The Charleston dance craze was one of the most memorable and notable features of the roaring twenties in America. At the height of the dances popularity from mid 1926 - 1927, it seemed as though it was not just every other person who was joining in on the dance, but also quite a few dogs as well. Due to the widespread popularity of the dance, it was difficult to turn a corner and not see it going on, dance hall promoters thought they could introduce a new twist to the dance by having a dog dance along with the usual flappers. With it’s long ears, swishing about along with the strings of pearls, the Charleston King Charles Spaniel was an instant hit.
In this cartoon clinic I’m going to look at a cartoon I drew previously and see where I can improve it.
Possible Changes
More life in her hair
Have more movement in the pearls
Can I get more movement in her body?
Needs more variation in tones
Make the dog look a bit more manic
Ears to move more
Dog looks a bit too static
Tail too straight?
The New Version
Here are the changes I made.
I changed her dress from white to pale blue, as I wanted the focus to be more on the dog, and white catches the eye
Instead of drawing the pearls, I dotted them on
I added more variety in tones
I recycled a stage background from a previous cartoon
I made the dog’s eyes cross-eyed!
Over To You
Take a look over some of you own cartoons. Is there one that you really like the idea of, but doesn’t look quite right? Look over the following points and see if they help you to identify points to change. It may help you to make notes from your drawing, as I did previously.
Could the character be in a more dynamic pose?
Is there enough variety in tones?
Is there a way you could put more energy or life into your character?