the Internet?), The third one filled up with bundles of photocopies, the editors complained that one and the same thing, the fourth, like a cuckoo, using age and name, hatches everyone out of the publication, and then, when the topics run out, he leaves for another newspaper or magazine, where everything repeats… So what? Everyone has his own path! They scold me too! And I’m Brutus!

… Somehow, in a conversation with colleagues at one of the exhibition’s presentations, after another glass, I, criticizing a competitor, said that he draws such freaks, because he simply doesn’t like people, to which another artist thoughtfully remarked: “Yes, and I… not really… ”But it is in demand! I love people and try to draw my characters funny and cute, making interesting interesting people familiar with me as prototypes. A new person - a new image, a new style (but without going beyond the boundaries of his graphic language). My philosophy: I draw everything that has occurred to me, and the editor will select what he likes! (If he doesn’t take it away, I’ll take it to another place… And even better, with a “fan”! But if you become very impudent, you will refuse services and you will be blacklisted. I used to… The boss shakes hands, puts my rhymes, and pictures - no - no!) A separate fairy tale - what to draw. I always have a notebook in my pocket: write down thoughts!

Good images in my head do not last long: I came up with two pictures, bam - the third! While you rejoice at a good thought, the first one has already been erased, completely forgotten! Sometimes then it pops up, and sometimes only regret remains that I missed a good topic… You can “comb through” newspaper jokes, but you should not quote them directly. You need to twist the idea, work on the images. Caricatures “without words” are considered more valuable among professionals, but, in my opinion, this is snobbery. Those who say so themselves are not without sin, I know for sure. And themes for cartoons are everywhere! On the street, in the subway, on TV, at home, you just need to see them and figure out how to present them…

Another question is how to achieve style and recognition. About it - in the following articles…