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Author: Clari Searle

This author has written 50 articles
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  2. Clari Searle

52. ‘The Funny Drawing Lab’ – Marketing for ‘the Niche’?

On the 1st June, I started ‘The Funny Drawing Lab’ group in Leamington Spa with the aims of creating a group of local people who wanted to practice cartooning once…

Continue Reading52. ‘The Funny Drawing Lab’ – Marketing for ‘the Niche’?

51. Creating Characters and Professor Wabi-Sabi Appears (16 February 2024)

It's been a good while since I lasted posted something from my creative practice. Of late, this has got lost in work and writing the thesis, and most of the…

Continue Reading51. Creating Characters and Professor Wabi-Sabi Appears (16 February 2024)

50. What Pun! (29 September 2023)

Puns can cause terrible groaning responses, but they are a useful part of the cartoonists’ toolkit. They can encourage and develop incongruous humorous thinking and inspire drawings of all kinds…

Continue Reading50. What Pun! (29 September 2023)

49. Developing the Brain Neuroplasticity with ‘Incongruous Portraits’ (20.09.2023)

The principle aim of this research is to develop ways to find the funny and build it in the comics medium. The impetus for this came after a long period…

Continue Reading49. Developing the Brain Neuroplasticity with ‘Incongruous Portraits’ (20.09.2023)

47. Game and Tilts (25.07.2023)

‘Games’ and ‘Tilts’ usually belong to the world of improv, but it has been interesting to apply them to cartooning this week. My improv teacher describes looking for the ‘game…

Continue Reading47. Game and Tilts (25.07.2023)

46. Antagonising Comic Strips (24.03.2023)

This week, I’ve been exploring how to create comic strips. This turned out to be trickier than I imagined, as there are multitudes of approaches in varying ‘beats’ of 2-panel…

Continue Reading46. Antagonising Comic Strips (24.03.2023)

45. Belatedly Developing Characters and a Comics Voice (17.02.2023)

It has only occurred to me recently that it is important to develop a ‘comics voice’ for characters, so that it is practical to create work quickly and confidently. By…

Continue Reading45. Belatedly Developing Characters and a Comics Voice (17.02.2023)

44. 5-Minute Breath Doodles (27.01.2023)

Recently, I have been experimenting with a daily doodle to notice how I am. This creative practice developed after a conversation with coach 'SS' who set me the following assignment…

Continue Reading44. 5-Minute Breath Doodles (27.01.2023)

43. Caricature Resolution, Part 2 (10.02.2023)

This post covers the final ten days of the online Caricature Resolution of 2023 (the first 19 days are covered in post 42). In this last half, I began to…

Continue Reading43. Caricature Resolution, Part 2 (10.02.2023)

42. Caricature Resolution 2023 (20.01.2023)

This is day 20 of the online 'Caricature Resolution 2023' challenge to create a caricature every day in January based on a list provided by The International Society of Caricature…

Continue Reading42. Caricature Resolution 2023 (20.01.2023)

41. Urban Sketching (13.01.2023)

I recently joined the online group 'Street View World Tour', where participants collectively urban sketch places from Google's Street View. This takes place once a month (the first Thursday) and…

Continue Reading41. Urban Sketching (13.01.2023)

40. Warm-Ups and Flows to Go (4 November 2022)

This week, most of my creative practice happened in online drawing groups, including 'Drawing with Dylan', 'The Sketchy Bitches' and Ilga Leimanis' workshop 'Drawing for Thinking' at the University of…

Continue Reading40. Warm-Ups and Flows to Go (4 November 2022)

39. Drawing ‘Talking Heads’ and Funny Faces for Character (29.10.2022)

It’s been a very long time since the last post with much and varied creative practice in the interim, so best to skip to the most recent practice of drawing…

Continue Reading39. Drawing ‘Talking Heads’ and Funny Faces for Character (29.10.2022)

