is there zen in cartooning?
We are a visual species We react to what we see. And to a lesser degree, we are auditory. We also react to sound
How do cartoons fit into this?
Laughter feels good, and there is a good reason for that. Many eastern philosophers and yoga experts believe that the laughing chakra is in the same area as the sex chakra. I guess the powerful lesson here is to use them wisely and not at the same time. In other words this could be very upsetting to a soul-mate unless you can tactfully explain that your laughter chakra short-circuited during lovemaking. Stranger things have happened I guess. One caveat: If you are the female partner and should this happen to you, please respond, without missing a beat, the predictable compliment/lie “But size doesn’t matter, it is what you do with it.”
Though men never buy this line, it feels better, and it lets you off the hook.
But back to cartoons. Cartoons are truly nothing more than a small piece of art, hopefully humorous, that tell a much longer story, using what I like to call “extreme editing”. Though we call ourselves writers, we truly are more editors than writers. Yes, we can write, and, though a cartoon may not have any caption or “word bubble” at all, generally some text is added to “drive the point home” Most cartoonists are instinctively aware, though, that if it can be done with no wording, a picture only, that is a triple bonus to the psyche, and, when we can occasionally do that, we get complimented way beyond our actual talents. But that’s ok. It’s good for the ego.
Because cartoonists have such an impact on our society, we often think of them as “bigger than life”. I can assure you, being one, we are just like everyone else. We just don’t crave the limelight; but the limelight craves us, it appears. This fascinates people. When you mention names like Charles Schulz or Gary Larson, some wonder if they are or were even in the same species. They are. They simply enjoy making people laugh.
So laughter, humor, and cartoons all contain zen, if you will. As long as we are alive and breathing, we will love to laugh. And cartoonists, hopefully, will serve it to us on a silver platter. That is our goal.
I decided to put all my energies into being \"a hippie\" rather than athlete while growing up. So when I reached adulthood, I discovered the gym and running to make up for it. Then I went to the extreme and...
Mouse Pad Zen StudyI know I can sound a bit eccentric, but anyone who has studied eastern thought, understands there is a \"zen\" to everything. What affects us we affect and vice versa. Everything as an energy, including mouse pads, cars, houses, and...
Can A Cartoon Save Your Life Or Boost Your Immune System?If I told you looking at newspaper or Internet cartoons might save your life or build your immune system, you might be looking for me a good doctor. Ironically it is good doctors who agree with this philosophy....
One Cartoonist Emerges From Near-death To Help After 9/11Creator Rick London is a master of humor. The first time I met this comic wit, who launched Londons Times Cartoons out of thin air with no backing other than his brains, he was not yet a cartoonist, but a...