THE NEW CARTOONIST NOV/DEC 2025

ISSN: 2977-6368

NUMBER 8

READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH COVER STAR KEVIN WELLS

BORN TO DRAW

thenewcartoonist.co.uk

NOV/DEC 2025 £2.50

POLITICALLY SPEAKING WITH JENNY KLEEMAN

DEAN PATTERSON CELEBRATING GALWAY

TIME CARTOONS A THEMED SELECTION

ED MCLACHLAN A CARTOON CELEBRATION

150 DIFFERENT CARTOONS INSIDE!

PLUS: N MARK WINTER ON SERRE N TNC MEETS A NEWBIE IN MY NEW BOSS N THE NEW TIM BENSON BOOK N BRISTOL CARICON N PROPHETICAL MILDRED HOROSCOPES

CONTENTS PAGE 4

THE ARMS RACE (What AI would do if prompted to do a cartoon)

POLITICALLY SPEAKING WITH JENNY KLEEMAN

PAGE 12

HEAD LINES KEVIN WELLS PROFILE

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GALWAY CARTOON EXHIBITION

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CELEBRATING ED MCLACHLAN

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THE 3 S’S CONTIUED MARK WINTER ON SERRE

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TECH WITH MARSHALL NOT FUNNY

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TIME CARTOON SPECIAL

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CARICON IN BRISTOL

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MY NEW BOSS WITH CHARLIE BILBE

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PENS DOWN BOOK REVIEW

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THE CARTOON MUSEUM

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ANIMATION - BFI SPECIAL

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OUT & ABOUT AT HOGARTH HOUSE

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ST JUST PICTURE SPECIAL

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THE DIRECTORY

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HOROSCOPES & CAPTION COMP

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PARTING SHOT WITH RAV CHAUDHURY

WANNA BE IN IT? GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS AND CARTOONS AND WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO PUBLISH THEM!

CLICK HERE 02

GET YOUR HOROSCOPES FROM PROPHETICAL MILDRED p81

TIME CARTOONS! CHECK OUT ALL THE TOONS p40

GALWAY! WITH DEAN PATTERSON p18

Ed’s Welcome Late Again! Apologies. I really do need to get back to getting the mag out earlier in the month, early New Years resolution for 2026!

So here we are again on the brink of Christmas with an Asda ad already on TV which by midDecember I guarantee will be ruining it for everyone. Let it stop, let it stop, let it stop!

How it’s all upon us again already is beyond me, It only seems like yesterday I was watering the garden every morning. Time certainly flies.

On to matters TNC and I’ve had a few emails regarding technical problems on your favourite digital mag. Unfortunately despite my best efforts ISSUU themselves are the best people to contact if your links have suddenly stopped working or you can’t access an older edition. I merely upload the content. However I’m happy to share your frustrations with them on your behalf.

Talking of frustrations, I have to share news that ISSUU have informed me in a somewhat strange move, that they are no longer going to support the sale of multiple issues (ie subscriptions) from 27th Nov 2025. (Insert #facepalm).

thenewcartoonist.co.uk

Apparently this is to harness...

A new and improved user experience and interface n An easier purchase flow for your readers and an easier set-up process for you n Improved stability and performance for your flip-books on sale I’ll believe when I see it!

A lot of people ask me why I don’t print the mag or find a better provider/solution. Well all I can say is... moves are afoot! Any sensible suggestions appreciated. n

NUMBER EIGHT

On to the final issue of 2025 and we have TNC regular and the absolute mega-talented Kevin Wells (a.k.a SquiggleKing) on the cover.

This involved a lovely little first time trip on a tram for me in London. One minute it’s your average train on the tracks, and the next minute you’re in the middle of Croydon High St amongst the cars and pedestrians. Very bizarre!

We have a great Q&A in ‘Politically Speaking’,

with Jenny Kleeman, and Dean Patterson gives us a peep into the window of the fantastic Galway Cartoon Festival.

Marshall Not Funny gives us another technical piece on fountain pens, and a trip to Bristol for Caricon 25 with Mike Hazeldine.

Mark Winter further extends his three S’s series, exploring the fantastic work of Claude Serre.

There’s a great bunch of your ‘Time’ cartoons in and out of the centre-spread.

Graeme Bandeira covers the St Just Qui est Keir exhibition, and the latest events from the Cartoon Museum are all covered.

Dy meets up with budding cartoonist Charlie Bilbe, Tim Benson’s new book gets a look in ‘Pen’s Down’, and the most accurate soothsayer in Greater London, Prophetical Mildred, returns with your horoscopes. Finally, there’s a tale of old comics in ‘Parting Shot’.

EMAIL PETE Enjoy!

THE EDITOR

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POLITICALLY SPEAKING

OPINIONS UNDER PRESSURE TNC CAUGHT UP WITH JOURNALIST, AUTHOR, BROADCASTER & BOWIE FAN JENNY KLEEMAN PETE SONGI poking and probing

Credit: jennykeeman.com; Photographer: Jenny Smith

The news cycle never stops, loves dragging us up hills and seems to always avoid getting pesky punctures.

If it’s not plots to oust Keir Starmer, prisoners on the run, budget leaks and Trump being just, well...Trump - suing the BBC, it’s global news with Russian spy ships, the Epstein files, Ukraine in stalemate and Gaza still not free, As political cartoonists we need to consume it all, and to try to make some kind of sense of it. One way to do that is to listen to and watch reputable news organisations, which often means staying up late and watching the paper reviews for differing perspectives.

My personal choice is Sky News, and so it was an absolute pleasure to catch up with Jenny Kleeman, a regular political pundit on their paper reviews. Jenny is a journalist, author and broadcaster. She presents programmes on BBC Radio 4 and has reported for Channel 4’s foreign affairs series Unreported World and BBC One’s Panorama.

When you are tasked with doing paper reviews on Sky News, it’s our first look at the printed media for the next day. Knowing from Where did it start for you and how personal experience how late those did you get into journalism? pages are made available, it must be I started off wanting to be a rock star. Until I pretty pressurised to get an opinion was about 24, I was convinced that I was going to be a musician. I had a few bands and lots formed in such a short space of time. of equipment and I was looking for work that (10:30pm onwards). Also it’s a late would fit around my music. So I tried freelance finish at Midnight. How do you deal journalism and short contracts in the TV industry with it all?? (my first TV gig was as a researcher on Graham Norton’s Channel 4 chat show). Fortunately for the world, my music career never took off.

Fortunately for me, this was all before the days of YouTube, so none of my music is out there.

I turned out to be much better at journalism.

MEMORABLE TOON! The brilliant work of Ben Jennings

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I’ve been doing it for a long time now, but at first I was totally overwhelmed by the stress of it. The first time I did a paper review it was on the BBC News Channel, and I cried with nerves for the entire afternoon beforehand.

But you get used to it! I have a way of preparing for it now – which is more about making myself feel confident than briefing myself about anything. I take a proper stock of the news at 6 or 7pm (when most papers go to press), have a think about what my opinions are about the main stories, and generally at least one of them will come up on a front page.

But you also have to be willing to respond to breaking news. After you’ve been doing it for a while, you will know where you stand on most things, so forming opinions quickly gets easier.

The most difficult part of it is that the Sky News studios are in Osterley, which is near Heathrow, so it takes ages to get there and back.

I’m not in bed before 1am. And I am normally a morning person – my brain goes soft after 6pm..

You also present on Times Radio and have worked for BBC Radio 4. How does that medium compare versus the rush of being on national TV?

I had a live breakfast show on Times Radio for two years during the pandemic – my last show for them was in 2022. Since then I have made narrative series for Radio 4, and presented programmes like Woman’s Hour.

Live radio is as much of a rush as live TV – more so, sometimes, as it’s a far more intimate medium. You feel like you are really speaking directly to your audience, when there are no bells and whistles of visuals to distract them. I’m a words person, so radio probably suits me better than TV. But everything is becoming TV now, anyway – there are cameras all over every radio studio nowadays, and even narrative radio series which aren’t recorded live are expected to have a video element for social media. So you can’t get away with going to work in your pyjamas anymore.

WITH JENNY KLEEMAN

You recently wrote a very personal and fascinating article in The Guardian about the term ‘Workaholism’. Do you think there is more of a link to this for freelancers who might feel the need to please employers/clients rather than those with long term permanent contracts?

I think there’s certainly a truth in that, particularly for people who are starting out as freelancers, or at the beginning of new opportunities. There’s a sense that you need to be always available and hyper-employable, never being difficult or complaining or turning down work, never having to say no on the grounds of ill health or caring responsibilities. You’re only as good as your last gig if you’re freelance, so many freelancers want to go the extra mile. After a while, that becomes unstainable – especially if you have kids or a medical condition.

A lot of industries I have worked in – TV production, journalism and broadcasting – are entirely reliant on contractors and staff who will say yes to everything – any job, any hours, any topic. It’s a model that means women in particular are shut out at a certain point in their careers.

I don’t think I am a workaholic. Having written the piece, I came to the conclusion that I have thrown myself into my work as a form of escape during the most difficult part of my life. It helps that I find my work genuinely fascinating and so rewarding, and that I can do it from home. But balance is everything

When you look at the crazy news cycle, do you ever feel like I do that at some point you’re going to wake up and find the adults back in the room?

I have felt this way since 2016. It all began to go to shit in January 2016 when I woke up to a BBC Breaking News alert saying David Bowie had

ON SKY! Jenny working late on the Press Preview

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JENNY DRAWS! A brilliant Trump

died. Ever since then, it’s been one unexpected disaster after another.

I’m nostalgic for a time when politicians really stood for something. I can’t even really remember when that time was. At the moment, it feels like we have to choose between being governed by populists or lawyers. Neither is very appealing.

Do you think the recent election of a new Mayor in NYC will be a wake up call for Democrats?

in democracy if people feel like no party has the ability to govern the country? I think we are living in genuinely dangerous times where almost anything is possible.

AI as well as falling budgets are a massive threat to the cartooning industry. Do you think the political cartoon can survive? Do you have any favourites you have come across in your career?

I was doing the press preview I think it should serve as on the night the Queen died a reminder that ordinary and there was an image of her people feel utterly hopeless on the Elizabeth line that caught in a world where everything the public mood so well. Very British ON THE RADIO feels so unaffordable and New series coming soon – not taking ourselves too seriously, difficult, and that any politician but poignant and moving. who can propose solutions that make sense for those people can win votes. The answer isn’t populism, it’s tangible policies that What’s next for Jenny Kleeman? people can see will make a difference to their I’m working on a new six-part series for BBC Radio lives.

4 which will launch in January. And there will be The big question is whether Mamdani will be another series of my Radio 4 show, The Gift, which able to deliver on his promises. If not, people will looks at the unexpected truths that can emerge feel even more hopeless. when people take at-home DNA tests for fun.

With Starmer seeming to go from one disaster to another and Badenoch so far down in the polls, do you think we need to be making plans for Nigel in number 10?

I think we can’t rule it out. And then what?

Farage doesn’t do policy. How would a Reform government govern? What will happen to faith

Finally, here at TNC we believe at that everyone was born to draw. Could you draw us a political cartoon?

I could, but it absolutely won’t be worth publishing!

(TNC disagrees. A brilliant effort, see above.)

JENNY KLEEMAN

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NEWS & POLITICS

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NEWS & POLITICS

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NEWS & POLITICS

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HEAD LINES

A PORTRAIT OF KEVIN WELLS

DECIPHERING SQUIGGLES TNC CAUGHT UP WITH THE AMAZING PORTRAIT ARTIST KEVIN WELLS (AKA SQUIGGLEKING) You my have caught his work on Social Media or even on “The End Portrait’ within the pages of The New Cartoonist. Either way you will not be able to forget its’ vibrancy.

