2017 BUSHY TALES Calendar

2017 BUSHY TALES Calendar

"LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL", the limited edition 2017 BUSHY TALES calendar, is now available for you to order!

This popular calendar includes..... 

• 12 BT Sunday strips
  

• A bonus BT daily strip on the Back Cover

• 74 other pieces of BT art

• Many Australian and Internationally significant dates highlighted

• 12 "Wombat Words of Wisdom" quotable quotes

• A 2018 calendar page

• A special "Notes" page 

And the already-low price even includes the cost of postage (please note there are different prices for Australian orders and International orders).

The cost of the calendar (inclusive of postage to Australian addresses) is just $16.50!

And for overseas addresses, the cost (inclusive of postage) of the calendar is just $22.00!

This is incredible value!

The BUSHY TALES calendars make excellent gifts for Christmas, or birthdays, or just for the joy of giving!...and at this price, you can buy and give several for a relatively small outlay.

Ordering your calendar(s) is very simple....

Go to the BUSHY TALES website and follow the links from the homepage...

www.bushytales.com

Or go directly to the Calendar page and click on the desired Shopping Cart button...

www.bushytales.com/2017calendar.html

Within a couple of weeks of receiving your order, we will then send your calendar(s) off. (Don't forget to include your mailing address on the order form.)

And please let your families and friends know about this great value offer to get a limited edition BUSHY TALES calendar for 2017.

Thanks heaps!

Until next time....

Joyfully yours,

Ian 

OFF ON THE CONVICT TRAIL.....

A Short Holiday in Tasmania

Well, I've just returned from a couple of weeks away from the drawing board. 

I love travelling and visiting places I've not seen before and, so, I was very pleased to set off for my first visit to Tasmania, one of the few parts of Australia that I have not previously been to. I have often heard about this island state's natural beauty and I was looking forward to having plenty of opportunity to exercise one of my other creative passions, photography.

Firstly, though, it was a short stopover in Melbourne to visit with a couple of our kids who live down that way. It was great to catch up with them and share some good times together. Part of the stopover was then spent tripping along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.
The iconic Twelve Apostles is a unique part of the ruggedly beautiful coastline and, consequently, a very popular spot for tourists and photographers alike. 

I always love the challenge of trying to get a shot that is a bit different to the one everyone else is taking and, thanks to a little bird that landed on a branch right in front of me at just the right time (late afternoon sunlight), I think I managed to!
Well, I think it's a pretty good shot, at least!

From Melbourne, Robyn and I flew down to Launceston. 

Unfortunately for us (but thankfully for the unusually drought-stricken island) it was raining. 

Not just a little bit, but a lot. 

And not just for a short period, but constantly. 

And the forecast projected rain for the next week, as well!
So much for seeing the natural beauty of Tasmania in good weather!

The plan was to pick up a car in Launceston and drive throughout the state, visiting many of the most scenic natural wonders as well as following along some of the historical trails and landmarks associated with the convict history of Tasmania.
The plan was a good one....but the wet weather seriously impeded the enjoyment and photographic exploits for the first few days.

As if to prove the point, when we arrived in the Cradle Mountain National Park we were met by sleet!
And that night, the first snow of the winter season fell.

It was bitterly cold with gale force winds blowing....but in my opinion snow is far more preferable to rain for photography so that was some considerable compensation.

Throughout the first half of the trip it was a case of trying to take photos that creatively showed the subject matter in an appealing way, even if that was not how we were actually experiencing it. A creative challenge to be sure! 

The second half of the trip picked up weather-wise and we actually had some good days when the sun broke through to see many of the significant parts of the state that harked back to the dark days of the convict settlements.

A highlight for us, as it is for many people, was the Port Arthur convict settlement. Sadly, this already sombre place of history has a more recent connection with tragedy. In 1996, it was the scene of Australia's worst mass-shooting when a lone killer (Martin Bryant) shot dead 36 people and left another 20+ injured.
This, then, became the catalyst for the government to introduce strict gun control legislation that has prevented similar such massacres in the 20 years since.
The memorial for those lost is a poignant reminder of the tragedy.

The coastline from Port Arthur down to Tasman Island is one of rugged beauty and extreme weather conditions. Beyond Tasman Island lies the Great Southern Ocean and Antarctica, and the wind was blowing directly from that direction, too! 

But, even though it was bitingly cold out on the water off this incredible coastline, the frosty temperature was nothing compared to the freezing and furious winds that we later met up on top of Mount Wellington, the peak that rises majestically behind Hobart, the state's

capital. The wind was one of the strongest I have experienced anywhere. And the coldest! But the views from the peak were well worth the frostbite!

All in all, it was a great trip in spite of the weather with many wonderful sights and experiences.
I will look forward to returning to Tassie sometime (in better weather, hopefully).

Here are a few more of the shots taken over the past couple of weeks.

However, whilst the trip is over, it did give me opportunity to think about a number of ideas that I am looking forward to introducing into the BUSHY TALES strip. 

In fact, next Sunday's strip, in particular, breaks some new ground for BUSHY TALES...so stay tuned!!!

Doug the Wombat Goes to Childcare!

