Christmas Cartoons – Collection

‘Tis the season, so to get you in the mood, here’s some new Christmas cartoons!

Christmas Cartoons 1

Every year I watch A Charlie Brown Christmas and every year I think “just watching those kids dance makes my back and neck hurt.” So I finally addressed it.

Can I say too that trying to draw in Schulz’s style without out and out copying him is deceptively difficult? (Also, see if you can find the little Easter Egg I put in there.)

Christmas Cartoons 2

As Christmas cartoons go, this is pretty good. But it’s also not a bad idea if you’ve got low ceilings and short family members.

Christmas Cartoons 3

This is one of those cartoons where it’s better not to think too deeply about it. Where would a miniskirt go on a tree? Does it go higher up the trunk so you can see more of the stand? Do older trees cluck their tongues in disapproval?

See, too much thought.

Christmas Cartoons 4

I always try to throw in some more wintery cartoons for people that don’t observe Christmas, so I do snowmen. But Bill Watterson set the snowman cartoon bar so high that it’s always a real challenge.

Christmas Cartoons 5

Fireplace stockings is another of the standard Christmas cartoons, and another tough nut to crack. (Note to self – buy nutcracker.) But if you can come up with something new and interesting it’s really satisfying.

Christmas Cartoons 6

When you’re doing a mall Santa cartoon, that’d better be a fairly good joke, because you’re going to have to draw a lot to pull it off. People in line, trees, elves, etc…

Christmas Cartoons 7

I like the idea that this kid is suspicious of Santa. Probably watching too much TV. Or not enough.

Christmas Cartoons 8

You just know this is coming. And someone’s probably trademarking it as we speak. I think you go the other way with “Ho-ho-ho-ho!” Make people feel like they’re getting a little added value around the holidays.

Hope you enjoyed those! Feel free to check out all of my other Christmas cartoons too. And happy holidays, everyone!

Visual Marketing & Cartoons

Visual marketing is big right now. Really big! But don’t take my word for it:

This year more than ever, visual content is going mainstream. – TechCrunch

No, really:

Visual marketing is Jedi-powerful. It can dramatically help you sell your products and ideas online. – grow

Seriously, it’s a really big deal:

Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest have ushered in visual marketing as the breakout trend for 2012. When it comes to their products, businesses are learning to show, not tell, and visual content sites are fueling our desire for beautiful photography and sensational design. Two years ago, marketers were spreading the maxim that “content is king,” but now, it seems, “a picture really is worth a thousand words.” – Fast Company

And it’s no wonder:

Research at 3M Corporation concluded that we process visuals 60,000 times faster than text. – Billion Dollar Graphics

The numbers don’t lie:

Visual content drives engagement. In fact, just one month after the introduction of Facebook timeline for brands, visual content — photos and videos — saw a 65% increase in engagement. Simply Measured via Business to Community

And funny is better:

Finding something humorous is inherently joyful, so it makes sense that so many brands use humor in their marketing activities.Distilled

Funny is way better:

Funny images are easily the most popular images found on social media news sites and traditionally are the best topics for garnering votes. – Search Engine Land

That’s an awful lot of text to explain that if you’re looking to stand out online, tell your story visually. Or, put another way:

Visual Marketing & Cartoons

If you’re interested in really taking advantage of visual marketing, cartoons are a perfect fit. Check out one of my cartoon subscription plans, or try one of my custom cartoons.

How To Draw A Cartoon Turkey – Tutorial

Thanksgiving is coming soon, so before the tryptophan sets in, we’re going to draw a cartoon turkey! Just follow the 8 easy steps below and you’ll soon have a great gobbler to call your own!

When you’re finished, feel free to tweet, pin, email or otherwise share a pic of your cartoon turkey with me and I’ll post it over at Pinterest! And if you’d like to grab the tutorial and post it on your own blog or website, you’re more than welcome to. (A link back would be appreciated.) Enjoy:

How to draw a cartoon turkey

Easy, right? You should try out my other how-to-draw tutorials too:

Feel free to check out my Thanksgiving cartoons too!