Kevin Wells is a freelance artist based in South London. He is a member of the PCO and The Society of Graphic Fine Art Kevin studied fine art at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, Farnham (UCA), won the 2005 Winsor & Newton Watts Prize and has been Artist in Residence at the Watts Gallery in Compton. He is the proud owner of The Best Caricature of the Year at last years SPLATS Awards (and I for one would be very surprised if he didn’t repeat this achievement at future award ceremonies.) He has also had works exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London.

Kevin was a London Taxi Driver for twenty years and now works within the Public Sector based in Kingston.

Where did it all begin for you? Were you drawing from a young age?

I have always drawn since I can remember, honestly used to doodle on everything as a child.

And really have never stopped it’s a terrible habit really.

CARTOONIST IN SITU! Kevin at his home office in South London

Squiggleking’ and opportunist as I am thought this is too good not to steal.

Being part of the draw challenge community really helped me develop a new confidence in my work so you can blame him for that as well as the cool name and it really gave a lot of artists like me who were secretly scribbling away on kitchen tables a bit of exposure.

Where did the name ‘SquiggleKing’ come from?

Sometime during covid I was bored one day and was scrolling on my phone when I saw a post on Which artists have inspired you?

Martin Rowson’s twitter account about his draw When by some miracle I ended up studying challenges where at that time he had challenged fine art at art school as a mature student Ralph his followers to have a go at drawing Michael Steadman became a huge influence on my Gove. I thought, ‘I’ve drawn Michael Gove’ so drawing style and my sketchbooks and artwork posted that and Martin retweeted it and it got were filled with Steadmanesque creations and loads of likes and nice comments I just love his work and always have. and I thought this is quite fun But my influences are eclectic to so started contributing be honest. Spitting image was to these ongoing a big influence on me when challenges, which had it first came out as I was big been going a while into caricature and I have before I joined the long admired the work of party. Martin used the Belgian caricature artist to do a round up of Jan op de Beeck but I am entries and pick a always finding new artists winner and I guess I like, for example I think my drawing style had Thomas Fluharty’s drawings are become recognisable phenomenal and I love the darkly and Martin started grotesque caricatures of Frank referring to me as ‘the DRAWING CHALLENGE!

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Kevins online go at Gove

Hoppman. In portraiture I guess Rembrandt is the man.

Was it always going to be portraits? Or do you secretly have an urge to throw in the odd landscape?

Always portraits. Just love drawing people and the occasional animal Your work is incredibly detailed, and you seem able to show the beauty of your subjects using distortion and caricature. Do you just dive and see where it all takes you? Or is it a conscious journey that you take depending on who you are drawing?

Each drawing is different each one like an exploration. Although I might have a rough idea of the composition generally I just start drawing and see where the drawing takes me, sort of feel my way through it. Sometimes the drawing comes straight away, sometimes it’s a struggle and it is very satisfying when I can wrestle it into something half decent and occasionally it just doesn’t work at all. It’s a great feeling though when a drawing does start taking shape and its always a surprise to me how it happens so I try not to overthink the process as I do enough overthinking in the rest of my life. Drawing is actually extremely cathartic and I recommend it.

REMBRANDT

JEFF LYNNE

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JD VANCE

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HEAD LINES You’ve captured so many well-known people. I particularly love your ‘Mr Blue Sky’ (Jeff Lynne) and your ‘Nadine Dorries’ is quite spectacular as well. How do you choose your subjects? Ever had any famous commissions you’re able to share? Any personal favourites?

Thank you. I do like both those drawings. Often the subjects choose themselves I do like to draw topical characters but I also sketch more obscure faces often too as some faces are just too interesting not to sketch.

I don’t really have favourites, but some drawings just work better than others, its very satisfying when an idea just works for example Recreational Rembrandt but my Trump drawing won me the caricature splat award so not complaining about that sketch either.

Unsurprisingly I don’t get many commissions just sketches for friends and family mostly and a lot of people asking me not to draw them..

In your opinion, what’s the secret to a really good portrait?

I think a really good portrait needs to have more than a good likeness and to portray something of the subject’s inner self or personality. Maybe a look in the eye or expression but never easy to capture that’s for sure particularly when you are deconstructing a face but trying to hold onto likeness. Eyes and mouth often hold the key With a caricature I am often trying to express a point of view about the subject as well..

Everyone seems to be switching to iPad these days as it’s so quick and easy to use. What artistic process do you use? Ever fancy ‘going digital’?

I go through phases, oil painting, pen, ink and watercolour, carbon pencils, even went through a bic biro doodling period for ages but after watching Curtis Holder drawing in coloured pencils on Portrait Artist of the Year a few years ago I thought that looks like it would suit my technique and I tried using Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils and loved them and they really changed how I worked and the look of my drawings for the better.

I love the physicality of working with pencils on paper and the process of drawing helps me destress and relax as well so I don’t see myself going digital.

You call yourself a “Doodler who tried to make beautiful portraits but got a bit carried away”. I look at your work and immediately think of Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year. Have you ever considered entering?

I have thought about it a lot as I love the programme, but I really don’t like being watched while I work which would be an issue. I was once filmed by the BBC while I made a portrait as artist in residence at a gallery and I found it a very uncomfortable experience. But I am

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tempted every year. I also find it hard to hold back on caricature and not sure that’s what the judges would be looking for.

TV DEBUT! From Alan Carr tweet to Daytime on Lorraine

You recently had a bit of fun in the limelight, with some of your work appearing on ITV’s Lorraine. How did that come about?

Alan Carr shared the drawing I did of him on Instagram recently and it went a bit viral due to his current popularity and as a result of that I was contacted by an ITV producer asking if I was happy for them to share some of my drawings on the Lorraine show. I sent them some images including one of that day’s presenter Christine Lampard and Lorraine herself but I think egos stopped them showing those or in Lorraine’s case the fact she is smoking in my drawing may have had a bearing on the decision.

They showed a few of my sketches though and I had my 45 seconds of fame and great fun it was although I’m not expecting to be asked to be on next years Strictly but very grateful for the unexpected attention and exposure.

Finally - What’s next for Kevin Wells?

To keep drawing and hope people continue to enjoy my work.

ELON MUSTK ALERT!

A PORTRAIT OF KEVIN WELLS

KEVIN WELLS

QUICK FIRE! FAVOURITE FILMS? Notting Hill.

FIRST CAR? Austin Mini.

MOST LOVED CUISINE? Italian.

ROGUES GALLERY!

Greg Wallace & the The Andrew formerly known as Prince KEVIN WELLS

@squiggleking

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNED KEVIN WELLS COVER PRINT!

LONDON CABS OR NEW YORK TAXIS?

I drove a London Black Cab for 20 years so has to be London Cab.

PIECE OF EQUIPMENT YOU CAN’T DO WITHOUT WHEN CARTOONING? My glasses these days.

Simply email: editor@thenewcartoonist.co.uk subject: Kevin Wells print competition DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES NOVEMBER 27TH 2025 Congratulations to Kevin Carling who was picked out of the hat from the last issue and gets a Royston Robertson signed cover print

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ENTER HERE NOW

ILLUSTRATION OR CARTOON HERO? Ralph Steadman.

WHAT SUPER POWER WOULD YOU HAVE? Invisibility.

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CARTOON FESTIVAL

OUR GLORIOUS GALWAY

A TRIP TO THE ANNUAL CARTOON FESTIVAL ON THE BEAUTIFUL WEST COAST OF IRELAND DEAN PATTERSON GUINNESS SIPPING Ah, Galway. Where the streets are paved with tarmac. Every year a bunch of cartoonists from near and far gather in this fine city to get drunk. Coincidently at this time they have a cartoon festival, which is very distracting.

The 3rd to the 8th of October 2025 saw the 9th annual Galway cartoon festival, now the biggest cartoon festival in Ireland. It was very much a packed festival of Maura’s terrible breakfasts in the B&B, sitting in bar Neachtains trying to wash the taste of Maura’s terrible breakfast away with pints of Guinness and Irish cartooning legend Jim Cogan asking (and I’m quoting verbatim) “Where does that nice Cuban cartoonist come from?”

But we were often distracted from our busy schedules with all things cartooning.

RECORD BREAKERS! How many cartoonists in a snug?

The festival has grew and grew and it really Graeme Keyes have had special exhibitions (I was the biggest and best this year. Joey Mason can’t remember who they picked last year.) This designed the poster for the festivals 9th outing year it was Ian Knox, one of the greatest political and really captured the spirit of Galway and the cartoonist Ireland has ever produced. festival. Having worked for the likes of Disney, Ian, from the North of Ireland, has been the Joey now spends a lot of his time travelling the political cartoonist for the Irish News since 1989. world capturing real time events Being a political cartoonist in Northern through drawing. From Californian Ireland, perks of the job have included wildfires, US riots or cityscapes him being told by intelligence officers around the world, Joey uses he needs to get out of the country his pens and paper as a for his own safety and at times photographer would his having to buy false beards just camera. to walk his native Belfast. A long But Joey wasn’t the only and successful career that has also American to distract us from seen him working in comics and our drinking time. Legendary animation and drawing for many years American comix artist Gilbert for the political television show Hearts MEETING THE LOCALS! Shelton, creator such of iconic and Minds. underground characters as The Ian, now 83, is still working. As a Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and Fat Freddy’s non-political cartoonist he told me a very telling Cat flew over to talk about his incredible career. thing as we shared a bus back to Belfast. He said He was interviewed on stage by another comic before you sit down and draw a political cartoon, legend, the great Hunt Emmerson. Which was you must know the story you’re commenting worth the bus fare alone. on to the point it could be your specialist subject on Mastermind. Ian’s exhibition was a great hit, and personally I think my favourite SPECIAL GUESTS part of the festival was trying to explain to a Every year the festival hosts an exhibition Californian who Ian Paisley was. (As Mr. Knox told celebrating an Irish cartoonist who has me, anyone who ever drew Ian Paisley with his contributed to the art form. In the past such mouth closed needed to get a different job). . celebrated cartoonists as Martyn Turner and

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GALWAY 2025 SHARING ART! With Luci Amoux

THE ISLAND

A highlight every year of the Galway festival is getting on a ferry and heading to Innisher, one of the Arron Islands off the coast of Galway. Words seem so futile when describing the beauty of this island. Usually I like to go and fall through a wall, but this year I gave my collar bone a rest and refrained myself.

Two exhibitions were held on the Island, one an exhibition of cartoons in the Irish language and the second an exhibition by Lucie Amoux.

Lucie, one of the finest artists of her generation, is best known for her graphic novel Je Ne Sais Quoi and illustrating the Enola Holmes comics.

Leading up to the festival Lucie spent 2 weeks on Innisher capturing the island, the people and the beautiful surroundings. Lucie’s exhibition was stunning, and it must be said that she seemed to fit about one year’s work into that 2 weeks.

ARE WE STILL CHARLIE? Panel Discussion

MAKING HIS MARK! Jim Cogan drawing

ACTIVITIES

Other events included ‘Are We Still Charlie?’ a panel discussion marking the 10th anniversary of the Charlie Hebo attack. An insightful and thought-provoking discussion which included Antinio Fischetti, Camille Besse and Soulcie.

Andy Leuenberger held a great workshop about self-publishing and we were treated to an interview with the incredible Belfast born comic book artist John McCrea (Marvel, Dark Horse Comics, 2000 AD). The incredible Portuguese cartoonist Cristina Sampaio gave a screening of her brilliant short political animations and told us how she is currently trying to be prosecuted for one of her editorial cartoons by her own government because it criticized the police.

