Dawn & Her Gang

This is an illustration that I've been wanting to put on my blog for a number of days now. The story behind it begins when a friend sent me an e-mail with a link to an e-bay auction. The e-bay listing tells the story of Dawn Meehan's efforts to sell some Pokemon Cards that one of her children slipped into her shopping cart. On that page Dawn writes a very hilarious description of her shopping "adventure." It is a must read - funny - VERY funny.

(Here is the URL info. - I tried to create a link, but having a hard time doing so. Just copy and paste into your address line.)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:UK:2

Apparently the e-bay listing gained a lot of attention and there have been thousands of people that have read it and then forwarded it to others. On that page she posted a link to a blog authored by her - "Because I Said So."

Dawn's Blog

I began to visit her blog every so often because I really enjoyed reading some of her daily postings. From time to time I would add a comment, along with the hundred or so others that were posting comments on her page as well. Every so often I would add the URL to my blog at the bottom of my comment - just in case anyone might be interested in seeing what I had to offer to the blogging world out there.

Then, lo and behold, one day I received a couple of comments from Dawn on this blog. I was honored. She is obviously a busy lady. Along with raising six children, Dawn has done a number of radio interviews about her new popularity, Nickelodeon has come calling, and she has a book offer, which she is now in the process of writing, On top of all that ABC News did a segment about her.

ABC News Story

But, more than getting some comments from Dawn, I was really excited when she asked about the possibility of me doing a caricature of her for blog. Again, I was honored and really wanted to do it. So, after getting some photos of her and her children, plus a bit of description about each one of the Meehan kids, this is the result.











It was my idea to include her husband in the background. She describes him as a "jack of all trades." The Old Lady in the Shoe was hers. What do you think?

(I haven't told her yet, and maybe she still hasn't seen it, but yes, the egg man does make an appearance in her illustration. Can you find him?)

Thanks Dawn for letting me in on the fun, and remember me for all your further cartoon needs.

Family Practice - Shampoo

This particular panel was actually the first one I drew for my Family Practice strip. It came from a moment of inspiration while taking a shower one day.

I hate, I hate, I HATE (Have I stressed that enough yet?), I really dislike standing in the shower and having all the female bath products dropping around my feet because there is not enough room on the edge of the tub to keep them all in place. In a house dominated by women, there is NO END to the kinds of oils, lotions, and various liquids that can be bought for the beautification and restoration of a lady's... umm... person.

I especially dislike, (OK, I hate it too) when the lady's razor drops around your feet for the very same reason. AND, it always seems to happen when you have a face full of soap and you can't open your eyes. There you are, helplessly blinded - fearful of stepping on the blade and recreate a scene out of a Alfred Hitchcock movie - blood flowing down the tub, all around the drain. (Is this too graphic?)

So, while standing in the shower, with all the female products splashing around my feet I thought that there ought to be a cartoon strips which highlights the plight of a man dealing with life in a female dominated world - thats me!

Again, I was never able to sell the strip, so you all get to see the by-products from a guy chasing a dream that was never realized.

Fortunately, after we remodeled the bathroom, I pretty much have a shower to myself now - one shampoo, one conditioner, and one bar of soap. Occasionally, I do discover a pair of panty hose hanging in there to dry. But I don't complain - I just doodle.

Also, I keep forgetting to add a link to the Nation Public Radio website where my caricature of Dawn Meehan was published. NPR interviewed her and wanted to use the illustration for their article. She gave them permission with the stipulation that they would add a link to my blog page. I really appreciate Dawn doing that for me when she didn't have to.

Check out my post on Oct. 18,2007 for the full story of that illustration.

Drum Roll Please!

DUDRDRDRDRDR....

It's been a fun Great Big Humongous Giveaway. I passed my minimal goal of at least 200 post. I got a lot of help from some of you who were kind enough to post a link about the Giveaway. Thank you very much.

A special thanks to Dawn Meehan whose (nearly late) last minute post grab the attention of a number of her readers. Thanks Dawn.

By far, the biggest thanks goes to my own busy little fingers which did a ton of blog surfing to invite a plethora of bloggers on the web to come and check things out. Thank you fingers. I hope that I wasn't too hard on you.

I was happy to sell some copies of Doodle- normous. For a mere $10 (Plus $3 S&H - $5 outside the U.S.) I can make all your doodle dreams come true. Here's a sneak peak of what you will see...