38.  Are emotions useful for creating funnies? (19.03.2021)

If comic amusement is an emotion, could emotions be useful for constructing funnies? Philosophy professor Noel Carroll defines comic amusement as an emotional state (directed at incongruities), similar to other…

Continue Reading38.  Are emotions useful for creating funnies? (19.03.2021)

37. Core Blimey…Complexity in Expressions (05.03.2021)

This post explores how important and how tricky conveying expressions can be for the construction of funnies. It explores the search for the right expression, the teaching of expressions in…

Continue Reading37. Core Blimey…Complexity in Expressions (05.03.2021)

36. The Flamingoes have legs! (26.02.2021)

This blog documents my work with the incongruous notion of flamingo-ballerinas that began in September 2020. Initially, these flamingo dancers were created for a birthday card of an old friend…

Continue Reading36. The Flamingoes have legs! (26.02.2021)

35. Failing to get a sense of perspective (26.02.2021)

Just a brief post to note my limitations for future consideration (and perhaps development or avoidance...) I am not good at precision, at measuring, or at understanding relational space and…

Continue Reading35. Failing to get a sense of perspective (26.02.2021)

34. Creating that positive creative space for Zoom workshops (19.02.2021)

Recently, I gave a talk for the University of the Arts London with the repeated request for the audience to share any ideas or advice on creating positive creative spaces…

Continue Reading34. Creating that positive creative space for Zoom workshops (19.02.2021)

33. David Shrigley Experiment (12.02.2021)

This week, my creative practice experimented with David Shrigley’s approach to creating single-panel cartoons, where he creates images and words in response to his lists of art prompts. For example,…

Continue Reading33. David Shrigley Experiment (12.02.2021)

32. Imagination over Representation! (05.02.2021)

This week, I finished a zoomorphic representation of my 'sketchy' friend, Lene, who wanted to be turned into a fox. She is a ginger-haired goth, who claims to be a…

Continue Reading32. Imagination over Representation! (05.02.2021)

31. The Comics Diary – a good idea, so why do I resist? (30.01.2021)

The comics diary began as an exercise from cartoonist/teacher Lynda Barry's book 'Syllabus' that is useful for beginner cartoonists.  In a nutshell, you write brief notes on the day 'what…

Continue Reading31. The Comics Diary – a good idea, so why do I resist? (30.01.2021)

30. ‘Unfinished Pictures’ and ‘Becoming the Thingness’ Exercise (29.01.2021)

When I taught English in Japan, I noticed that many of the learning activities had at base the notion of ‘the hidden picture’, where you engage curiosity by hiding images…

Continue Reading30. ‘Unfinished Pictures’ and ‘Becoming the Thingness’ Exercise (29.01.2021)

29. ‘Animalising your Friends’ and Finding your Style (29.01.2021)

In funnies, it is common to find funny animals as characters – these can be anthropomorphied (animals given human characteristics) or zoomorphised (people given animal characteristics), but it is difficult…

Continue Reading29. ‘Animalising your Friends’ and Finding your Style (29.01.2021)

28. Gagmeisters and Punning (25.01.21)

Recently, I have had the good fortune of regularly meeting up with a cartooning enthusiast in Leamington for walks and talks about the funny. We have enjoyed a couple of…

Continue Reading28. Gagmeisters and Punning (25.01.21)

26. Creating Maggi Hambling cartoons with memory and non-dominant hand (13.11.2020)

Recently, I watched a fascinating documentary on artist Maggi Hambling that stayed in my mind for days afterwards and inspired me to create some cartoons of her. Hambling talked about…

Continue Reading26. Creating Maggi Hambling cartoons with memory and non-dominant hand (13.11.2020)

25. I’m in ‘no’ mood! (02.09.2020)

On the second September, I was working with Argentinian cartoonist Liniers' approach of exploring the 'emotional landscape,'and as my mood was very much one of a resistant resounding 'no!' I…