But of course, albeit a cartoon festival, it is not just trivial matters that are delt with, serious issues were rightly addressed also. We tried to break the world record for the most cartoonists fitted into the snug of an Irish bar. Cristina Sampaio is actually contacting the Guinness book of records, but at time of publication she has yet to hear back from them. If you think you can beat the record for the most cartoonist fitted into the snug of an Irish pub, write to the editor of the New Cartoonist and include proof.

I think the world and those who inhabit it will look back at the 9th Galway cartoon festival as somewhat of a success. No one broke any walls, Tom Mathews relatively behaved himself and I got to see Joey Mason in his underpants. Galway Cartoon Festival really has established itself as one of Europe’s biggest and best festivals.

DEAN PATTERSON

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DRESSED FOR ACTION Ian Know looking daper

STUNNING INNISHEER

IRISH ON FULL DISPLAY!

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CELEBRATING ED MCLACHLAN

ONE OF THE GREATEST! Ed McLachlan, widely regarded as one of Britain’s finest cartoonists, passed away a year ago.

Friends, family, fans and fellow practitioners gathered at London’s Cartoon Museum to celebrate his life, legacy and his immediately recognisable and inimitable illustrations from an extraordinary career, that spanned 60 years, regularly appearing in ‘Punch,’ ‘Private Eye,’ ‘The Spectator,’ ‘The Oldie,’ and many more.

Speakers included his friend, the Private Eye and Sunday Times cartoonist, Nick Newman, Gallery owner and radio & TV comedy script writer, Chris Beetles and Ed’s daughter, Danielle Lees.

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CONNECT WITH US

EXHIBITION

ELLA BARON ON SHOW If you find yourself Christmas shopping in London and want a break from all that madness, then you could do well to jump off the commercialization bus and experience something a bit different.

If you have seen Ella Baron’s work adorning the pages of The Guardian or The Times, then you will be well-versed in her strong visual commentary on those working in politics. What you might not be aware of is her willingness to directly confront the tougher subjects many of us political cartoonists often shy away from.

In May 2025 Ella travelled to Ukraine to record and reflect on the human impact of war in the region. In collaboration with NGO Médecins Sans Frontieres, Ella met patients in a rehabilitation centre for war veterans in Cherkasy, and visited a mental health clinic for internally displaced families in Vinnytsia. The Art & Conflict Hub is pleased to host an exhibition of the artwork Ella produced, exploring the complex marks war leaves on the human body and mind.

Seeing all the work that goes into Ella’s pieces up close is amazing, and the fact this exhibition is totally free to view makes it a must-visit. If you want to see real talent, it’s here on full display!

EXHIBITION INFORMATION

ELLA BARON

Extended until Dec 20th

ELLA BARON Cartoonist at The Guardian & The Times

DMYTRO (43) & PETRO (40)

TETIANA (66) OLENA (30)

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THE THREE S’s (EXTENDED) A CARTOON ICON SERIES

THE OUTSTANDING SERRE

TAKING A LOOK BACK AT A FRENCH KING OF ILLUSTRATION AND L’HUMOUR NOIR...

MARK WINTER reflecting “Laughter often arises from the tragic situation of another...humour is the politeness of despair.” Claude Serre.

The online bookstore ‘Le Bibliophile Heurtebise’ was selling the 1987 edition of a cartoon book titled ‘Savoir vivre’ (‘Etiquette’) in July, 2014. The byline simply said: “The disturbing and unsettling world of Claude Serre.”

A world I discovered many years ago when I ventured out on my own cartooning journey and one that had an influence on my early direction.

The inscription, accompanied by a copy of the cover and a gallery of images read: “Though he passed away prematurely in 1998, this French cartoonist continues to make us laugh and surprise us. The precision of his line reveals the absurdity of certain everyday situations. From his fantastical drawings to the humorous ones, it’s often just a small step to enter a unique graphic universe. Hardcover.

Good condition.”

Join the journey and buckle up!

THE BEGINNING

Claude Serre was born in Sucy-en-Brie, a southeastern suburb of Paris, on November 10, 1938. He started drawing almost immediately, doodling continuously, especially portraits of family and friends, punctuated by a brief cinematic diversion. He appeared in two films, both in 1948. Uncredited in Pierre Billion’s ‘Ruy Blas’ (‘The Queen’s Lover’), he was a fife player in ‘L’Aigle à deux têtes’ (‘The Eagle with Two Heads’), directed by the foremost French avantgarde artist Jean Cocteau, who was highly influential in the Surrealist and Dada movements. The ‘National Observer’ suggested that “of the artistic generation whose daring gave birth to Twentieth Century Art, Cocteau came closest to being a Renaissance man,” as a visual artist, poet, playwright, novelist, designer, critic and film director. The young Claude was hardly CLAUDE SERRE

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glass windows, becoming a ‘sculptor of light.’

Ingrand had worked on the window designs for Notre-Dame prior to being drafted for military service, spending most of World War II in Nazi captivity. Returning to Paris in 1945, he was commissioned to replace 47 stained glass windows in the iconic cathedral, destroyed during the conflict. Claude eventually became the studio’s workshop manager, creating the stain-glass windows for most of the French churches that had been demolished during the previous six years. He was responsible for the proportions, completing the design and colours then transposing them into actual dimensions.

It was here that he would ‘cartoon’ as it was originally meant, before the word was shanghaied by satire, full-sized preparatory drawings of the window design, showing the exact size and shape of each piece of glass, its colour and the sizes of lead and the BUTT NOSE ILLUSTRATION

filmdom’s ‘next big thing,’ oozing star quality, but he was certainly mixing with the right people. At 15, he entered and won a competition organised by the American comic magazine, ‘Prince Valiant.’ He was on his way, although it would take some time to return to the comic genre that would bring him national and international recognition. A few necessary and valuable detours followed as he built up a creative catalogue of knowledge, skills and techniques in a variety of disciplines.

After a short period of academic studies, Claude joined his older cousin, Jean Gourmelin at the studio of legendary master glassmaker and decorator Max Ingrand. For the next eight years he immersed himself in the art of stain

support system required to glaze the window.

During this passage through the sacred art, Claude acquired most of the classical techniques of stained glass window production- designing, painting, plating and the origin of him adopting the hatched line. “The mastery of the glass techniques reinforced his sumptuous and detailed style of hatching. He built, enriched and refined the detailed and perfectionist style that became instantly recognisable in later work,” according to his brief biography in the ‘Serre Humour’ website.

FANTASY

During the 1960s, Claude concentrated on illustration and perfecting printmaking techniques including engraving, lithography, aquatint and screen printing after leaving the glass studio and working in nearby Lesigny. He rendered countless fantasy works that appeared in a variety of magazines. “It was during this period that he used his pen in the darkest way. Fantasy drawing was very popular at this

AIMING

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time and Serre was just starting out in the profession.” His dark humour draws its origins from the “strange and the fantastic,” explained the Serre Humour bio.

He created images for most of the premier publications, including ‘Planete,’ ‘Plexus,’ ‘100 de Moyenne,’ and scientific sketches ‘Science & Vie,’ ‘La Vie Electrique,’ and ‘Le Figaro.’

He also began illustrating books. The first was ‘Asunrath,’ a work of fantasy by Marie-Thérèse de Brosses in 1967. He incorporated his interest in the fantastic into many of his early lithographs, which were published, sometimes exclusively, in many countries including Japan and Germany.

Claude meet the American writer and a municipal councillor of Lesigny, Jacques Claude Nezat in 1969 and they became friends. He wrote numerous articles devoted to Claude’s art and his work and organized two successful exhibitions in Germany in 1975 and 1976-1977.

It also led to his work being published in the German satirical magazine ‘Pardon.’

He also provided visuals for the books of popular French actor, singer, humorist and writer, Francis Blanche and his close friend Frédéric Dard, author of the ‘San-Antonio’ series, luxury editions of the medieval legend ‘Tristan & Isolde’ and Baudelaire’s volume of poetry, ‘Les Fleurs du Mal.’ Cartooning was a relatively late entry in Claude’s life. At the beginning of the 1970s, when he was in his early thirties, he joined friends contributing to satirical publications such as ‘Hara-Kiri,’ ‘Charlie Hebdo,’ and ‘Pilote.’

While he greatly admired the work of Paul Audin (Avoine) and André Barbe, who he said were able to get to the heart of the matter very quickly with simple line and colour, it was Roland Topor (1938-1997), known for his surreal dark humour, that was a major influence on Claude. The famed cartoonist, animator, playwright, novelist, painter, actor and

everything else produced illustrations that were carefully detailed, realistic style, with elaborate crosshatching, emphasising the fantastic and macabre subject matter in each image. His 1964 novel, ‘The Tenant’ was adapted for a film by Roman Polanski. A chilling exploration of alienation and identity asking disturbing questions about how we define ourselves.

Panned initially by critics and cinephiles alike, it has now become a favourite cult classic. He also helped form a Paris collective called the ‘Panic Movement’ in 1962. Inspired by and named after the god Pan and influenced by Luis Bunuel and Antonin Artaud’s ‘Theatre of Cruelty,’ the group concentrated on chaotic and surreal performance art, as a response to surrealism becoming mainstream. The movement’s violent theatrical events were designed to be shocking and to release destructive energies in search of peace and beauty. Topor also wrote, directed and designed a number of theatre works with absurd narratives rife with macabre ironies. One of his plays, ‘Vinci avait raison’ (‘Vinci was Right’) set in a house where no one can escape with clogged toilets and excrement accumulating on stage, was performed in both London and Brussels. It caused a scandal, with audiences leaving before the end. One critic suggested, “We must put this idiot in prison for creating such filth.” Another mentioned, “In some countries, the author would be shot.” Ideal stuff to inspire a fledging cartoonist!.

MEDICINE

Claude’s real ‘turn’ towards humorous drawings and fame came in 1972, when his comical career took off, heading on a trajectory that would result in him being considered, by many, as one of the great humorists of the 20th century.

He was approached by the Grenoble-based publishing company Editions du Grésivaudan to produce 50 humorous drawings on the theme of medicine. It was the first edition of

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THE THREE S’s (EXTENDED) A CARTOON ICON SERIES

COVER ART FOR ‘LA MÉDECINE_1997

IT’S ALWAYS TIRING LIKE THIS - THE 70TH ONE

the now celebrated ‘Humour noir et hommes en blanc.’ (‘Black Humour and Men in White’) The title is a play on the common French expression ‘hommes en blanc’ (‘men in white’), a term for doctors and medical staff. It examined a large part of the medical profession, from emergency rooms to general practice, including paramedical professions, doctors, surgeons, dentists, massage therapists, hospital maintenance workers and of course, patients.

