Ask a Cartoonist: Today is Lazy Day!
Hello, Royal Readers,
Believe it or not, today is Lazy Day – so it’s your chance to goof off and definitely not work!
In honor of the occasion, we asked the cartoonists this question about laziness:
Ah, but those cartooning deadlines loom. So do you goof off, using any excuse to get up from your drawing board, or are you fairly disciplined when you work? Inquiring minds want to know…
Here’s what they had to say:
Alex Hallett, Arctic Circle
I love being able to skive whenever the weather is good. I often take Billie down to the rocks by the port wall and we swim in the deep water.
Bill Griffith, Zippy the Pinhead
I’m not very good at goofing off. I may pick up my ukulele in an effort at work avoidance, but within a few minutes I’m back at the board.
My problem isn’t in coming up with ideas. My problem is in choosing among the cascade of ideas.
Besides, I enjoy working. I ink, therefore I am!
Zippy, on the other hand, can pretend to goof off from his pretend job with the best of them.
Jeff Parker, Dustin
Writing about being lazy sounds like so much work…
Rina Piccolo, Tina’s Groove, Six Chix
“I think laziness is a mood that hits you when you’d rather be doing something else. So, yeah, when it comes to washing the dishes, or sweeping the floor, I’m the laziest person on the planet. If you’re talking about making comics, then I’d say I’m a pretty non-lazy person. Goofing off when I’ve got deadlines? NEVER EVER EVER. And I’ll say it again: NEVER. EVER. N-N-N-NEVERRRRRR.”
John Rose, Snuffy Smith
I am pretty disciplined when it comes to my work schedule. Many years ago I remember reading where one of my cartooning heroes, the great Mort Walker, said that he kept a typical Monday through Friday 8 am-5 pm workday schedule. I do exactly the same. And of course I also work some evenings when I need to do so. I have found that for me it certainly helps with family life and raising children to keep a schedule like this. Now Snuffy Smith is just the opposite! In fact he could be the National Spokesperson for Lazy Day! He would much rather be sleeping, resting and relaxing than anything else!
Mort Walker, Beetle Bailey
Golf is my goof-off relief. I work every day of the week except Tuesday afternoon when I shed the shackles and break out of my prison to see the light of the sun, smell the fresh country air, swing at a little ball, admire the green grass and white clouds and enjoy the companionship of funny friends. It’s a real comfort and it restores my ability to keep doing my work, even enjoying it. I wouldn’t want to do it the other way and play golf every day goofing off by working. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t even want to try it.
Stephanie Piro, Six Chix
Haha! My drawing board is on my lap…so I am always putting it down to do anything else. I’m pretty disciplined in doing my writing and drawing and I always try to work ahead, so if I want to take a break or go someplace I can without too much worry. That said, I usually have a Sunday ready to be colored and think I have plenty of time…and I’ll get that email from Evelyn saying she needs it ASAP! So I can color pretty quickly! Here is one of my favorite Sundays about drawing and coloring cartoons.
Karen Moy, Mary Worth
People who cartoon are not lazy, believe you me! But I definitely have procrastination moments where I leave my writing to do something else. Multi-tasking is not ideal, even though it’s sometimes necessary. The creative Muse will come and go when it will and any artist or writer will tell you that you have to catch and use that Muse when it alights on your shoulder. Otherwise if it slips out of your grasp, that idea or creative wave you’re riding may be gone, not to return until it wants to again! Deadlines and the Muse keep me from becoming lazy.
Bill Holbrook, On the Fastrack
Those who do a daily comic strip are rarely thought of as lazy, but when I do goof off it’s through the medium of online time-wasting. Art Welding is a master practitioner.
Ron Ferdinand, Dennis the Menace
I’d heard of the DOG DAYS OF SUMMER but THE DOG DAYS OF WINTER are a new one on me. Ruff is setting a new standard here.
