We got in touch with Doug again and asked him more questions about his series. The artist provided us with insights into his creative process and his approach to designing characters for new cartoons: “I almost always start with the idea and the punchline (which may change later). I draw in pencil and redraw until I'm satisfied with the drawing. Then I ink it in pen and color it in Photoshop. I don't have any recurring characters (although some look familiar). I have never been able to keep a character constant.”
The creator of ‘Laughing Hippo Studio’ shared with us some of his influences in the world of comedy and humor: “I suppose my major influence growing up was MAD magazine, although I read everything I could with and about cartoons. I followed many comedians and one major influence was Dan DeCarlo (Archie). His simple but effective layouts taught me a lot.”
Asked about his opinion on what makes a good comic, the cartoonist answered: “I know I sometimes go overboard on the drawing, but a great drawing will not sell a poor idea. The gag is the heart of the cartoon. A funny gag will always carry a simple cartoon.”
Lastly, we were curious if any of the cartoons from 'Laughing Hippo Studio' were a personal favorite of Doug’s, and the artist told us: “If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the one where I have a couple looking out at a desert scene, but it's an unfinished paint-by-numbers drawing. They are the only ones in color. ‘We must be in the unpainted desert!’”
