Improving A Cartoon

You might be wondering what the dog is doing up in the tree and what the connection is with the monkeys…

I recently drew an Affenspinscher for the first time. ‘Affe’ means ‘ape’ or ‘monkey’ in German. The dog is also nicknamed ‘the Monkey Terrier. Playing about with its name, I came up with the above cartoon.

A friend of mine gave me some feedback on how I could improve the cartoon. Here are his points.

  1. The Background Is Too Strong

The background is too detailed and busy around the characters.

2. The Interaction Isn’t Working

The interaction is not working, as Suki is in the middle and the dog and monkeys are almost off the image.  

The trees are really breaking the line of sight.

Applying The Rule Of Thirds

My friend expanded the frame and roughed in a grid to put Suki and the dog closer to the focal points. That way the animals aren't falling off the frame.

He also suggested adding a stronger colour to Suki and the monkeys, so as to add more contrast against the busy background.

I took these suggestion on board with the improved version below.

Improved Version

Here are the changes I made:

  • I rearranged it using the suggestion about the rule of thirds.

  • I removed some of the tree branches, so that the background was less busy.

  • I added a red collar to the dog to help catch the eye and also to connect it to Suki.

  • I changed the colour of Sukis coat so that it was similar to the monkeys.

    Final Version

After seeing the previous version, my friend replied with the following feedback:

“One thing I am just noticing now that the other stuff is out of the way... the lower monkey is kind of floating. He has one foot on the branch, but no other point of contact. Perhaps the hand on the right should be on the branch above him? Or his contacting leg should be centered under his body so he is balanced on it?

I don't see a reason for his pose, (such as his being in motion).”

As a result of that I made the changes to the final version.

Summary

Here are a few points to keep in mind with your own cartoons.

  • Be aware of the rule of thirds.

  • Don’t make the background too busy around the characters.

  • Don’t break the line of sight with objects.

  • Use stronger colours to contrast against the background.

Are you interested in learning how to draw Cartoon Dogs?

Add your name, best email address, and type “woof!” in the subject line, and I’ll send you details of the Cartooning Canines - How To Draw Cartoon Dogs’ Course.

Rob Middleton