Continue Reading25. I’m in ‘no’ mood! (02.09.2020)

24. Working with Art Prompts and Provocations – Inktober 2020 (26-30.10.2020)

This week, I have been experimenting with the various art prompts provided by ‘Inktober’ (Inktober 2020). Inktober happens each year for the month of October when there is the online…

Continue Reading24. Working with Art Prompts and Provocations – Inktober 2020 (26-30.10.2020)

23. The interconnectedness of all things for humour research, including black dogs and pain-bodies (23.10.2020).

In the last month I have been struggling with various negative emotions, including flaring pain from sciatica and general despondency at the thought of more lonely lockdown in the dark…

Continue Reading23. The interconnectedness of all things for humour research, including black dogs and pain-bodies (23.10.2020).

22. The Comics Diary and a Bad Case of the Grims (16.10.2020)

The comics diary and personal creative practice stopped over the last month. Instead, creative practice happened in smaller ways by attending the ‘Sketchy Bitches’ online drawing group, by creating birthday…

Continue Reading22. The Comics Diary and a Bad Case of the Grims (16.10.2020)

21. Tom Fishburne and ‘The Power of Laughing at Ourselves’ (18.09.2020)

I saw Tom Fishburne being interviewed at NCS Fest and he was a positive, smart, happy man, so this inspired me to research him further and to watch his TED…

Continue Reading21. Tom Fishburne and ‘The Power of Laughing at Ourselves’ (18.09.2020)

20. Jim Davis on Types of Gags (16.09.2020)

Jim Davis (creator of Garfield comic strips) spent 30 minutes sharing his ideas on humour construction in a presentation entitled the ‘Art of the Funny’ at the NCS Fest 2020.Davis…

Continue Reading20. Jim Davis on Types of Gags (16.09.2020)

19. National Cartooning Society (NCS) Festival (12.09.2020)

National Cartooning Society came together on Zoom on Saturday 12th September 2020. Members of the NCS are required to work professionally as cartoonists, so this was very much a forum…

Continue Reading19. National Cartooning Society (NCS) Festival (12.09.2020)

18. ‘Happy Roald Dahl Day’ and selling my first cartoon (13.09.2020)

The ‘Sketchy B*tches’ got together on Zoom to celebrate ‘Roald Dahl Day’ (13 September) by drawing quick portraits of each other ‘dahled-up’ and in the style of his illustrator Quentin…

Continue Reading18. ‘Happy Roald Dahl Day’ and selling my first cartoon (13.09.2020)

17. Grandad & limitations to set you free! (11.09.2020)

It is about time that Grandad appeared in this research blog for without him this would not be happening...(this is also true of a number of other important people especially…

Continue Reading17. Grandad & limitations to set you free! (11.09.2020)

16. How to avoid the brain-squeezing to an easier creative process? (08.09.2020)

Creative practice has been very difficult for me - how to start? - how to play? - how to develop ideas? - how to be confident? It is also probably the…

Continue Reading16. How to avoid the brain-squeezing to an easier creative process? (08.09.2020)

15. Formats cause headaches but they ultimately help (04.09.2020)

Formats matter. This is problematic for someone who got grade ‘E’ at Maths O’ level (several times over actually even in the resits) and spirals out of control when I…

Continue Reading15. Formats cause headaches but they ultimately help (04.09.2020)

14. Working without a trace! (28.08.2020)

For a long while, I’ve struggled with the issue of leaving traces of pencil on my breakdowns (or rough drawings) before inking. There has also been a longing for lines…

Continue Reading14. Working without a trace! (28.08.2020)

13. Crashing and Creativity (21.08.2020)

This post works through a difficult week of crashing into unwellness to find a way back to creativity, and perhaps a way to safeguard creative practice for future. I am…

Continue Reading13. Crashing and Creativity (21.08.2020)

12. Mentoring with Simone Lia (10.08.2020)

In the first session (10.07.2020), Simone’s biggest concern was my lack of funny friends, so over the last month this was considered, and changes made. I also had the task…