It was a very luxurious edition in a boxed set, including independent drawings with only 500 copies printed. A true collectors item. However, the publisher went bankrupt and was bought out by Jacques Glénat, a twenty-year-old, who founded, while still a high school student and was editor of the comics fanzine ‘Schtroumf’ (the French, original, title of ‘The Smurfs). He had just started a publishing business. His first project was to reissue ‘Black Humour and Men in White’ in 1973 as a soft-covered book, with a preface by French comedian and Claude’s role

ASUNRATH COVER

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of satire, dark wit and surreal imagery. I was model, Pierre Dac. It sold over a million copies especially taken by his wonderful crosshatching, worldwide, much to the surprise and delight a technique I was exploring in my formative of all concerned and continues to be a best cartooning years, pondering if I should stick seller today. It is regarded as a definitive and to such a time-consuming method or flag it influential work of medical satire, becoming for a quicker, more lineal shorthand drawing a classic in European cartooning. Several style. Claude’s masterpieces, convinced me editions and related works, including ‘Men in to continue crosshatching...at least for the White Coats: Cartoons for the Sick of Mind (and foreseeable future. Another admired aspect was Body)’ followed. In a TV interview for the ‘In All his minimal use of text, if at all, superfluous in Letters’ programme, Claude himself said if he most cases because the visual communication was a doctor, he would have few clients. “I don’t happened through the powerful imagery. The blame doctors. I don’t know them very well, addition of small amounts of colour, usually but since I published this book, many have told blood red amongst the black and white cartoons me they’ve seen things even worse than this.” to enhance the impact and reinforce the Jacques won the best publisher award at the intended meaning also appealed to me. I liken Angoulême International Comics Festival and Claude collected the Grandville Prix de l’humour it to the young girl wearing a red coat in Steven Spielberg’s magnum opus, ‘Schindler’s List.’ Shot noir (Black Humour Award). The book was not in black and white, the pivotal splash of colour only the catalyst for Claude’s rise to celebrity cartoonist status, it also provided the foundation against a monochromatic backdrop provided the visual symbolism to covey meaning. for the Glénat company’s rapid growth Claude also returned to using full that has, for more than 50 years watercolour washes to many of his been a key player in the French cartoons, providing an effective publishing industry. contrast to the stark black ‘Black Humour and Men and white renderings. in White’ was also a huge inspiration for me and After the huge success my introduction to the of ‘Black Humour and “disturbing and unsettling Men in White,’ more world of Claude Serre.” themed books, published Ironically I found a copy...

by Gérnat followed. Titles or it found me, while waiting included, ‘Le Sport’ (1977), in A&E at my local hospital L’Automobile’ ( ‘The Car’ 1978), for my lacerated drawing hand to be treated after an unwanted ‘MONUMENT’ AQUATINT ‘Savoir vivre’ (‘Etiquette’ 1981), LIMITED PRINT C1970 ‘Vice compris’ (‘Service Included’ altercation with a bandsaw.

1979), ‘La Bouffe’ ( ‘Food’ 1982), Explanations for another time.

‘Bricolage’ (‘D.I.Y’ 1983), ‘Les The book was no doubt placed Vacances’ (‘Vacations’ 1984), ‘Petits Anges’ amongst more genteel reading material by an (‘Little Angels-Children’ 1985), ‘Zoo au logis’ obviously sadistic staff member...and I thank (‘Pets and Animals’ 1986), ‘Musiques’ (‘Music’ them for it! I was mesmerised by Claude’s work, 1993) ‘Chasse et peche’ (‘Hunting and Fishing’ brutal yet beautiful, with his trademark blend

1995) and returning to his original subject, ‘La Médecine’ (‘Medicine’ 1997). All of them have been reprinted in further editions. The ‘Libr@ irie Point Lire’ website, selling many of the collection, wrote in its introduction, “Claude Serre invented a style of humour where the observation of behaviour is remarkably effective and the drawing devilishly precise. A true entomologist of laughter, Serre hunts down the foibles of modern man with contagious glee.

These images are imbued with an absurd and devastating humour and reveal much about our society, our individual quirks and flaws. Without ever being peachy, Serre hits the nail on the head, inviting us to laugh at ourselves.”

Paul Cardoso, writing about Claude in ‘Naija News’ said, “Serre’s work struck a chord with readers due to its provocative and often disturbing insights into the vulnerabilities of the human body and medical institutions.

His satirical and offbeat style earned Claude a growing notoriety, elevating him to icon status in the field of graphic humour.”

“His witty and incisive portrayals of contemporary society quickly gained popularity, making him one of the most sought-after illustrators of his time. Serre’s work often featured exaggerated characters in absurd or ironic situations, offering humorous commentary on social and political issues.”

experiences. He knew birds, nature, trees, leaves very well.”

LE GOGGLEBOX

Claude made many appearances on popular television shows and was one of the first cartoonists to use the videographer which allowed him to draw live on the TV screens such as Michel Polac’s show, ‘Droit de response.’

He was joined by many of his friends and fellow cartoonists, including Claire Bretecher, Frédéric Aristidès (Fred), Jean Pierre Desclozeaux, Roger Blachon and Jean-Jacques Loup, among others. They were all guests on ‘Tac au tac,’ a game show that pitted French and Foreign cartoonists against each other in a friendly competition, each improvising ‘LA MÉDECINE TOON a drawing based on a theme.

An example was sketching a horizon line on a large sheet of paper then completing a three person composition, based on childhood memories. In the 1980s he was part of a collective of French cartoonists called ‘Les Humoristes Associés,’ abbreviated to HA! They published several books, including ‘Le Vin,’ Volumes 1 and 2 (1980 and BACK TO BASICS 1981), ‘De Vino’ (1981) and ‘La Beyond the morbid XXXXXX Table’ (1985). cynicism, black humour and Claude’s frenetic work rate vitriol... “Serre hid a laugh. and prolific output slowed He tried to reflect through considerably through the the absurd by showing that 1990s. He produced fewer some situations in life really publications as he learned of are. We laugh at them. He IMAGE FROM his illness, a brain tumor, which compared black humour to the ‘ASUNRATH’ 1967 he battled for seven years. He did person who slips. We laugh and only publish two collaborative books, then do we go and see if they are one with Michel Bridenne in 1996 (‘Faites vos okay. It’s not mean, just a reflex,” his biography jeux’) and a year later with Philippe Soulas (‘Le stated. It also outlined Claude’s process for dico des maux.Traitements et remédes’). He creating the themed books. also completed four more themed volumes for “He would take a notebook, usually after the end-of-year holidays, and decide on a theme as Gérant and was still participating in the annual dark as they were hilarious. He would then write Saint-Just-le -Martel Cartoon Festival.

Three days after his 60th birthday, Claude and sketch until he had more than a hundred died at the University Hospital of Caen’s ideas, choosing the strongest...then get to Neurology Department, where he was being work. He would sketch on tracing paper to keep treated by renowned neuroradiologist and the proportions and move the characters into interventional radiologist, Professeur Jacques the best position. He started with pencil and Theron, after complications from a car accident. finalized with pen and Indian ink. In his early “His unique style and sharp wit have left days he drew on large sheets of paper and also used watercolours in some drawings. Depending an indelible mark on the world of art and on the theme he would draw on documentation. illustration, making him a beloved figure in French popular culture,” concluded Paul For hunting, he bought magazines for positions Cardoso. and weapons. This was also the case for Merci Claude. sport, because he wanted to render the exact gesture, the perfect posture, as close to reality as possible. For everything concerning fauna MARK WINTER and flora, he relied on his memory and his

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BLACK HUMOUR AND MEN IN WHITE COVER 1973

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OBITUARY

Patrice Ricord

1947 - 2025

One of the global giants of caricature, Patrice Ricord - also known as Ricor - passed away in April this year, aged 77.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Patrice along with fellow Frenchmen, Jean-Claude Morchoisne and Jean Mulatier helped shape the golden age of modern caricature, becoming trendsetters and a reference for generations to come.

Born in the coastal town of Cagres-sur-Mer in southwest France in 1947, Patrice’s father was a wood sculptor and his grandfather was steward and driver for Pierre-Auguste Renoir, one of the leading Impressionist painters.

At high school he met future co-worker and fellow caricaturist Jean Mulatier. After graduating from university with a batchelor’s degree in Philosophy, he and Jean studied at the Parisian Graphic Arts atelier Met De Penninghen between 1967 and 1972. They also attended the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. While still students they both joined the comic magazine ‘Pilote.’ alonside Jean-Claude Morchoisne, forming a formidable trinity of caricaturing talent. They created ‘Les Grandes Gueules’ ( The Great Mugs) section of the publication, a series of unflattering, grotesque celebrity caricatures in photo-realistic style. In 1974 the trio left ‘Pilote’, continuing to collaborate, firstly on their own, short-lived mag ‘Mormoil’ and in the 1980s releasing several thematic ‘Grand Gueules’ book collections..

Patrice’s work appeared on the covers and inside pages of many notable magazines, including ‘Paris Match’, ‘L’Express, ‘Le Figaro’ and French editions of Playboy and MAD as well as in the ‘Sunday Times’ and ‘Graphis’ (UK), ‘Esquire (US) and ‘Der Stern’ (Germany). He also featured in many solo and group exhibitions in Paris, London, Buenos Aires, Mexico and Hamburg. In 2008 he was the first European caricaturist to be officially welcomed in China with work included in an International Cartoon Exhibition in the city of Guiyang.

In its tribute to Patrice, the Irancartoon website acknowledged he was “a master in every sense. His caricatures carried a unique aesthetic, blending precision with poetry, wit with wonder. His legacy lives on in the lines he drew and the smiles he inspired. Rest in peace, dear Maestro. Your art and spirit remain timeless.”

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TECHNOLOGY MARSHALL NOT FUNNY getting filthy In my two previous New Cartoonist reviews on pen nibs and inks I felt I came over as a bit of a reactionary who fails to grasp new technology, so I thought I’d put the record straight by talking about fountain pens (which came to prominence in the mid 1900c and that’s pretty hi-tech to me) As with so many inventions, it’s thought the idea for the fountain pen originated with Leonardo da Vinci (I believe he also foretold the electric toaster and the iPad Air) but it took until the 1820s for these pens to really take off. It was John Scheffer’s patent of 1819 that was the first design to see commercial success, with his ‘Penographic’.

Another early developer was John Jacob Parker who in 1832 patented a ‘self-filler with a screwoperated piston’. Parker of course are still well known for manufacturing pens.

An additional notable pioneer was the DRAWING BY RÓISÍN CURÉ Romanian inventor Petrache Poenaru who of her own produced drawing kit came up with what he described as the ‘never(featuring the Sailor Fude) ending portable pen, which recharges itself with ink’ and had an ink reservoir made with a - no matter where she goes she is constantly swan quill. sketching, be it New York’s skyscrapers or the classical buildings in Rome. Once at lunch she kindly gave me my first Platinum Preppy pen: I generously gifted her back the only pen in my bag which was an old BIC biro yet she went on to do some incredible drawings with it (I did say to her, her drawings are astounding but can she draw a chicken playing the banjo?) Caroline has about 111,000 followers on Insta, I have a similar number but without the naughts.

The videos she posts of her drawing are mesmerising. She has her own curated and branded collection of materials for one of the major art supply companies coming out early next year.

One pen I crave that Caroline uses is from the Chicago-based Desiderata Pen Company whose PEN DRAWING BY pens are all hand-made.

LEONARDO I particularly like the Bamf which has been customised with the Japanese Zebra G dip pen nib. I can’t really afford the above, it costs more Two of my favourite ‘drawists’ who often use fountain pens are Róisín Curé (Insta: @roisincure) than my first car did although some of the current elite pens from the likes of Mont Blanc the self-described ’sketching evangelist’ and Caroline Smith (Insta: @urban_sketchliner) who cost into the thousands…more than my current car cost. draws incredible urban landscapes from life.

My Holy Grail has always been a fountain pen Róisín’s tutorials are fantastic; it was she who that draws like a dip pen with a very flexible line. inspired me to get the Japanese Sailor Fude nib I’d read online that people were fitting the pen (pronounced FOOD apparently…which is Zebra G nib to the very cheap, great utility pen, fude for thought) and from her I learned weird the Jinhao 750 (you can buy about 5 for £20) alchemy such as mixing THREE colours together, There are plenty of online tutorials to help with which to me is some sort of voodoo. this but it’s a bit hit and miss. I’ve just used a Caroline has a interior design background regular G nib to trial it but will swap it for the which may play into her architectural artistry

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DRAWING BY CAROLINE IN BOLOGNA with her Bamf pen

tungsten version as the standard one rusted up pretty quickly. These and similar cannibalised pens are known by fountain pen enthusiasts as frankenpens.

