Three Points From A Calvin and Hobbes Panel

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Three points from a panel

Today we’re going to look at three points from a single panel of Calvin and Hobbes. Bill Waterson is such a great cartoonist that you could study him for a year and still pick up useful ideas.

Here are the three points we’re going to cover:

  1. Line of action

  2. Great facial expressions

  3. Showing speed

  1. Line of Action

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I’ve always loved the way Waterson draws Hobbes in motion. Look at the great line of action here - fantastic for a pouncing tiger! Look at how the line curves nicely from the tip of his tail to the end of his nose.

2. Great Facial Expressions

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In the strip Hobbes’ facial expressions change depending on whether he’s in cuddly tiger mode, when he’s hanging out with Calvin, to natural wild state and ready to pounce - as is the case in this panel. I guess that it’s a classic examples of how you can take the tiger out of the jungle but you can’t take the jungle out of the tiger.

3. Sense of Speed

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We know that Calvin is fleeing at great speed due to the two prompts provided by the flurry of squiggles showing his legs in motion, along with the trail of dust he’s leaving behind. Also, he’s moving so fast, his legs aren’t actually touching the ground!

The Leopard Ambushes Gerald!

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I thought I’d have a go at recreating this scene using a couple of my own characters. Seeing as Hobbes is a big cat, it seemed only natural to swap him out for the leopard who occasionally escapes from the zoo to terrorize Gerald.

The leopard is a little less long and lithe as Hobbes and I also altered the pose a little.

For Gerald I decided to have him running at full stretch rather than have his legs whirling around in motion as with Calvin earlier.

Over To You

Why not have a go at creating your own version of the scene?

You don’t have to restrict yourself to big cats, or to land creatures either. Whatever you do, have fun with it.

Talking of having fun…

I’m currently working on the ‘Cartooning Canines - How To Draw Cartoon Dogs Course’. If you’d like to receive more details, click below, send me a mail and type “woof!” In the subject line.

Rob Middleton