Matt Buck's Hack Cartoons

Dith Pran, journalist and survivor of Cambodia's Khmer Rough government, has died. There is a memorial video from the New York Times to watch here.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

As April arrives, more or less, thoughts turn once more to the annual celebration of all things cartoon at the Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival. I shall be big boarding again, which ought to be more of a treat this time than it felt last year. Look at the dimensions on the graphic again - I was just scared about how much space there was! There is a terrific lineup of drawing talent going up this year and it should, touch wood, be a great event for spectators and cartoonists alike. There is lots more about the event at the official site. If you can possibly find a way to go and get there, you should. Top line highlights include a big show called - But is it art - in which cartoonists take the piss out of the idea that drawing jokes isn't an art form. There is also a one-man show by Dave Brown of The Independent and Steve Bell of the Guardian is speaking. There will be so many top line gag cartoon merchants around you'll be falling over them. :-)

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

A French for beginners animated cartoon caricature of President Sarkosy, Carla Bruni and Gordon Brown is available here or, just click the picture.

UPDATED: Blue-Lou McKeever has a fine Sarkozy joke here too.


Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Prime Minister Gordon Brown launches the Labour party campaign for May's local elections.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

A hat-tip to Whitehouse Animation and Paul Sorene.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announces a plan for national security. Drawn for Computing.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Two stills from the full animation which you can see here. Or just click the picture.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Click the picture for the animation on five years since the invasion of Iraq - or click here.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

There is detailed coverage of the five years since the invasion of Iraq at the Channel 4 News site. There is new content being added all week and an animated cartoon will be coming along as a part of that.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

I shall resist the urge to draw the financial system trying to skate - but let us all hope it actually can.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

One hesitates to offer any thought other than yuck to this. Hat-tip to the Huffington Post.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

The three major party political leaders in the UK, David Cameron for the Conservatives, Gordon Brown for Labour and Nick Clegg for the Liberal Democrats.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Click the picture to see the animation, or click the link to the Channel 4 News website.
UPDATED: There is a Factcheck on some of the the chancellor's budget's claims available now on the C4 News website.


Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Of course, it also distracts attention from a rather difficult budget coming up on Wednesday. Roy Greenslade is pithily rude about this particular government kite right here. Justin McKeating is funnier about it here.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

The government has announced one of its periodic relaunches of the National Identity card scheme. I would urge anyone who is interested in this debate to visit NO2ID's website to learn more about what this scheme actually involves for you. The drawing above is a take-off of John Tenniel’s original image. Tenniel famously illustrated Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland books. (Every cartoonist has to have a go at this image, it's in the rules somewhere...)

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

The dead heat between Clinton and Obama is becominga real problem for the Democratic party in its efforts to win the presidency. Click the picture or see it published here.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Well, Hillary Clinton appears to have off staved the doomsayers* for another day - and now it's Barak Obama's turn to be unhappy. I can't help feeling the real problem the Democratic party has is that it does not know who is most likely to beat John McCain in the autumn. Anyone got a clue about that?
*including me

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

One very large story at the moment is the state of Britain's existing power infrastructure and how well it is coping with the new digital demands that are being placed on it. This cartoon was a pocket illustration for a small foray in that direction by one of my clients.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings

Another post for anyone who loves the art of drawing and trying to say something with the effort made in each one. Ronald Searle, born Cambridge, on this day in 1920.

Matt Buck’s animated drawings