The concept for this editorial cartoon came to me on a run yesterday. I hadn’t even been thinking about Trump at all (that was a short, yet lovely break), but as I was on my cool-down, it kind of just burst into my head.
Most of the time when I get an idea, it’s like a fetus who kind of looks like a human, but is not completely formed yet and could not survive outside the womb. In this case, it arrived fully formed and breathing on its own.
I got home and busted out a rough sketch:
After I showered, I started hunting for references like clowns, clown shoes, makeup and of course, some good Trump stuff to work from.
My least favorite part of digital illustration is getting the basic shapes together. It’s kind of a tedious process of making vector points and shapes. I have a vision on my head and I’m dying to skip to the end. I’ve been drawing my whole life, so I’m much happier with a pencil or brush in my hand.
Where the magic really happens is when I start to use my brush tool. It’s what makes a digital illustration look more like something I would have done on paper or canvas. It feels more like sketching or painting, which I love.
This is a rare example of getting an idea and completing a finished illustration in one day. I was excited, okay? I only got hung up on the background. I like minimalist backgrounds, unless it plays a part in selling the concept. This one is purely decorative and I wanted Trumpy and the elephant snout to stand out.
I hope you enjoy it and of course, please share (with attribution) if you like.