The YOUNG DISCOVERER'S Child Care Centres adopt BUSHY TALES.

 You may have noticed that it is quite a while since the last BUSH WEEK blog was sent out. There have been a number of things keeping us somewhat busy since then. And one of these exciting new developments has been the partnership with the Young Discoverers group of child care and pre-school centres in the Gold Coast hinterland.

A little while ago I was approached by the good people at Crosslife Church ( a progressive, community-centred Baptist church) with an interest in using the BUSHY TALES characters in their child care centres, and even in using Doug as their "mascot".
After some initial discussions I was thrilled to agree to be associated with these great community centres for young children and their families. 

The use of the BT characters can help to highlight the positive values of the centres and, at the same time, add a little bit of humour and cartoon "flair" to their rooms.

(www.youngdiscoverers.org.au; www.crosslife.org.au)

Here are the first cartoons that illustrate some of the YD values.....

So, whilst you haven't heard from us for a while, we have been busy!
Hopefully, we will be back on track with regular blogs over the coming weeks.

Until next time.....

Joyfully yours,

Ian 

Well, it has been such a crazy-busy month that we have got way behind in getting the BUSH WEEK blog out there for you. Sorry about that.
Here are a few things that have been happening.....

"BUSHY TALES" ART PRINTS 

...now available!

Now you can get your very own print of your favourite BUSHY TALES strip.

All you have to do is to go to the BUSHY TALES website homepage, click on the links to the Art Prints page and order your favourite Sunday, or daily, strip.
It's that simple!

The prices are really quite reasonable (ie low!), especially when you consider that the price includes the packing and postage. Obviously, because of this, the prices for Australian and International orders are slightly different. 

You can check out all the details on the website (www.bushytales.com) but just to give you an idea.....

These prints are high-quality and in full colour, printed on good 300gsm A3 size card. Ideal for framing and hanging in that special spot in your home or office.

You can choose any of the BUSHY TALES strips published on the BT website, on the Facebook page, on GoComics, or any that you have seen elsewhere.

The important thing when ordering is to make sure you include a description (or number) of the particular strip you wish to purchase.

You will be able to add this description in the Note To Seller section of the checkout/payment details page.

PRICING DETAILS.....

DAILY STRIP PRINT - AUSTRALIA

PRICE: Just $35 AUD
(postage within Australia included)

DAILY STRIP PRINT - INT'L

PRICE: Just $45 AUD (International postage included)

SUNDAY STRIP - AUSTRALIA

PRICE: Just $45 AUD 

(postage within Australia included)

SUNDAY STRIP - INT'L

PRICE: Just $55 AUD 

(International postage included)

Check it all out, and place your order, on the BUSHY TALES website....

www.bushytales.com 

"BUSHY TALES" on GoComics

It is now about 6 weeks since BUSHY TALES commenced publication on Universal Uclick syndicate's GoComics website (www.gocomics.com). In these weeks, BT has been steadily building a solid readership base which has been very encouraging. However, it is still only early days and there is a looooooong way to go before it could really be called a "success" in this latest stage of development. 

In this world of digital/online publishing, the way a comic strip is shown to be "popular" is through the number of subscribers/clicks/readers etc.

So, if you haven't already done so, we'd be really grateful if you could take out a FREE membership account with GoComics and add BUSHY TALES to your list of comics. Doing so will allow you to see BT every day (as well as lots of other great comic strips). 

Go on....do your bit for the WOMBATIFICATION OF THE WORLD!!!!

Thanks heaps!

And, finally.....

Coming up....

USA TRIP....
I (Ian) will be travelling to the US in October/November for a few weeks...a great opportunity of catching up with some of the best cartoonists in the business, as well as some strategic meetings with syndicate executives and newspaper editors. More on this in later editions of the BUSH WEEK blog.

"STANLEY AWARDS" - 2015
The Australian Cartoonist's Association (ACA), of which I am a member, will be holding its annual awards night in Melbourne a few days after I return from overseas. This will be the first time for many years that I have been able to attend the awards and I am looking forward to catching up with many of the great cartoonists we have in this country.

Well, that's it for this week.

Until next week!

Joyfully yours,

Ian

E: ian@bushytales.com

W: www.bushytales.com

HAPPY EASTER Everyone!
In case you haven't already seen the BUSHY TALES Easter strip for this year (on GoComics or Facebook) here it is.....

DOUG'S JOURNEY Continued...
Doug, Sugar and Jack continue to encounter some hazardous times as they try to find their way through the big city. Thankfully, Wombatman is there to save the day. Sort of.

They have been lucky to escape this time....but what will happen now... where will they go....and how will they get there? Stay tuned!

Q&A
IF YOU COULD BE ANY OTHER CARTOONIST, WHO WOULD YOU CHOSE TO BE?

Wow, that is a tricky question. I'm not really sure how to answer it because I have a different answer for different considerations.

For example, if the question is just relating to artistic and creative genius and style, I think I (along with everyone else) would chose to be Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes). He rewrote the script of what you can do artistically in a comic strip and I am sure he has had a profound influence on every cartoonist for that reason.

