ToughPigs – Muppet Fans Who Grew Up

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Andreas Qassim

One of the most informative and dedicated Muppet fan site I’ve ever come across is ToughPigs, for Muppet fans who grew up. The slogan is perhaps a bit misleading. I’d rather say Muppet fans who NEVER grew up. Or maybe I’m just speaking about myself…

ANYWAY, I let out a spontaneous WOKA WOKA yesterday when I got mail from Joe Hennes, co-owner, senior contributor, and editor of ToughPigs. They made a spot for my Muppet fan art! It’s great to see the pieces displayed as a whole like that. Makes me want to make more. More I say. More! And I’d love to make a whole exhibiton of Muppet fan art sometime.

Thanks a million to ToughPigs for featuring my work on your great site, and special thanks to Joe for your support and kind words!

Having fun with the muppets

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Andreas Qassim

A cartoonist needs to have some fun every now and then. For no particular reason. When I want to have fun I always return to the muppets. I’ve been discussing starting up a Nordic muppet fan art blog together with a Norwegian colleague. Sorry Norway, but there’s only one possible character to host such a noble project…

While enjoying myself shamelessly making this picture, I also wanted to learn some new techniques. One was trying to mimick a water color effect digitally. Not sure I succeeded, but I quite like the texture I achieved in the clouds.

Another technique was importing patterns into cartoon artwork. Never knew how to do that before (it was really easy!). Neither did I know how to give the muppets a furry texture. I’m sure there’s a whole bunch of ways to do it better, but I think my method at least works. This would be my cover for a Muppet Show story featuring the chef. He’s been awarded a price for outstanding achievements in the muppet kitchen (against all odds!), now getting ready for the ceremony.

I would love to draw the muppets professionally at some point. I was really inspired by Roger Langridge’s Muppet Show Comic Books, and some of the other muppet titles from Boom Studios. I also got my hands on the Gilchrist brothers’ first collection of 80’s Muppets strips recently. That REALLY made my day. Digital coloring is great, but nothing beats a well drawn, well inked strip in glorious black and white.

Karl-Alfred’s Julkalender, lucka 9: Poopdeck Pappy

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Andreas Qassim

My friend and colleague Jimmy Wallin recently started a brand new Popeye comic strip. It’s in Swedish, thus the name Karl-Alfred (Popeye). As December approached, Jimmy wanted to make a digital Popeye Christmas Calendar, so he talked some of us unsuspecting comic artist colleagues into making it for him. How could you say no to Jimmy Wallin? So, now the world gets one comic artist and one Popeye character a day until christmas. Isn’t that just terrific?

Today it’s my turn. I gave Poopdeck Pappy (as he was originally named) the digital treatment, something he wasn’t too happy about.

Even if you don’t read Swedish, you don’t want to miss the old black and white Fleischer cartoons from the 30s (in English!) posted at the blog. I can’t tell how much I love these! Today you can watch Popeye saving his dear ol’ pappy from the land of the strange Goon creatures, in Goonland from 1938.

Muppets, muppets, muppets!

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Andreas Qassim

For all fellow muppet fans out there, if you haven’t discovered it already, go check out Ryan Dosier’s blog, The Muppet Mindset.

Header art by Dave Hulteen Jr.

Ryan is just about the most dedicated muppet fan I ever came across. He writes interesting muppet articles almost on a daily basis. On Muppet Mindset, you’ll find the latest news on muppet TV shows, films, comics and other products. There are frequent interviews with key members of the cast and crew of various muppet productions. I for instance enjoyed reading about Jerry Nelson recently. Jerry was part of the classic group of Muppet Show puppeteers, performing characters such as Floyd Pepper, Robin, Crazy Harry, Lew Zealand, and many many others. One of Ryan’s ideas is to make his blog an outlet for muppet fans to express their fandom through articles, fan art etc. Yesterday’s post was thus a humble contribution from yours truly.