THE DESIDERATA STRIATA HAND-CRAFTED PENS

You’ll notice in the photos of my pens I often choose ones which are clear plastic. Not only is this laziness as I can see how much ink I have left without unscrewing the barrel but I think they look pretty groooooooovy (I do like a design where you can see the innards - I have a similar Swatch, pocket radio and plastic trousers) I often wondered why these clear pens are called ‘Demonstrators’ and discovered recently the answer is pretty obvious. Pen salesmen in the late 19th century would sometimes carry

MY FAVOURED FOUNTAIN PEN INKS

to the extreme of putting small ‘agitator’ glass beads in their bottles which helps dislodge the settled particles.

As I mentioned earlier there are specialists who hand-make fountain pens but there are also specialists who hand-make their own ink. I like KZW from Poland. You can find tutorials CAROLINE’S ST. PAUL’S online on how to make Iron Gall inks. They drawn with my cheap biro use iron and some sort of tannic acid from a vegetable source, frequently oak galls (hence the name) These inks have been made a see-though model to demonstrate how the in a similar way going back to the 5th century. pen worked inside. Often clients really liked the They’re not very common now but are also look of them and asked if they could get one so permanent and water resistant. They tend to be companies started producing them. a lovely browny-black or purply-black colour but be mindful they can be corrosive if left in a pen unused for too long.

John Sorowka who will customise and adapt a pen for you after looking at how you write or draw, including grinding the nib to match the angle that you use your pen! I also met the folk from ’Write Here’ a shop from old cartoon festival haunt Shrewsbury. It’s the only dedicated fountain pen store left in the country - I made a pilgrimage there last weekend and it’s a great store. I particularly liked the amazing selection of Japanese inks…but what’s even more amazing is I didn’t buy anything apart from a pencil!

DRAWING BY CHICHI PARISH

MY JINHAO 750 about to go through nib change surgery

I talked about inks in a previous article. With a fountain pen you really should use specific fountain pen inks. NEVER try using a thick drawing ink.

The most popular are water-based dye inks that flow more freely but can fade over time.

For drawing I’d recommend a thicker pigmentparticle ink. These are more likely to clog up your pen if not frequently used but are much more black and dry water-fast so you can apply washes.

As I said in my paean to ink Platinum Carbon Black is my favourite (recommended by both Róisín’ & Caroline) but DeAtramentstis Document ink is a good slightly cheaper option.

Both are really black, waterproof and light-fast (I favour the former as it’s harder to knock the bottle over) A key feature of the particle inks is that they can’t be erased so are often used to sign important documents. The particles in these inks can settle at the bottom of the bottle, particularly the colour inks, so it’s wise to give them a good shake before use. Some artists go

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VINTAGE NIBS AT THE LONDON PEN SHOW. Birmingham seemed to be a centre for nib production, consequently many early fountain pens were made there too including by my nib nemesis Joseph Gillott (TNC passim) INK SWATCHES at the London Pen Show

Another fountain pen enthusiast is the fantastic cartoonist Chichi Parish (Insta: @ chichiparish) who I bumped into at the London Pen show a few weeks ago - it’s a sort of safe space for pen pervs. The UK Pen Shows are staged around the country, check on their website for details.

Whenever I’ve met Chichi at cartoon events (ie the sadly defunct ‘Cartoonists Whinges’) we’d have a pen off. It was my first visit to the show so she took me around and introduced me to some interesting people including pen guru

Now one thing you’ll be thinking is hang on, you love the splatter and the splutter and your drawings look like they were done with sump oil and a stick, so how does this fit in with finding pen perfection? Well they’re just lovely things to draw with and make you want to pick them up and get scribbling. I primarily use them when I’m on the move or travelling (have you tried drawing on a RyanAir flight in turbulence with a dip pen and bottle of ink?) I do treat my pens pretty badly and I rarely clean them properly. If they clog up I just dip them in my tea AND then continue to drink the tea. I do miss the sound of a scratchy nib though so use BBC SoundEffect LP No. 34 - Scratchy pens noises on loop.

Overleaf are some of the pens I use:.

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MARSHALL NOT FUNNY ...and testing

GREEN SAILOR PEN WITH CONVERTER AHAB PEN WITH INKY HAND

Noodler’s Ahab pen I’m very fond of this, it was my first fountain pen bought just for drawing. They are popular with artists as they have a fairly flexible nib. It’s a leaky old thing but I can’t get rid of this faithful friend (it’s also the one pictured on this article’s title banner)

Fude De Mannen with Wakatake 55 degree nib Fude nibs are aimed at the calligraphy market.

They’re great at giving line variations depending on the angle you use them, I even use mine upside down to get a super fine line. The ink flow is good too. It’s probably the fountain pen I use most. It’s only available in this green colour and I’d prefer it with a pocket clip as, for one thing, it stops them rolling around. It comes with a couple of Sailor ink cartridges but I’d recommend you buy a converter to put your own choice of ink in. There is a great YouTube tutorial with the hyper-enthusiastic Anne-laure on using Fude pens.

Platinum Preppy It was one of these that Caroline introduced me to. This is my attempt at drawing St Paul’s which is a bit embarrassing after seeing what Caroline did with a biro. These pens are super cheap so I try and keep one in every bag or jacket pocket.

If you bump into me just say ‘I’d like to see your Preppy’.

PENTEL FUDE BRUSH PEN

ROTRING PEN AND INK

Pentel Fude Brush Pen

Rotring pen and ink I’ve had this for over thirty years and it’s still going strong. Rotring’s inks are good too. These pens are great to travel with - I like the fact you can fit a spare ink cartridge in the long barrel.

A bugger to clean though if you let them clog up. Previous TNC cover stars Martin Rowson and Jeremy Banx use these too.)

PLATINUM PREPPY WITH ST PAUL’S DRAWING

TWSBI PEN WITH PACKAGING

TWSBI Eco A recent acquisition. They’re a much loved brand from Taiwan. They only started making their own label fountain pens recently but have manufactured them for other companies for over 50 years. TWSBI’s are great to customise, they provide you with your own little tool kit including a mini spanner and silicon grease for maintenance. They feel very robust too.

I’m tempted to also get the slightly cheaper TWSBI GO which has a huge spring-loaded ink reservoir.

Not really a fountain pen but these are great to have in a travel kit, they’re especially good for filling large areas of black. You can use a syringe to refill. These are a big ink leak hazard if squeezed in pockets or baggage so I always carry mine in its own reinforced flight case.

I also always carry a water brush pen as well very useful for applying washes.

Inkursive Pens Fude nib INKURSIVE PEN WITH TIN & TEA BAG

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This is a nice cheap Fude nib pen manufactured by a small UK company who put them together from Japanese component parts. It comes in a useful tin with a bit of origami and a tea bag (?)

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Sharp Practice: A 16 page pull-out pencil sharpener special.

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TIME TOONS

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TIME TOONS

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HALLOWEEN GOODBYE...

AVOID THE BANGS AND ALWAYS HAVE THE TIME TO PUNCH UPWARDS RUPERT BESLEY a seasoned voice It’s been that time of year again; not one that I care for - Halloween. I first heard of it on arrival at a boarding school as a small 13 year old (so small they took one look and called me Oxfam).

The place ran on bizarre rituals, initiation ceremonies and ancient traditions. As October loomed, talk among older inmates turned to Halloween night soon to come. This was when at midnight new boys would be snatched from their beds by a posse of prefects and dropped into a bath of cold water.

The only way to escape this, we were told, was to leave out enough cash at the end of the bed as protection money. Lesson One in Life: don’t be tempted to fall for such lies. The money went and still you got dunked, pyjamas and all. Worse, you were now marked out as a sucker for evermore, easy prey for anyone into blackmail and extortion.

Oh, what japes. All good character-building stuff, made me what I am. (A wee cow’rin, tim’rous beastie if ever there was.) Oh, such fun.

Only, of course it wasn’t. This was thuggery and bullying, pure and simple, and they knew it.

Peter Cook put it beautifully when he spoke of Berlin’s satirical cabarets of the 1930s ‘which did so much to stop the rise of Hitler and prevent the second world war’. But caricaturists and political cartoonists do punch upwards.

BULLIES More than most forces ranged against dodgy I still don’t care for Halloween. If spookily politicians, they are able to expose the faults, dressed children head up our path on 31 Oct, lies and hypocrisies of those who abuse their I do know they’re not about to offload me into positions of power. a cold bath, but I still resent the intrusion with A sharply pointed drawing pen punctures the menaces. It’s a phoney tradition, yet another bubbles of vanity, delusion and aggrandisement bad thing we’ve caught from America. Beneath that so easily form around those at the top. it all lurk undercurrents of Cartoonists living in repressive bullying and exploitation of regimes have it tough, often Political people’s natural fears. Shops paying a heavy price for their are pressed into filling their cartooning is efforts. shelves with tat that trashes But in this age of Putin, the environment. Peer pressure an art-form we Netanyahu and Trump we need obliges children to nag their cartoonists more than ever. And really cannot do we need outlets for their work parents into coughing up. And the good food of a million to be seen and not, as now, a without pumpkins presumably goes to diminishing market. A free press, waste. independent of government, is Bullies are all the same. They punch down. vital to the health of any democracy. Without it, Insecure themselves, they seek out smaller truth will never out. victims over whom to assert their superior In 1933 the letters AI stood not for Artificial strength. It’s no good sucking up, you have to Intelligence (a phrase not coined till 1955) stand up to them. but for Artists’ International, a group banding This is where cartooning comes into its own. together for ‘Peace, Democracy and Cultural Like all humour, of course it has its limitations.

Development’. They were radical activists

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appalled by the march of far-right dictatorship over Europe. They did not have the power to avert the war, but they did alert the world to the realities of what lay ahead.

Among the founder members of AI were two notable cartoonists, James Fitton and James Boswell (both now remembered more as painters). Boswell’s satirical drawings, described as ‘attractively pugnacious’, had echoes of the work of George Grosz and Otto Dix. The cartooning style of Fitton and Boswell (much of it to be seen in the pages of Lilliput magazine) clearly influenced the early work of another contributor to that publication, one Ronald Searle.

The work of Artists’ International (or AIA, as they became) is currently on show in a free exhibition (Artists Against Fascism and War, Archive Gallery to May 2026) at Tate Britain.

Reviewing the accompanying book by curator Andy Friend, Observer writer Stephen Smith concluded that ‘art, like war, is politics by other means.’ Almost a century on from AI’s beginnings, the far right is on the rise again, with chilling parallels between then and now.

Political cartooning is an art-form we really cannot do without.

RUPERT BESLEY

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THE TIME GALLERY

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THEME FOR THE NEXT ISSUE:

CIRCUS

Email entries to editor@thenewcartoonist.co.uk Deadline: DEC 30th 2025 thenewcartoonist.co.uk

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TIME TOONS

Waves of Time

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TIME TOONS

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EVENT

CARICON 25 IN BRISTOL

CARTOONIST AND ‘WANNABE’ CARICATURIST MIKE HAZELDINE HEADS TO THE SOUTH WEST MIKE HAZELDINE attempting the leap

I love caricatures, I really do. To me, the process is almost magical.

To possess the ability to observe the features of a human face and then take that information and create an image that is not a copy of that face but plays with the characteristics of likeness is a skill that I am not sure I will ever achieve. Despite my best efforts over the years, I am still struggling to make the jump from cartoonist to caricaturist.

To help rectify this situation I joined a group of caricaturists* at Caricon 25 in the hope that by surrounding myself with some of the best in the business, some of that magic may rub off.

