A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

Extra, Extra!

Motion Denied

By Jimmy Johnson

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I’ll tell you something else the Internet has changed. In the past, professional cartoonists could rely upon a steady stream of novices dropping in to learn the tricks of the trade. Most cartoonists graciously accommodated the newbies, although they weren’t called “newbies” in the day, because someone probably had helped them along in the same way. It was part of the fraternity dues. Today, would-be cartoonists can put their material directly on the Web for the entire world to see, and they no longer feel the need for instruction. Besides, if they do, that instruction is available instantly on the Internet. Who needs the advice of some old has-been who’s just taking up space and breathing air that could be used by someone else? I’ve drifted off into a rant, when what I really set out to do was give you a quick cartooning tip. See the last panel? See the water cooler? Sure, it adds interest and takes up space, but the real reason it’s there is to break up the vertical edge of the restroom door. You never want a line, either horizontal or vertical, to extend, unbroken, across an entire panel. It plays havoc with the composition, and it simply looks bad. Breaking it up just the least bit solves the problem. There, you read it on the Internet.

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75 responses to “Motion Denied”

  1. Lilyblack Avatar

    This photo makes me think of The Boss Of My Life when she was my age

  2. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers…..

    Mark, sometimes I think our hen house is haunted….like when there’s a wave of fluttering throughout the house, and then the hens are silent for about 4 or 5 seconds….then the clattering begins….spooks me.

    Second delivery of hens yesterday….should get the rest of them today….they are coming out of Ohio….need to check out the producer online….curious.

    And, I have a new Junior, heard him crowing somewhere near the front deck yesterday…I’ll find him, unfortunately…while they are putting the hens in the cages, they will find a few roosters….have to euthanize them….Boss doesn’t like feeding them because they aren’t productive.

    You all probably think I’m eggcentric about my job…..I am. Worked too many years in the corporate world….I like the solitude of this job….

    Good one Jerry 🙂

    Ya’ll have a blessed day.

    =^..^=

  3. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Time Warner cable at the current time is having major outage problems. Is today’s post a sign that JJ is a prophet?

  4. Dale Avatar
    Dale

    “You never want a line to extend across a panel.” The reader’s eye is tempted to parse the line as a panel border. And I see that Arlo’s thought balloon breaks up the left-hand edge of the door.

  5. Meryl A Avatar
    Meryl A

    When I was on the yearbook in college I learned that one should not have too much or too little “white space” and that no one should ever be looking off the page. When I work on the website for a group I am in, I always make sure to follow these rules.

    According to studies paper towels are more sanitary than hand dryers that require one to rub one’s hands together. Either is more sanitary than using one’s shirt. I solved the problem as I carry a very small bottle of hand sanitizer in my pocket (I don’t carry a purse) and use that. It has been found to be the most sanitary of all.

    Debbe – when we moved into our house I was alone in it for the first time doing all the sort of stuff one does when one has just moved into a house. I was in the basement and heard voices upstairs and was terrified. I then realized I was hearing Samantha and Darrin Stephens. That is how we found out about hot air heating and hearing through the vents. I had left the TV on the bedroom, 2 floors up) and it was next to the hot air vent. In the basement I was at the foot of that vent. (If I go in my upstairs bathroom I can hear if the washer and dryer are still running in the basement, also 2 floors down.) 🙂

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