Often Given Answers

1. Who are D.U.T.C.H. cartoons?
2. Why did we create this cartoon?
3. What's the inspiration behind the cartoon?
4. Do we plan to go daily?
5. How do the cartoons get produced?
6. Are the characters based on anybody in particular?

1. Who are D.U.T.C.H. cartoons?

I am! My name is Paul, I come from the UK and I am a computer programmer by trade. Cartoons are my creative outlet. D.U.T.C.H. Cartoons is the name that I use to publish these cartoons and no, it doesn't stand for anything although I have on numerous occasions tried to think of something that it could stand for. The best I could come up with was "Drink Until The Cows Hover"

2. Why did we create this cartoon?

A number of years ago, I taught myself to draw cartoons by copying the film spoofs from MAD magazine, over and over and over again. When a friend of mine left his job, as he was a Star Trek nut I copied a frame from the MAD take off of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I added a likeness of him, made some joke about the birth of his newborn baby. It went down really well by him and all of our colleagues, so every time anyone left I was expected to do a leaving cartoon. This practice continued with other positions I have held. Recently my style relied has relied less and less on likeness accuracy of my subjects and more on the well-known newspaper comic strip method.
Everyone says to me "You're wasted here! You should be drawing these for a living!" Well, nothing would give me greater pleasure. [That's not exactly 100% accurate - but I won't go into the Australian singing sensation and the chocolate body paint fantasy now]. However, in the realities of modern day life, breaking into the cartooning business is not easy. Scott Adams of Dilbert fame was not an overnight sensation!
Once the Internet came into the reach of us mere mortals and thanks to the powers behind Geocities, I found this outlet for the cartoon that I've wanted to draw for a long while.

3. What's the inspiration behind the cartoon?

Strangely enough - The "Johnny Castaway" screensaver from Sierra. Everyone at work has this *&^%$@ screensaver on their PCs. No matter where you turned, there he was, this soppy bearded git sitting on his island, fishing, throwing it back and then diving into the sea from the top of his palm tree. I hated this screensaver!!! Then I thought, hang on a minute, I'm a computer programmer, I could come up with something like this. However, I've also got this malicious streak, so rather than write a screensaver, I'd write something that didn't just appear on screen after 5 minutes but stayed on there all of the while chewing up those valuable resources.
So I needed a idea! It had to take place in one setting, with little movement. I know! I'll set it in a prison cell - the guy can be chained to a wall. Occasionally he'll blink, move his feet/fingers. His hair and beard can grow in real time and every now and again other people can come in and interact. Like all other software, this floundered before it could be finished and never saw the light of day until it was resurrected for this cartoon strip.

4. Do we plan to go daily?

I'd like that. However, like most of you, I have to work for a living and I already spend many hours a week on this site as it is. If some publication were to ask me provide them with the material then fine. PS If anyone would like to mention this strip to their friend, the Editor then please, please do so. Until then, it'll have to be weekly with the possibility of a Xmas colour special.

5. How do the cartoons get produced?

Well, obviously, they have to get drawn. Then they're scanned in, cleaned up in a paint package by replacing the hand-written text. Any minor touching up that's needed is also done at this stage. To produce a cartoon strip from inception and a blank sheet to a file uploaded to the 'net takes in the region of 2 hours.

6. Are the characters based on anybody in particular?

Not intentionally. Although many people have suggested who they are based on. Someone even swore blind that the 'Herman' character was him. I suppose most of the characters are sub-consciously based on all of those old black and white Robin Hood films of the 50's. The Herman character does in some way remind me of Shaggy from Scooby Doo. I'm a big Terry Pratchett fan and there's no way that I could deny that the Castle Guard are not influenced by their more famous counterparts from this man's imagination.
However, my friends had better watch out as I may use their likenesses for future characters.

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If you want to know anything about the strip or have any suggestions or just want to comment, then just e-mail DUTCH Cartoons