An Update - where life leads: often by the nose or ear...

Not cartooning full time, but caricatures part time, occasionally.

(a caricature of beauty - like commercial beef: has implants.)

Wish things were different sometimes.

But then, now I know completely how to make a living from cartoons and artwork in general. Making a living at a graphic artist job doesn't really prepare you for making a living as an independent artist. But then, neither does college. Only life prepares you for life.

Without getting into the self-help books I've concentrated on for the last decade or more, I can tell you definitely that life is what you make it - and what you think it ought to be.

Recently, I've uncovered a selection of art books which are in the public domain and are useful for artists learning their craft. I imagine that I'll get these up at some point so I can supplement my infrequent artist appearances (2 this month...) with some passive income. 

Probably ought to include a chapter on how to make a living with this stuff.

Once I start down this road, I'll be working up this site again, since I'll be able to create and sell artwork based on my cartoons - posters, and framed images. I already have the books on this, but they are a bit pricy. (The solution to that is to make them coffee-table sized and price them even higher - with special typography, etc.)

Just wanted to keep you updated.

Meanwhile, I've been working out how to earn income online - which gave me the breakthrough above. I may even make this site a test case on its own, creating an income-source I can seque into from my other books and affiliate sales.

Making my life what I've always wanted it to be...

Related articles

• How to Build Your Website Series
• A Personal Dream and Purpose for your Online Business
• Thrivelearning System - Online Business Training
• Collected How-To's on Writing and Publishing Your Ebooks
• Self-(re)publishing classic fiction faster and easier than ever.
• Tips on How to Draw Cartoon Characters

Read More

Life and its November Challenges: 30-30-30

As if life weren't challenging enough...now it's #303030

I found (on another Central Missouri caricaturist's site) a teaser ad about the 30 character challenge - creating 30 characters, one for each day in November. This looked interesting - but didn't seem to be that big of a challenge.

You see, in 2006, I successfully completed NaNoWriMo, by completing a 10,000 word novel in 30 days. This was blogged on "Toward a New Dawn - A Midwestern Novel", which was based on a journey I had made in transitioning from a corporate life back to farming.

Last year, I successfully combined this with the NaNoBloMo challenge - writing a blog post every day of the month for November last year. This resulted in "A Funny Think Happened on My Way to Enlightenment"  - which was also published that month on Lulu.com as "The Dreamer Dreamed." (available as paperback, PDF, or epub download.)

So this year, I'm pushing it up a notch to create a 30-30-30 challenge - 30 characters in a 10,000 word novel, blogged for 30 days.

Whew!

But actually, once you get into the stream of it (stream of consciousness, life stream, akashic stream -  all that type of stuff) then it's really not all that hard. You just have to let go of your inhibitions and let it all run out.

The result should also be a published, illustrated book by the end of that month (or shortly after). And of course, I'll be sharing as I go - so watch for the #303030 hash-tag...

So I offer anyone this challenge - to do as I'm planning. 30-30-30 - are you up to it?

PS. I'll also be doing it entirely on Linux platform, using only open-source programs...

Read More

Mexico Goat (and donkeys) Comes Home

(click to enlarge)

Transcript:

  Fairy-tale endings can happen, of course. And it's thanks to all of you that made it possible.

  We've settled in and enjoyed a nice night's snooze in our new home...
                        
  Of course, the donkeys were trying to start the old tractor first thing - but jake insisted that the big wheels were in front, like a combine. And Luke disagreed - Loudly. So much for my sleeping in...

  But possibly the worst part of these conditions is their one and only favorite pastime...

 ...Got any three's?!?

 ...Go fish! Hee-haw!!!

Read More

Mexico Goat Comes to Auction

(click to enlarge)

Transcript for this comic:

                                               Sept 9, 2010
 
  And today's the day...

  I think the mini-donkeys will be happy to get back, almost as much as I won't miss their version of "La Chucaracha" in the showers...

  {...La coo-coo-rasha you cook bad pasta, hee-haw, hee-haw, hee-haw...}

  The fun part should be the ride back. Mervin says that if I don't giggle while I text, I can ride up front...

  Now all sorts of people figure I oughta be worried or sad or something. But I like that paraphrase of the Irish blessing: "May the road come up to meet 'ya and the screen door never beat ya..."

  I figure that life is already too short - and if'n it wUrn't for learning to type and the Internet's Facebook, I'd never have met any of you folks.  - So I'm blessed...  Thanks again!!

- - - -

So the final hour is around 1:30 over at the Midwest Regional Livestock Center (see yesterday's comic for directions.) Billy is going to be auctioned first off, ahead of the rest of the goats and sheep. A reminder - all the proceeds go to the Animal Shelter in town.

Anything you donate on through the various links on the Mexico Goat Facebook page will go to making sure they are the top bidder and the rest to vet care and his support at a local farm (some details in the Mexico Ledger article).

I've said this before - get there early for your photo's with Billy - and to get a good seat at the auction. Lots of parking, but not so many seats inside. And there's some great country cooking at the diner, though. Get your coffee and lunch there...

Of course, stay tuned to the Mexico Goat's Facebook page for all the latest. (Even Twitter is behind on this one...)

Read More

Mexico Goat Faces Auction, Late Night Comedy...

(Click to enlarge.)

Transcript:

  Thanks again for all your support.
  Yes, I'm very well and alive at this secret, undisclosed location.

  (Dick cheney didn't have any use for it anymore...)

  Mervin brought the mini-donkeys along for company and they've been laughing at their own jokes - but not nearly as funny as late-night tv:

•   ...and I said to him, I sure like a wee bit 'o haggis.
    then he asks me, "What's Haggis taste like?"...
  
•   ...I had the hardest time trying to carry on a conversation with the mexico goat. because He's always butting in...
  
•   Why did the Mexico goat run into merviin's lasso?
    He didn't see the ewe turn.

  Now: here's the serious part -
  I'm going to be auctioned off Thurs 1:30 pm at the Midwest Regional Livestock Center in Mexico, Mo. For charity.

  Highest bidder takes me home. Buy a t-shirt, make a donation - or just come by for moral support. Every little bit counts. See my facebook page...

- - - -

Vist the Stockyards in Mexico Mo. tomorrow at 1:30 for the next chapter (although I'll have a early cartoon commemorative edition...)  Come by early and have some great coffee and/or lunch at the local diner and chat with the folks.

See who takes home our local celebrity and ask them what they plan to do with him...

directions sketch

Read More

Mexico Goat has TV celebrities talking...

(click to enlarge)

Some of the more interesting videos being produced on TV as discovered by the Mexico Goat while in his temporary pen at the Mexico Livestock Center.

Coming up today is a City Council meeting where he's going to be a topic of discussion - whether to adopt him as an official mascot and grant him a reprieve from the auction on Thursday.

Visit his facebook page for the latest. As he says, "Stay tuned..."

Read More

The Infamous Facebook "Mexico Goat"

And our Local and International Hero, the "Mexico Goat" - published in press all over the globe, with friends on every continent. Has more Facebook fans than the city has residents. Not bad for someone who only has hooves, but built a power supply for his computer in the livestock center out of barrels, burlap, and some wire...

So you may want to head over to his Facebook page (linked in the title) and see what his latest is. Tues has a City Council meeting to consider adopting him - Thurs he is slated for a benefit auction to raise money for the local Animal Shelter.

As "Billy" says - stay tuned...

Read More