Continue Reading12. Mentoring with Simone Lia (10.08.2020)

11. Funnies and ‘funny friends’ (07.08.2020)

Cartoonist Simone Lia is mentoring me over the Summer and in our first session, she asked about my close friends, so I mentioned the first three friends in mind. It…

Continue Reading11. Funnies and ‘funny friends’ (07.08.2020)
Read more about the article 10. How to create an enjoyable creative practice with the ‘Art of No Idea’? (04-05.08.2020)

10. How to create an enjoyable creative practice with the ‘Art of No Idea’? (04-05.08.2020)

I started these ‘Creative Practice Notes’ (or blog) with a post called ‘How to start the creative practice’ on 24 April 2020. Now, it is three months later and the…

Continue Reading10. How to create an enjoyable creative practice with the ‘Art of No Idea’? (04-05.08.2020)

9. BEWARE STEREOTYPES! A cautionary tale. (02.08.2020)

I created an image deliberately designed to appear automatically in the case of broken webpages on this website. Basically, I wanted to suggest that the page was taking a break…

Continue Reading9. BEWARE STEREOTYPES! A cautionary tale. (02.08.2020)

8. Becoming a ‘Sketchy Bitch!’ (19.07.2020)

On Sunday, I joined my first drawing session with the 'Sketchy B*tches' for a Zoom session called 'La Dolce Vita'. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sketchy-bitches-x-la-dolce-vita-tickets-113324679166 In this session, we drew each other in either…

Continue Reading8. Becoming a ‘Sketchy Bitch!’ (19.07.2020)

7. The plastic brain and starting to think like a cartoonist! (18.07.2020)

On Saturday night, for some reason I felt bloated, kept getting up to relieve myself, and slept badly. The best part of this dull tale is that my mind started…

Continue Reading7. The plastic brain and starting to think like a cartoonist! (18.07.2020)

6. Bauhaus Rules! (18.07.2020)

Roger Sabin (my PhD supervisor) suggested that I watch this programme on the BBC iPlayer - 'Bauhaus Rules with Vic Reeves': https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0007tqs This was a fascinating programme for the Bauhaus'…

Continue Reading6. Bauhaus Rules! (18.07.2020)

5. Working in Liniers’ Way (16.07.2020)

 This week was very exciting because I started to do a Domestika online training programme with Professor Liniers (aka Argentine cartoonist Ricardo Liniers Siri).https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/623-graphic-humor-give-us-our-daily-comic-stripHe's incredible! There will be much more…

Continue Reading5. Working in Liniers’ Way (16.07.2020)

4. Quick and Abstract Birds (16/7/2020)

I used Derwent 'inktense' pencils for this, because they are water soluble and it's a quick easy way to paint (with minimal stuff and mess). Enjoyed this much more than…

Continue Reading4. Quick and Abstract Birds (16/7/2020)
Read more about the article 3. Automatic Drawing (16.07.2020)

3. Automatic Drawing (16.07.2020)

  Automatic drawing is one of the surrealist tools, but it is also employed by the Argentinian cartoonist 'Liniers'. I was oddly nervous and hesitant about doing this. Perhaps because…

Continue Reading3. Automatic Drawing (16.07.2020)
Read more about the article 2. Sarah Millican Comic Strip (15.07.2020)

2. Sarah Millican Comic Strip (15.07.2020)

This is a comic strip version of an autobiographical story Sarah Millican told on the radio programme ‘Women Talking about Cars’ (R4). I wanted to remember this story, because it…

Continue Reading2. Sarah Millican Comic Strip (15.07.2020)

1. How to begin the creative practice? (27.04.2020)

This is a tricky question to resolve. It concerns creators and makers of all kinds – the difficulty of the blank page and the uncertainty of work processes and the…

Continue Reading1. How to begin the creative practice? (27.04.2020)

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