Caricon is a UK based gathering of caricaturists that started in Brighton, UK in 2016 by caricaturist and cartoon illustrator Jon-Paul McCarthy aka ‘JP’(Caricature Shack).

Apart from an online version of the event during Covid, it has been an annual gathering ever since. Now in its 9th year Caricon has gone from strength to strength with over 60 artists at this year’s event, with attendees flying in from Ireland, Austria, Holland and Canada.

The format for the event was very relaxed and the main aim was to allow professional artists, who essentially lead a fairly solitary working life, to meet and network with fellow artists.

A few early birds arrived in Bristol on the Sunday evening and had arranged to meet up at the ‘Zero Degrees’ Microbrewery Bar for drinks and food before the main event the next day.

I didn’t really know anyone attending the event, so was delighted to be welcomed so warmly by everyone. It was very clear

CAPTURING LIKENESS

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TOONS ON DISPLAY Caricon 25 in Bristol

from the outset that everyone was excited to be catching up with old friends, and a cheer went up each time someone new arrived at the bar.

I chatted to a number of people and it was very clear that there is a large and loyal group of artists who attend Caricon each year and a good number who have been to every one since the very start.

It struck me that the solo nature of the working artist means that Caricon is a little bit like a substitute for an office Christmas party and this is a chance for everyone to let their hair down a bit.

The banter continued and the drinks flowed until we were all kicked out at closing time and headed to our respective hotels for a good night’s rest.

MAIN EVENT

The main event kicked off at 10am the next day and was held at the Riverstation Bar & Restaurant in Bristol’s lively Harbourside area just on the edge of Bristol city centre.

Caricon has a tradition that each year a couple of ‘Hosts’ take on the job of arranging the event in their city. This has two big benefits. Firstly, it means Caricon moves around the country so doesn’t favour artists from a particular region and secondly the administrative burden of organising the event is shared out too. Past events have been held in Brighton and Twickenham and this year Bristol based caricaturists Matthew Iles (Doodiles) and Ian Llloyd (Parody Portraits) have risen to the challenge.

This year’s hosts did a great job and the venue they chose was ideal. The convention took over the entire first floor restaurant area so there was

plenty of room for all the delegates to mingle with the added benefit of good natural light for drawing.

Caricon has a relaxed agenda and people were free to draw as much or as little as they please. I arrived just after 10am and there was a bunch of hardcore artists already beavering away, but an equal number just chatting or enjoying a coffee in the early morning sunshine out on the balcony.

Chatting with founder JP, he told me that it was important that Caricon was not seen as a competition heavy event like many other caricature conventions. The emphasis is all about the simple joy of spending time with fellow caricaturists and not about competing with them. It is a format that works really well. Caricon does have one gesture towards competition in that everyone votes for the artist whose work they liked the most during the event, but other than that it’s simply a celebration of the art of caricature in all its forms.

Caricon is not restricted to just caricaturists and there were a few watercolour artists joining the mix and also the insanely talented Charles Burns (Roving Artist) representing the art of silhouette cutting.

FILLING UP

As the day progressed, the windows and walls of the venue started to fill up with a stunning array of caricature work and it was fascinating to see such a broad range of styles and media, ranging from clinically observed crisp and clean pen work to chaotic messy styles with torn and scrunched paper.

There was a mix of traditional and digital

ARTIST AT WORK Tony Parsons

media and everyone I spoke to was more than happy to share tips and advice on their chosen media, style and approach to the art of caricature along with a healthy dose of encouragement too.

The attendees enjoyed an exquisite Antipasti style buffet lunch of fresh bread, cured meats cheeses, pickles and dips which was a welcome change to the bog standard ‘beige buffet’.

The natural light we had enjoyed earlier in the day was somewhat diminished by the end due to the vast array of work displayed on the windows.

It was a truly impressive sight, in terms of both the volume of the work produced in a single day, but also the incredible talent on display.

A number of people told me that there is something about drawing a fellow caricaturist for fun that makes it very different experience to doing a similar exercise when being paid. There is a certain freedom, as well as an opportunity to truly flex your creative muscles in a way that is not possible in a commercial scenario.

Towards the end of the day the tables were cleared of the art paraphernalia, and there was just time for a quick group photo on the balcony before sitting down to enjoy a delicious two course evening meal with delegates choosing from steak, fish and vegan options.

No sooner had the meal been cleared away than the evening entertainment began in the form of a live karaoke band ‘Bristol Bandeoke’.

It was karaoke, but instead of a backing track you got to perform with a live band, including a fantastic singer who provided backing singing, harmonies or would join in duets as required. It is a great idea and worked very well on the night.

The band are very talented, and those that stepped up to perform were all enthusiastic with some great performances. There was an eclectic mix of songs on the night including classics from the Spice Girls, The Proclaimers, Neil Diamond, AC/DC and Tenancious D, all of which went down very well with the appreciative crowd who were cheering them all on.

The band did two sets, and during the break the winner of the voting was announced, with

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NOT JUST CARICATURISTS Belting out the numbers...

Mick O’Dell (Inkwell) taking this year’s honours.

Whilst Mick was crowned ‘King’ of Caricon 25, the undisputed ‘Queen’ was Caroline Sherwood Holroyd, who at the age of 74 years young had made the trip from Canada to attend the event.

It was therefore most appropriate that the last song of the night was ‘Sweet Caroline’ sung by our hosts Ian and Matt with the whole room joining in.

With that done, it was time to pack up, head back to our hotels and reflect on a great day.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first Caricon experience. It really was a genuine joy to be part of a big group of likeminded artists who simply enjoy getting together to draw. There was a tangible creative ‘buzz’ in the air and I left feeling truly inspired.

Did any Caricature ‘magic’ rub off? Well yes it did. The people I spoke to could not have been more helpful and I left Caricon with a clear sense of what the next steps on my caricature journey will be, and I look forward to sharing the results with my new Caricon friends in the future.

Next year’s event, Caricon 26, will be held in Glasgow on Monday 5th October 2026. *What is the collective noun for caricaturists?

MIKE HAZELDINE

MICK O’DELL ‘King’ of Caricon 25

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MY NEW BOSS!

A VERY VERY NEW CARTOONIST...

TNC CATCHES UP WITH THE NEW AND UPCOMING TALENT CHOOSING TO POKE FUN WITH A PENCIL, PAINT, FELT TIPS OR iPAD

DYANA SONGI meets Charlie Bilbe Charlie Bilbe is 15, and lives in Havant with his mum, dad, sister and dog Roxie. He has been creating comics since he was 7 years old.

Charlie is Autistic and often finds it difficult to communicate in words his thoughts, feelings and personality, and cartooning has given him a way of expressing himself and showing the world how funny and creative he can be. He once presented a cartooning master class to the whole of his primary school! Charlie spends hours drawing his cartoons and various characters, and can often be found chuckling away to himself while he works. Other talents include playing the guitar and paddle-boarding.

Are there are any cartoonists or artists who have inspired you?

Yes, I have been inspired mainly by Dav Pilkey (particularly his Dogman books) and the comic book artists who draw for the Marvel comics.

What methods do you use to create your cartoons?

I mainly draw by hand and like to use pencil.

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I sometimes go over the top in pen to make the lines stand out. I like colouring my work using pencils and sometimes felt tips, but at other times I don’t colour at all. Overall, I prefer paper and pencil, but I have enjoyed experimenting with digital drawings too.’

Are you a quick worker, looking to get your ideas drawn out quickly? Or do you prefer a more leisurely approach?

Sometimes I work quickly and at other times I take my time to draw it because I want it to look its best. I am very quick at coming up with funny, short comic strips based on a single joke or theme. These are the types of cartoons I produce the most.

How do your characters develop?

My characters come from storylines that I create in my head. I develop the character as I go. I have worked a lot on how to use simple lines to create facial expressions, along with conveying movement with lines )))..

You have a good use of colour – do you ‘see’ your cartoons in colour in your head?

Or do you just enjoy adding colour because you like it?

Usually I see the colour in my head, and I know

CHARLIE BILBE

which colours I want to use. I enjoyed using different shades of colours in my ‘Fruit Bowl Gang’ comic strip to create shadows. I love using a range of colour when I work digitally.

You might be my new boss one day Charlie.

What sort of boss would you be?

If I was your boss, I would be chilled out and wouldn’t make anyone stressed about deadlines, but I would expect you to do your best work for your readers. And on Fridays I’d let you sit in my VIP, wheels-of-glory boss chair while I zoom you around the office at top speed!! I might even let you leave an hour early.....

Oh Yeah?

Well who’s that?

Isaac Newton??!!!

Pepper Panic!

By Charlie Bilbe

Would you like to have your work featured in My New Boss?

Please email editor@thenewcartoonist.co.uk with your full name, date of birth, and a parent/guardian’s name, mobile number and email address. You must be aged 12 or under, and be resident in the UK or available overseas.

You must also be prepared to take part in a Zoom interview and submit your own work only. thenewcartoonist.co.uk

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PENS DOWN!

THAT TIME OF YEAR

ANOTHER YEAR CAPTURED IN POLITICAL CARTOONING...

The year comes to an end with the launch of ‘Dr Tim Benson’s’ annual look back at political cartoons in the UK. Published in the autumn, Britain’s Best Political Cartoons 2025 takes in the last few months of 2024 in addition, starting from 1st September.

With contributions from many titans of political cartooning in the UK, including Morten Morland, Ben Jennings, Ella Baron, Peter Brookes, Chris Riddell, Peter Schrank, Andy Davey, Nicola Jennings, Dave Brown, Patrick Blower, Kevin Kallaugher & Christian Adams, to name but a few, there’s something here for everyone.

The book serves as a reminder of the big stories of the day, and is unique in being the only published book with so many cartoon examples to that effect. It is truly a wonderful collection of

BUY HERE

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work, and I’m very proud to have squeezed into it myself a couple of times. (I’d enjoy having more, but it’s ‘landscapes only’ for Tim, and all of my Daily Mirror work is ‘square’.)

The only blot for me is that there are no examples from the Grandaddy of them all Martin Rowson in this collection. It’s a bit like a World Cup without Brazil included in the line-up. However you can find a collection of Martin’s work on his website here.

Tim’s forward/introduction on this occasion is about the ability of cartoons to cause controversy, and this edition includes some works that have for various reasons brought cartooning into the spotlight. Gerald Scarfe, Steve Bell and Zoom Rockman are some of the cartoonists with cartoons on these pages.

Order a copy via the link below.

63 Wells Street, London W1A 3AE

5 minutes walk from Oxford Circus underground station

YOUNG ARTISTS IN RESDIDENCE

Since 2023, we have been running an award-winning programme of Young Cartoonist residencies, aimed at young autistic artists. Our team have worked with them to develop their artistic skills and build their confidence, and develop their understanding of artistic careers

including developing and selling their own products alongside producing and publishing their own work for display in the museum. The museum then collects the produced works by purchasing them off the residents, as well as paying them a participation fee for their work. On this

Event: 4 October 2025 21st March 2026 The Future Was Then The Future Was Then features over 80 pages of original comic art alongside other items that tell stories about the future of the human race from 1990 to 4000 AD. The exhibition includes original work from iconic futuristic worlds such as Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, Black Mirror, Buck Rogers and Thunderbirds, and original artwork by legendary artists such as Jamie Hewlett, Frank Bellamy and Sydney Jordan. Science fiction and dystopian comics give us possible visions of Earth’s future, imagining what may be in store for humanity. Will hope triumph, with space rangers taking to the cosmos to explore new worlds? Or will fear set in, with futuristic authoritarian regimes taking hold?

