Hello from Oregon

[gjconser]

Hi Everyone!

My name is Greg and live way out here in Oregon. I have rediscovered my love of cartooning and illustration (after a 30+ year hiatus.)

By day I am home builder and home designer and by night I enjoy cartooning (while everyone else in the family is suckling on the "glass tit.") My wife and I have been married for 18 years, we have four kids (3 teenagers at home) and three Golden Retrievers.

I've been lurking here for a short time (unlike other forums I have visited over the years) and I have already found the forum helpful. I'm looking forward to learning from you all and having a laugh or two.

Regards,
Greg Conser

updated by admin:
Greg's Cartoon Website

[Kathy]

Welcome, Greg!! I've always wanted to visit Oregon, it looks beautiful. I'm a dog lover, too, and used to have 3 but I'm down to just one now. Mine are always rescue dogs, usually mixed breed. Anyway, I'm glad you've possibly picked up a few things here and I'm ooking forward to seeing your 'toons!

[gjconser]

Thanks Kathy!
I have a website where I have posted some of my work. I can't post the actual link but it is consertoons dot com. Oregon is a beautiful place to live and play - most of the year. The rain in the Willamette Valley can get a bit dreary at times, but the mountains, coast, and desert are beautiful.

I hate to say it but I have a love/hate relationship with our dogs in that I am the only one that "scoops" the yard. I guess it is a small price for the unconditional love, right?
Greg

[DaD O Matic]

Wecome Greg.
We have 4 four legged kids. With the weather here in the desert (115degrees) they stay in, they are so spoiled.And yes dog poo duty is a daily chore.
Ron

[LeahG]

Hi Greg

Welcome to the forum, sorry about not being able to post links and pics, the forum Gods have done something to the software and unbeknown to me this is now the status quo for 7 days I believe.

We wait in anticpation though for site of your work. Meanwhile if you pm me your link I can post it. Can't you add link to your signature?

[gjconser]

Thanks Leah and Ron!
I added a link to my profile. Didn't even think to look there.
I'm probably not making the best first impression complaining about poo patrol. It comes from my suspicision that once the kids move out I am going to be replaced by a Cocker-doodle, cockapug, or a someother dog.
Thanks,
Greg

[LeahG]

Greg, I also have a dog and poo control is crap (scuse the pun ) worry yee not. There'll be a cartoon in that somewhere too.

[LeahG]

Great cartoons by the way

Greg's website

Are they drawn digitally?

[gjconser]

Thanks for the comments. It's nice to be welcomed and accepted.

I sketch my toons, ink them, scan them, and edit them in Gimp. It seems a bit cumbersome and time consuming but I like the finished product. Oh yea, I have a small Wacom Tablet that I use when needed.

Ill have to do a toon about the turd patrol. I've tried to get my kids to do it using all the common parenting techniques (bribery, manipulation, begging, threats, etc.) I've even offered to pay them per "unit" and "by the pound," but I've been unsuccessful so far. Just can't figure out how to make it fun for them, I guess.

I posted a a couple more cartoons to my website.

Thanks again and I appreciate any input. I am interested in improving as much as I can.

Greg

[Steve B]

Good work Greg!

[gjconser]

Thanks Steve!
I appreciate the encouragement.
Maybe some day I'll get paid for it (which would be the best encouragement!)
Greg

[Kathy]

Yes, great work! Very funny comics :-)

Pooty Duty, as we call it, can really be a chore, but now I have just one small dog and one large yard, so I can't even find it anymore! Did you know you can hire a service to clean your yard?

I think your process is what many people do for their cartoons. It sounds cumbersome, but it works well and we end up with cartoons we like. I've tried playing around with other methods, but always end up going back to this way of doing it. Maybe if I keep practicing with the pen and tablet, I'll learn to draw right into the computer.

[gjconser]

Thanks Kathy-
I know there are services that pick up "doodles" but I live on 2 acres so they are spread everywhere. I usualy don't find them until I drive over them with the lawn tractor.

One of these days I hope to have a dedicated space at home to cartoon. One of the reasons I feel the process is so cumbersom is that I work out of my briefcase so I am constantly setting up and taking down my "mobile studio." Also, I am new to GIMP and am still learning to get the effects I want - steep learning curve for me.

Greg C.

[gjconser]

Hi again,

If anyone is interested, I have posted some older comic strips to my website.

And, is there a certain protocol or permission needed to link to this site from site?

Thanks,
Greg

[Steve B]

I think its seven days before you can post links. Deters spammers I think