Just e-mail me at green_rick@juno.com and I'll be happy to get one in your grubby hands. (That wasn't nice, was it?)

NOW, for the news you've been waiting for...

Last night my daughter helped me pick the names of the winners.

(One of you kind bloggers suggested that I use one of those automatic number generator sites. I really do appreciate the suggestion, but that seems so impersonal to me. Besides, how do I know that someone hasn't programed a favorite number into the number generator computer? I'll trust my daughters fingers over some unknown computer out on the web.)

So, with camera in my wife's hand, here are the results!!!!...

Prize Category #1: The winners of a free copy of one of my doodles are...

1. Fire Hunt, over at Fire Hunt

2. Leigh, over at Tales From Bloggerritaville

3. Geisme, over at Rantings From a Crazy Woman

4. Missy, over at Missyz Stuff

Congratulations winners! Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, will be to surf my blog and find the doodle that speaks to your heart, or funny bone. Then tell me your choice, and then I'll ship it your way!! I suggest you look at some of my older post, or the list of my favorite doodles shown in the right column. You choose which one you'd like a copy of and then give me your contact information by e-mailing me at green_rick@juno.com.

I'm looking forward to seeing which one you pick.

(This is a photo of my daughter looking goofy at me behind my back while I recorded the names of the winners. I made her stay up late to get the slips of paper ready for the drawing. She and her mother think I've gone nuts with this blogging thing. I don't know. What do you think?)

AND NOW!! For the Grand Prize Winner:

Congratulations to Chuck over at Chuck Thinks Right. (Which is obvious since he thought to sign up for my giveaway and won!)

Chuck, my lovely daughter has drawn your name out of the popcorn bowl. So, we need to talk. Please begin now getting some clear/large photos together that I can use to create your one of a kind caricature drawn with these already tired fingers.

Now Chuck, a word from last year's winner of this giveaway...

Dear Rick,

Just so you will know last year my entire life changed! Oh happy day! You will not believe it! Everyone started looking at me differently, I became a Major Player every where I traveled. Now I hang out with only the coolestt folks I have sampled many colorful foods while visiting several foreign places I am still on the go! Plus, Rick, much to my delight, I found complete peace and serenity very near my own home. What can I say? Thank you ever~so for making me a winner! I say this to the next winner of your. Hold on to your hat and enjoy the fame Sincerely, your friend in Florida

Thank you everyone who signed up for a chance to win.

I would love to give everyone a free doodle of their own, but, alas!, that's just not possible. But, if you're interested in purchasing one you can use my contact information to find out about how I price my caricatures. Most people find my prices very reasonable.

In the mean time I hope you'll stay "tooned" for further postings. Check in often as I try to post a new doodle every other day.

In fact a new doodle is long over due from me.

So here, for your nonsense pleasure, is another bit of nonsense drawn while on the plane during my recent trip to Oklahoma. Also, just colored this evening in my computer.

Maybe very soon you'll have a giveaway of your own. Please feel free to use this Copy & Share If You Dare doodle for yourself, and give me a heads up when you do.

Thank you all again. Stay tooned for more!!

Which One Did She Choose?

Some have asked to be informed as to which illustration "Stimey," over at stimeyland , chose for her prize. Her choice was "Barnyard Boogie," an illustration that I posted clear back in January 8, of '07. This is one of two illustrations that I drew for a contest that the local county fair was having to illustrate that year's theme. (More details at that post.)

Stimey made an interesting choice in that this particular drawing is larger than I normally draw my cartoons. It is an 11x14, rather than the usual 8x10. So, she got the most bang for her buck - or non-buck as the case may be. Thanks again Jean, oops! sorry, Stimey, for particapating in the give-away.

(That's the first time that I did the strike through thingy. I learned it over in the comments on Dawn's blog.)

Here's something that I drew a couple of years ago. I live where fishing is king and at the time I was trying to drawing a few cartoons that people might like to purchase. I have a few fishing toons that I've drawn. This is one of them.


If you're interested in purchasing a print for yourself you might be surprised how cheaply I price them. I find that most artist over price their work. While I prefer to actually sell my stuff - rather than let it sit in a box somewhere.

You contact me at the e-mail address given in the column to the right.