MORE INFO HERE

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CREDITS

Buck Rogers © Rebellion Developments Ltd Connie Brick Bradford Judge Dredd © Rebellion Developments Ltd

Rogue Trooper © Rebellion Developments Ltd Bad Company II © Rebellion Developments Ltd Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future © Rebellion Developments Ltd Phoo Action © Jamie Hewlett

page you can find out more about each of our residents and their work.

We are thankful to The John Lyon’s Charity for funding this work since 2024!

MORE INFO HERE

EVENTS & ADS

Credit: Images Mark Winter

LAUNCH EVENT!

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ANIMATION

SEARCHING FOR NOMINEES

THE POSSIBLE BAFTA & OSCAR CONTENDERS SCREENED MARK WINTER Animated Last year ‘Memoir of a Snail’ became the first stop motion animated feature to win the top prize at the BFI London Film Festival.

Oscar-winning director Adam Elliot’s powerful tale of two separated twins dealing with the adversities of life in a small town also received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards. The bar was set very high for repeat animation success at this year’s event. Alas, while no animated feature films were chosen for Competition, the six films officially selected all had pedigree, achieving recognition at previous festivals. Two animated shorts, ’Hope is Lost’ and ‘Capybaras’ did, however make it into Competition for the Short Film Award.

FEATURES

The Andy Serkis directed ‘Animal Farm’ was the opening animation feature, seventy years after the release of the original Halas and Batchelor animated adaption of George Orwell’s 1954 allegorical novella. It premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June after 15 years in the making, featuring a star-studded roster of voice talent, including Seth Rogen, Woody Harrelson, Glen Close, Kieran Culkin, Steve Buscemi and Kathleen Turner, alongside Andy himself. Critics noted the “Disneyfication of Orwell’s humour” and a more softer political edge for a “wider audience.” Pete Hammond in his review for ‘Deadline,’ wrote,”With a screenplay, alternately funny and frighteningly perceptive

by Nicholas Stoller, this gorgeously animated version is not outwardly trying to be political but nevertheless is uncannily meeting its time and proving to be a little too close for comfort to America’s drift toward authoritarianism.”

While Orwell’s book ends on a bleak note-the animals come to realize the pigs have become just as cruel as the humans they has initially rebelled against-the ending of Serkis’s version isn’t as dark and leaves a little hope.

The only anime feature at the Festival was Yasuhiro Aoki’s wild and whimsical romantic comedy and true ‘fish-out-of-water’ fairytale, ‘ChaO’ about a wayward mermaid with love on her mind. In a future society, Stephan, a lowly office worker at a shipbuilding company is suddenly proposed to by ChaO, a princess from the mermaid kingdom. What could possibly go wrong! It is the Tokyo-based directors debut

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LITTLE AMÉLIE

feature and was included in the Official Selection at Annecy, winning the Feature Film Jury Prize.

“Visually spectacular and energetic in style, this is a bracingly anarchic piece of storytelling that announces a distinctive new voice in Japanese anime,” wrote Wendy Ide in ‘Screen International.’

Canadian comic artist and animator Seth Scriver travels to remote northern Manitoba to make a film about his indigenous half-brother Pete, who lives in a remote Cree community with a massive extended family, eight kids and 16 dogs. ‘Endless Cookie’ delivers a zany and wildly inventive animated doco that enlightens audiences about the realities of First Nation life in a unique and colourful way. Seth animated most of the film with a distinct, idiosyncratic and psychedelic look over nine years with Julian Gallese helping out for a couple of months. Chris Robinson writing in a recent ‘Cartoon Brew’ article said,” The visual world is a bold mix of ‘South Park,’ ‘Pee-wee’s Playhouse’ and Gary Baseman’s ‘Teacher’s Pet,’ a raw, colourful and weirdly beautiful aesthetic. It’s also an important counter to the saccharine family narratives peddled by mainstream media.” ‘Endless Cookie’ premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in January as part of the World Cinema Documentary Competition and won the $50,000 Rogers Audience Award at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. It also collected the Contrechamp - Best Feature Film award at Annecy.

In 2016, Spanish comic book artist and filmmaker Alberto Vázquez made ‘Decorado,’ a short animated existentialist dark comic tale about the sins of society, human relationships and the meaning of life presented in a traditional

fable setting. It has been selected in over 90 festivals, winning at Annecy and a Goya Award.

Nine years later he produced a full-length feature version of the same name, co-written with Francesc Xavier Manuel Ruiz. It is a “satire laced with surrealism and black comedy” as Arnold, a middle- aged mouse is caught in a midlife crisis.

His marriage crumbles, his life feels absurd as he begins to suspect everything around him is fake.

What begins as paranoia spirals into a desperate flight toward freedom. “The film continues the director’s long-standing interest in using fantasy and allegory to probe contemporary anxieties, framing social critique in stories of anthropomorphic animals,” wrote Callum McLennan in his September 11 ‘Variety’ article.

‘Decorado’ had its World premiere at the 20th Fantastic Fest in September and was selected in Competition for both the 58th Sitges Film Festival in Spain and the Ottawa International Animation Film Festival last month.

Based on the autobiographical novel by Belgian novelist Amélie Nothomb, ‘Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,” is the first feature for directors Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han after working on high-profile Gallic animation projects like ‘The Little Prince,’ ‘The Illusionist’ and ‘I Lost My Body.’ Amélie is a young Belgian girl born in rural Japan in the 1960s. Thanks to her nanny, Nishio-san, the world is full of discoveries and adventures. But, on her third birthday, an event changes the course of her life. The film had its world premiere in the Special Screening section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in May and won the Audience Award at Annecy. Maïlys said they created the film by hand, digitally, favouring an explosive colour palette without any lines

separating one shade from another, giving the effect of a watercolour painting or a Japanese print in motion. The film is frequently appearing in notable predictions lists as a strong contender for both a BAFTA and Academy Award Best Animated Feature nomination.

Antoine Lanciaux’s first feature, ‘The Songbird’s Secret’ was launched at this year’s Cannes Film Market and premiered at Annecy. It was created using the meticulous art of paper cut-out animation, a signature technique of the French director and one that has not be used in feature film for over 30 years. Nine-year-old Lucie joins her archaeologist mother Caroline on a dig in the countryside near Bectoile where Caroline grew up and the scene of a family secret, which Lucie is about to unveil with the help of her new friend Yann and a very special pair of songbirds. The film won the Golden Goblet award for best Animated Feature at the recent Shanghai International Film Festival.

SHORT FILM

Nine animated short films were screened at the London Festival, two of which were selected in Competition for the Short Film Award. The first, ‘Hope is Lost’ is a 16 - minute stop motion thriller written, directed and animated by Nigerian-born Eno Enefiok, based on her own childhood experience of arriving in the UK as an asylum seeker. It follows Hope, a single mother, just days before the millennium, navigating a city consumed by Y2K paranoia. A charismatic stranger offers her and her young children shelter as her desperate search for safety spirals into a chilling fight for survival. The film is also notable for embracing an eco-conscious production ethos, using almost entirely recycled materials, including tin foil. Popsicle sticks and cardboard.

Award-winning Uruguayan author and illustrator Alfredo Soderguit’s ‘Capybaras’ was the second short in Competition. Based on his 2021 book, the film follows a family of capybaras as they seek refuge in a chicken coop during hunting season, but the hens do not trust them... until the curiosity of the youngest capybaras creates a union with unexpected consequences.

Other shorts screened included Leo Wright’s ‘Big Bad Wolf,’ a reimagining of the ‘Three Little Pigs’ story, focusing on a little pig named Richmond who befriends Billy, a ‘not-so-bad’ wolf. The Aardman Animation Studios production has qualified for a BAFTA nomination. ‘Cardboard’ premiered at Annecy and is the first original short film from the London and LA -based Locksmith Animation, written and directed by Jean-Philippe Vine. When an overwhelmed single father pig is forced to move with his children into a rundown trailer park he fears he has failed them, but the piglets create an imaginative game from a simple cardboard box. The Dad can either dwell on the past, or join them on their intergalactic adventure. It has been selected at numerous festivals, winning the Youth Audience Award at the Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinema and Best Animation award at the LA Shorts International Festival, qualifying it for Oscar

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nomination consideration. One of the favoured shorts for an Academy Award nomination is Aaron Blaise’s hand-drawn ‘Snow Bear,’ which deals with the themes of companionship, climate change and protecting our environment for future generations. When a lonely polar bear can’t find a friend...he makes one. It is consistently appearing on prediction lists and Aaron is no stranger to award recognition. The Disney veteran was animator and supervising animator at the famous studio for 21 years, working on a number of classics, including ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Aladdin.’ In 2003 he was director of ‘Brother Bear,’ earning an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. ‘Snow Bear’ pays tribute to the timeless art of traditional 2D animation and was created entirely by Aaron over three years, totalling 11,000 drawings for the 11.26 minute production. It has screened at various festivals this year, winning eleven awards, including the Grand Prix and Best International Film at the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International and Best Film for Children at the Zagreb World Festival of Animated Films. Aaron was named as the 2025 recipent of the Winsor McCay Lifetime Achievement Award in animation

by ASIFA-Hollywood, presented at this year’s Annie Awards.

David Johnson’s ‘The Naughty Seat’ (UK), ‘House Trap’ by Amsterdam-based English animator George Hampshire, Nathan Engelhärdt and Jeremy Spears ‘Forevergreen’ (US) and ‘Mushroom’s Life’ (Latvia) by Evalds Lacis completed the animated shorts lineup in London.

SNOW BEAR

BIG BAD WOLF

HOPE IS LOST Short Film Nominee SONGBIRDS SECRET

CAPYBARAS Short Film Nominee

ENDLESS COOKIE

ANIMAL FARM

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EXHIBITION

The former country home of the great English artist William Hogarth (1697-1764) has been open to the public since 1904. The Grade 1 listed building, nestled in London’s leafy, affluent western district of Chiswick (Hounslow) was built between 1713-1717.

At that time it was a large village, separate from the city. Hogarth acquired it in 1749. The property also features a walled garden that includes the famous 350 year-old mulberry tree. It survived the bombing during World War ll and a fire in 2009, closing for refurbishment and reopening in 2011 by Dara O’Brian.

Hogarth is generally accepted as one of the ‘Big Three’ of 18th century cartooning, together with James Gillray and George Cruikshank. Sir David Low declared him “the grandfather of the political cartoon.” Prints of some of Hogarth’s best known engravings are on display including the series ‘A Harlot’s Progress,’ ‘A Rake’s Progress,’ ‘Marriage A-la-Mode,’ and ‘Beer Street and Gin Lane.’ Two floors of the house are open to visitors with the top room available as a study and research space, available on application.

Also on dipaly is Hogarth’s House Tree Drawing Installation caption.

The “magnificently gnarled” black mulberry, central feature of the gardens at Hogarth’s House in London is the last remaining tree from the original 17th century orchard on the property, pre-dating the house. It is one of the oldest in England, at 350 years, slightly younger than the Charlton House mulberry. Both are considered important natural monuments. William Hogarth and his family would make special mulberry sodas and pies from the abundant fruit, which is still happening today and sold at the gift shop to fund future restoration projects. The tree sustained damage during the World War ll bombardments, but was successfully saved by arboriculturists from Kew Gardens.

As part of her year-long residency at the historical venue, Charlotte Cooper created a tree drawing installation, inspired by the work of Tim Knowles and his ‘nature as artist’ series of artwork. She attached sketching pens to the tree’s branches and placed sheets of paper in such a way that the trees’ natural motions, as well as moments of stillness were recorded. The paper was replaced daily from 16-20 September.

The installation was included in the annual Art History Festival, facilitated by the Association of Art History. This year’s theme was ‘Art & Nature,’ exploring the connections between art, nature and mental wellbeing.

