KALendar update…

Joy and excitement as The Economist calendar arrived from the States this morning. An illustrated look at the year ahead – written and illustrated by the cartooning legend that is Kevin KAL Kallaugher.

I wrote about it briefly before, but at the time I hadn’t actually seen more than the little previews on KAL’s website. I’ve finally had a chance to look at all 12 months up close, and it’s fantastic!
The main illustration every month refers to about a dozen wildly different current and historical events, all put together in miraculously coherent scene.
In addition there are other little relevant drawings sprinkled around the written part of the calendar.

KAL himself also features on every page of this calendar – in good “Where’s Wally?” style – usually reading a copy of the Economist.

It’s a terrific piece of work, and really I can’t recommend it enough.
A brilliant gift for anyone interested in cartoons!

From the Sketchbook: Battery Eraser Man…

One of my favourite things: Putting pencil leads into a battery driven eraser! Weird and wonderful marks.

©mørland

More CAT awards…

Lord Baker and me (Photo: David Hartley)

It was a superb evening as usual, with the added excitement this year of picking up an award!
The Saatchi Political Award for Political Cartoonist of the Year.
It’s a peculiar feeling to receive that kind of honour in front of so many terrific cartoonists, most of whom would have had every right to stand up and shout: “WHAT?! HIM?”
Fortunately they all waited until I was out of earshot, so it was all very civilized.

An essential part of the evening is the fundraising for the Cartoon Museum. When presenting the award for Joke Cartooning, director Mike Leigh heaped praise on the work the small team at the Museum does, and quite rightly so! It is a terrific place which deserves to be supported in any way possible. For most of us on the night it means happily paying ten quid to pop a balloon or to be photographed sticking our heads through a humongous Dave Brown paining of an executioner holding the head of Gordon Brown (See below). For those with rather more impressive bank balances, it means paying £3200 for a Matt cartoon.

Other memorable moments included a simply hilarious speech by the old gag master Barry Cryer. Madness singer Suggs throwing Ollie Preston’s rather too heavy looking pen into the crowd after a mock auction, and Martin Rowson’s annual rant about the need to find young new cartooning talent so that we can break their fingers.

Black tie events are a rarity for most cartoonists, and most would probably say mercifully so. However, this annual chance to dress up in ill-fitting hired fineries is terrific fun.

For more on the awards, read Christian Adam’s blog and PCO’s Bloghorn.

CAT awards

I just won the Cartoon Art Trust political cartoonist of the year! Hurrah!
More from the evening tomorrow…

From Monday’s Paper: Climate Talks…

©mørland/the times

If…

I was just catching up on Steve Bell’s IF-strip, and came across this gem. Superb last frame.

From Monday’s Paper: Thinker in Chief…

©mørland/the times

Gerald Scarfe…

…at his very best in today’s Sunday Times.

Excellent Dave Brown cartoon…

…in the Indy today. A frighteningly apt picture.

Stunning image-making on a Friday: Simon Evans…

Hat-tip to the brilliant itsnicethat.com for this link to possibly the most beautiful images you will see this this Friday. Done by Berlin-based Londoner Simon Evans.
Exceptional talent, devotion and sensitivity.