However, if the question relates to longevity and consistent quality over a long period of time I think I would go with Charles Schulz (Peanuts). For over 50 years Schulz produced his strip all by himself. He took great pride in being the only person who ever drew it (many cartoonists these days have assistants).

But if the question relates to the cartoonist's character...well that's a bit more difficult because I don't know much about many of them and so it is hard to judge/choose. Although, I do have the highest regard for Johnny Hart (BC) who did not compromise his beliefs and faith even though he had many opportunities to do so.
But I am sure there are many others, too, whose character is equally laudable.

But, I guess my definitive answer to this question is....
Really, I'd just like to be the very best cartoonist I can be....and, hopefully, that will be good enough.

Thanks for reading!

Until next week.
Joyfully yours,

Ian 

WEBSITE: www.bushytales.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/BushyTalesComicStrip

Q & A.....
SO, WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS FROM?

I reckon this would have to be the most asked question of any cartoonist. I wouldn't mind having a dollar for every time I've been asked that question, and I'm sure other cartoonists would say the same.
Interestingly, it is not just non-cartoonists who ask this question. Even cartoonists are curious about the "inspiration process" of other cartoonists.

A couple of weeks ago I was very privileged to share dinner and several hours with Stephan Pastis, the cartoonist behind the PEARLS BEFORE SWINE comic strip (hugely popular in the US and around the world) and a couple of other cartoonists from Brisbane.
It was a wonderful time....good meal, great conversation, excellent company, lots of laughs.
But one of the high-points for me was hearing Stephan talk about how he gets his ideas for the comic strip. 
It so happens that it is quite different to the process (if it can be called that) that I go through.
But that's the thing with inspiration....it is not a neatly packaged commodity that you can buy on a supermarket shelf. It is quite a personal and individual thing, really.


So.....How do I get my ideas for my cartoons?

Let me answer by telling you a little story......
My cartooning career was officially launched back on September 23rd, 1980, the date I was first published in a newspaper. It was not with BUSHY TALES, nor even PEARLY GATES....it was a very early comic strip I did which was originally called BUNYIP (later changing name to KEG).

Anyway, prior to the date of publication I was interviewed by the paper (the Gold Coast Bulletin) for an accompanying story on the day of publication.
This was my first ever press interview and I thought it went really well. Of course, one of the questions I was asked was "How do you get your ideas for the comic strip?"
Now, as I was very inexperienced at this sort of thing, I answered honestly. I later learnt that was a mistake. But, in my first interview I was just happy to answer any questions the friendly reporter asked and, so, I answered honestly. It went something like this....

HE: How do you get your ideas for the comic strip?
ME: Usually when I'm relaxed. Often I will get ideas whilst I'm in the shower. You know, when I'm relaxed.

Of course, I was very excited about the launch of my cartoon in the paper and, when a copy of the paper was delivered to me I hastily opened it up to see how the interview came across and what the comic looked like in print.

On the front page of the paper it had a little promo for the article inside...."Turn to Page 5 to meet our new cartoonist" (or something like that).
So I turned to page 5.
And almost died.

"Ian strips for strip ideas!"... Was the banner headline that greeted me (and every other reader of that day's edition) on page five!
Looking at it later on I could see that it was a great headline...but at the time I was mortified that my simple, innocent comment about the source of my inspiration could be so twisted!

I was on a steep learning curve in those early years and one thing I learnt very quickly was not to be so honest with friendly reporters!

How do I come up with the ideas now?
Truly, I wish it were a simple formula that could be reproduced on command. But it isn't.
Some cartoonists draw their way (through doodling, character sketches etc) to their idea. I find that doesn't work for me.
Over the years I have discovered that I need to keep my eyes and ears open....maybe it is just a word, or a phrase, that I will hear that will trigger an idea, or a gag.
Maybe it is something I will see.
For me it is really all about trying to be a sponge that absorbs anything that might, at some stage, spark a creative urge. I write these things down in a notebook...sometimes the little notation may sit there for months, like a seed waiting for the rain to nourish it to fruition. Other times, the idea comes together pretty quickly.

And, sometimes, the ideas come from the characters themselves. When you have clearly defined characters and themes in the strip,it is not unusual for ideas to come from there...though you do have to be careful not to be repetitious. 

But you know.... this is a crazy business!...Not only is it difficult to come up with an idea for every day of the year...but the ideas you might think are great may not come across as all that great to others.
This is because humour, like most forms of artistic endeavour, is a very subjective thing.

So, it is not only about coming up with an idea, but trying to come up with an idea that works well, hopefully, for others, too.
It's enough to make you go crazy! 
But maybe you need to be a bit crazy to be a cartoonist, anyway!


DOUG'S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY Continued....
Following on from last week's blog, here are a few more in the series of strips tracing Doug's journey back to his old home. I am really enjoying the opportunity that a change of scenery provides for the strip artistically.

YOUNG READERS ACTIVITY PAGEI am still working on some activities for this page so it will be ready for next Monday's blog.
Stay tuned!

Until next week.
Joyfully yours,

Ian 

WEBSITE: www.bushytales.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/BushyTalesComicStrip