HOGARTH HOUSE

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Words, Images and Video: Mark Winter

A HOUNSLOW HOGARTH

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EVENTS

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PCO ‘Things that go Bump in the night’

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EVENTS

ST JUST (Qui est Keir) with Graeme Bandeira

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THE DIRECTORY

ANDREW BIRCH CONTACT HERE

CONTACT HERE

JUDITH WALKER

LUC IAN MARIER BAKER

CONTACT HERE

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MARK WINTER

STEVE MEL BRIDGER DIXON

CONTACT HERE

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LOGAN ALLAN MCDONALD BASIL CONTACT HERE

BAD

TIMES

ELIOT PHIL JOHNSON LORD CONTACT HERE

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KFIR JESS WEIZMAN JUDGE

MILICA DAVID MILENKOVIC REY CONTACT HERE

ROGER GEOFF WATERHOUSE PENWILL CONTACT HERE

A LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

PAUL NESJA CONTACT HERE

KIASSA RASBERRY CONTACT HERE

CARL FAWCETT CONTACT HERE

DEAN PATTERSON CONTACT HERE

MICK OHARA CONTACT HERE

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OLIVIER DESCOMBES CONTACT HERE

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MIKE STOKOE CONTACT HERE

MARIEL NASCIMENTO CONTACT HERE

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THE DIRECTORY

PETE TOM ROBERTS DREDGE CONTACT HERE

MARTINA VIKTOR G CERRAJERÍA KHOURY

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ROYSTON GARY ROBERTSON MARTIN

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KELLY ED NAYLOR ZOU

JOHN PAUL SANDIP DALY

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WILLIAM FIRUZ NEWTON KUTAL CONTACT HERE

STEVE LILLIE CONTACT HERE

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MICHAEL NICK HOLSCHULTE NEWMAN

CHRIS ‘DINK’ WILLIAMS CONTACT HERE

THE CHRISTOPH SURREAL J KELLNER MCCOY CONTACT HERE

A LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

JOSS ATHEY CONTACT HERE

BENJAMIN HEER CONTACT HERE

JONATHAN TRUIN

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RUSTY EPSTEIN CONTACT HERE

KATHRYN LAMB

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STEPHEN DEAN

KEVIN WELLS

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ROY NIXON

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THE DIRECTORY

DANIEL JONAH CABIGQUIS HODSON CONTACT HERE

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DAWN ROB MOCKLER BAINES CONTACT HERE

BIBEK SAM SKORONSKI SENGUPTA CONTACT HERE

PETER DES GLANTING BUCKLEY CONTACT HERE

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VIKTOR NICOLAG JENNINGS KHOURY CONTACT HERE

ANDY TONY BUNDAY NOON CONTACT HERE

GRAHAM PETER CORCORAN PAIZY CONTACT HERE

MIKE ERIC SEDDON TRUANT CONTACT HERE

ANDREW ELIOT FRASER LORD CONTACT HERE

A LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

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SALLY LEWIS

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BEN CHILTON CONTACT HERE

SATISH B

RUPERT BESLEY

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MICHAEL KOHLER

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DAVE CLARK

SCOTT JOHNSTON

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HARRIET MERRY

JAMES MELLOR

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THE DIRECTORY

FADI DANIEL ABOU HODSON HASSAN CONTACT HERE

VILNISSIMO MICHAEL KING CONTACT HERE

DAWN JOSE MOCKLER FLORES CONTACT HERE

GRAŽVYDAS SAM SKORONSKI B CONTACT HERE

DES JO BUCKLEY YOUNG CONTACT HERE

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NICOLA PHILLIP JENNINGS LEE CONTACT HERE

RAINBOW ANDY BUNDAY Z CONTACT HERE

STEPHANIE LAWSON CONTACT HERE

SHIRAZ MIKE SEDDON KHAN CONTACT HERE

ELIOT JESS JUDGE LORD CONTACT HERE

A LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

MAT MENDONCA CONTACT HERE

BEVERLEY KORT

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LEE REDFERN

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STEVE BRIGHT

TIM RUSCOE

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DEREK SCOTT

ED NAYLOR

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HARLOW BROOKE

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THE DIRECTORY

A LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

DANIEL HAYLIE ANICAMA HODSON CONTACT HERE

VILNISSIMO JOE DAVEY CONTACT HERE

DAWN MARK ENGLAND MOCKLER CONTACT HERE

PETRE SAM SKORONSKI HORACIO CONTACT HERE

MARSHALL DES NOT BUCKLEY FUNNY CONTACT HERE

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HEATHER NICOLA JENNINGS MURPHY CONTACT HERE

ANDY JOHN LANDERS BUNDAY CONTACT HERE

NICK NEWMAN CONTACT HERE

GÉRARD MIKE SEDDON GUÉRAN CONTACT HERE

ELIOT PETE SONGI LORD CONTACT HERE

EVENTS

Credit: Pics by Mark Winter

THE BCA NOVEMBER SOIREE 2025

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CAPTION COMPETITION!

WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? Email jpg entries by 30th December 2025 to editor@thenewcartoonist.co.uk or hit the link opposite!

Get drawing... & good luck!

CAPTION COMPETTION

“HUH, I BET I GET THE BLAME FOR THAT” 80

Spencer Hill

WIN ME!

Below is a caption from a finished cartoon.

Send us your suggestions. The winner will be published alongside the original cartoon in the next issue and win this fantastic TNC mug.

The winner will be selected purely on humour and originality, open to all skill sets....

Winner!

CONGRATULATIONS! Spencer wins a TNC mug for matching up against Jess Judge from the last issue!

Prophetical Mildred

HOROSCOPES

the most accurate soothsayer in the Greater London region for cartoonist horoscopes

Sagittarius

22 November – 21 December

Someone at a Christmas party will discover that you are a cartoonist and throw a sausage roll at your head.

The host is sympathetic but keen to point out that you probably had it coming.

Aries

21 March – 19 April

Sick of generic splattering techniques, you hatch a plan to make ink explode and use that as a basis for your new cartoons. This leads to you to explore a great new friendship with the wee robot who works for the bomb squad.

Capricorn

22 December – 19 January You will caricature a local cat and his lawyer will send you a cease and desist.

Aquarius

Taurus

20 January – 18 February

20 April – 20 May

You will choose your 15 most obscene cartoons and sell them printed on Christmas ornaments; just to give people something fresh to argue about this festive season.

Gemini

21 May – 21 June

You will madly experiment with glitter in your cartoons to the point where it will become fused into your skin and you will twinkle like a teenage fantasy vampire for the next six months.

Cancer

22 June – 22 July

You will receive a Christmas card addressed to “famous cartoonist” with no other address details, yet somehow it makes it to you. This is how you discover that the post office is keeping tabs on you.

Leo

23 July – 22 August

Virgo

23 August – 22 September

A rich moron mistakes you for an AI image generator and invests big money in you after you cunningly decide to only wear silver clothing whilst cartooning.

Libra

23 September – 23 October

You will sneak cartoons into Christmas crackers.

Three will end up ripped, one will be completely ignored and another will be misinterpreted by

You will get into a fight with your significant other about who can make the best Christmas cards. Being the cartoonist in the relationship you arrogantly assume you have this in the bag, however your partner turns out to be a dark horse and a cartooning genius.

Pisces

19 February – 20 March

You will win an award for ‘worst cartoon’ but feel immense joy when you realise that this means you can change the text on your website and social media to call yourself ‘award-winning’ and charge 20% more for your services.

your sister-in-law as a message from God.

Scorpio

24 October – 21 November

You will meet a reindeer with a suspiciously glowing nose. You have him killed and stuffed and use him as your new cartooning lamp during the long nights, thus ruining Christmas for children around the world. You absolute monster.

Your cartooning career will go through a slight lean patch. Not to worry, you will pick up a new gig painting stripes on white horses when the zebras go on strike. It pays surprisingly well.

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PARTING SHOT

BEYOND CHILLY, ENDLESS COMICS & SWEET TEETH REMINISCENCES OF YESTERYEAR UNDER THE FLIGHT PATH IN SUBURBAN WEST LONDON RAV CHAUDHURY the sweetest memories When I came to Britain in the early 80s, I was 4 years old. I have a vivid memory of my astonishment at flying above the clouds, believing that heading to the other side of the world meant that we were now seeing it upside-down.

Landing at Heathrow in the early hours of an October morning, I also believed that the world having tipped upside down had let all the colour drain away. Everything was in black and white. And it was so cold. My teenage cousin Fahad who came to pick us in the shop van, laughed and said ‘you think it’s cold now…’, but I didn’t understand. I thought he was the coolest person I’d ever seen. Later on I thought he was some sort of Fonz, because he always wore a leather jacket and a white T-shirt, slicked his hair back, and flirted like mad with all the female customers. My father thought he was a disgrace.

My parents sat in the back of the van with the boxes of crisps, but I sat in the cab inbetween my cousin and older brother Gurj, then 7, so I had an up-front view as we drove through West London.

Waiting at the traffic lights next to a small green, I saw a boy a little older than Gurj, dressed in a strange outfit I would later come to recognize as school uniform, throwing a large stick at a Chestnut tree. I strained to see what kind of animal he was aiming his stick at.

Eventually we arrived at the small flat over my uncle’s shop, and met our ‘English’ family, who we would live with for the next four or five years.

Gurj was allocated the bottom bunk in a room with more cousins, but to my eternal delight, I was given the cupboard under the stairs.

Unlike Harry Potter, I was thrilled to have my own room, and could still stand up in it by the time we left for our own home when I was 9 years old. I slept in an Army Surplus sleepingbag on a large cot mattress which fitted the space perfectly, and I still remember my intrigue at waking up and seeing my breath that first winter. Although it was a pretty basic space, it had a proper overhead light on a cable which fed under the door, and I kept it very neat, with my clothes hanging on the handy hooks. My girl cousins, much older, bribed me with sweets

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to hide their make-up in the recesses. I loved it. I also loved the local library; I always had a book on the go, and I thought that the shop, with its’ resplendent sweets display, was better than anything Willy Wonka could have come up with. My uncle let us help ourselves to some sweets on Saturdays, after we’d helped stack the shelves and sweep the floor, and I genuinely thought I was living in paradise.

But it was the comics of course, that I loved the most – I was a bit of a favourite of my uncle’s, and knowing me to be an avid reader, he always held a copy of each one back for me for the weekend - only to be opened once I had finished my homework. My excitement when I squirreled myself away in my cupboard to read The Beano, The Dandy and Whizzer and Chips each week has never been matched. As well as the brilliant artwork – that’s how I first learnt to read and to truly understand the English language and English humour. I also came to understand that being physically chastised for transgressions was part and parcel of childhood, that friends were more important than anything else, and that always being well-behaved was

for well, cissies. You all know who I mean.

Time flies of course, and it steals so much away from us in the process. But I have so many fantastic memories from that time. It wasn’t always easy - especially for the adults. But Gurj and I and our younger sister Nira, born in London, quickly became British through and through - Gurj played footie for the school team, and cricket locally. Nira loved dancing and acting and music - both grew up to work for the NHS, and still live in London. I remained ‘the dreamer’ - the artistic one, and enjoy writing.

My parents went back to the Punjab for their retirement, and I’m going back soon too; to spend some time with them while they’re still here. The shop isn’t there any more, and my family are spread far and wide. But a part of my soul will always be that funny little kid in the cuboard under the stairs. I miss him.

GOT A ‘FUNNY’ STORY YOU WANT TO SHARE?

e: editor@thenewcartoonist.co.uk

KEVIN WELLS

thenewcartoonist.co.uk

THE END PORTRAIT BY: KEVIN WELLS

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ISSN: 2977-6368

BORN TO DRAW!

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