Humour is very important to me. Being funny is a great way to become my best friend, my favourite teacher or even to get into my pants. For realz. My first husband was a stand-up comedian. THE MARRIAGE WAS A JOKE. Ba dum dum.
No really, trufax. I've always crushed on funny guys. To me, Bill Murray is sexier than Brad Pitt will ever be. Sadly, funny does not make a good husband, so we parted ways.
My new husband is funny, but also responsible and employable. But enough about my life choices, let's talk about funny as it applies to art.
Generally, to ellicit a laugh, you need a premise, a set up and a
banana peel surprise. Sort of a bait and switch, but this can be difficult with a one panel drawing, especially without dialogue.
Much of my humorous art is parody. Drawing something funny is easier when someone else has done the premise for you. If you understand the world of Harry Potter, and know that Doloris Umbridge is a castrating bitch, it's easy to put her (or someone else) in a situation with her that is funny. And naked is alwasy funnier!
It also helps if you can empathize with the characters. We all feel a bit like Dumbledore's wand here.
Barfing kittens can't hurt either.
Knowing what a port-key does is tantamount to understanding this one. I like this one because the funny part hasn't happened yet. IT HAS HUMOUR POTENTIAL. We all have sex, and we all don't EVER want our mothers to see us doing it.
Putting people in unlikely situations is fun.
And having people do things that are against their character can elicit a laugh. I honestly don't know why naked Abe Lincoln is so funny, but this quick doodle I made never fails to crack me up.
Getting caught doing something that is totally IN your character can be funny too. Nobody could love Gilderoy Lockheart as much as himself.
And Evil Scientist/Platypus sex is the pinnacle of funneh.
Well, to me, at least. But I have the sense of humour of a twelve year old boy. ;)
Bottom line, what I find funny, you may not, and vice versa. But I'm Canadian, and we certainly have our own special brand. ;)
Hahah I feel the same way. I always feel like I should do something funny/clever/unexpected in most of my drawings. YAY FOR FUNNY PEOPLE! :D
ReplyDeleteDolores smiled most of the images. I do not like a woman, probably why it came into the picture best.
ReplyDeleteAnd Dumbledore in the tub ... funny.
Dove: I don't think I could come up with something funny if there was any pressure, but generally, when I'm supposed to draw something serious, I can mostly only think of crack.
ReplyDeleteMdanett: Yes, she is such a horrible person that she's fun to make fun of.
I have drawn Dumbledore naked more times than anyone ever should. ;)