I am pleased that this page from Richard Thompson's sketchbook is included in the new book. Although it isn't a finished drawing, I find it more instructive than many finished drawings.
Thompson's gift for drawing funny is so bountiful that he draws letters (what you or I might call "writing") in a funny way too. Here we see him creating a font for future use:
Anyone involved with typography understands how difficult it is to create a whole alphabet in a new typeface. People work for days or even weeks, with lots of false starts and adjustments, trying to make each letter consistent, and to make sure that each letter shows off the new style to its best advantage.
But here Thompson draws 26 funny letters in a row, like Annie Oakley in a shooting gallery: bangbangbangbangbang.
4 comments:
Agreed. The man's got funny in his bones.
You're right he even writes funny. Is he so funny in person?
Kev Ferrara-- Yup, everything he touches. It's not a talent we focus on a lot here, but when you see it there's no denying it.
MORAN-- Yes, but he also has a little bit of the devil in him (fortunately).
Very interesting style. Much like other great nonsense illustrators. And the pen and ink images are quite beautiful.
If you are interested in illustrations and fantastical writing, i'd be honoured if you took a look at www.jackbrutuspenny.com.
And feel free to get in touch.
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