| GERARD WHYMAN is a cartoonist and illustrator with his roots firmly bedded in the Newport area. He did his art foundation course and graphics degree at Newport Art College, graduating in 1989, and worked for a short time at the South Wales Argus as an editorial graphic artist. He still lives and works in the city as a freelance artist. |
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall caricature (C4 tv cook)
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Newport street scene through the ages
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He has always liked drawing and though his initial aim was to be an illustrator he has found greater and more sustained success as a cartoonist. Having been a fan of gag cartoons from an early age - particularly the Punch cartoons of the 1970's - it was not until he was in his late 20's that he started writing and drawing gag cartoons, having his first published by The Spectator with his first submission in 1994. Since thenhis work has appeared in a wide range of UK publications including The New Statesman, Private Eye, The Oldie and Cat World. He was a regular contributor to the short lived resurrection of Punch magazine, having over 50 gags published by them between 1997 and 2001. He has also drawn gags for trade and business including Nalgao, the arts officer's association of the UK. |
| Gerard's cartoons have been exhibited at the Ayr Cartoon Festivals in 1999 and 2002 and the Nottingham Cartoon Festival in 2002. He had a cartoon exhibited in 'The Great Challenge', an international exhibition in 1998 of political cartoons from around the world which was held in the UK in the Oxo Tower Gallery, London before touring several countries. All the artwork in this exhibition were auctioned with the proceeds going towards Amnesty International. Many of his published cartoons are on sale in the London Cartoon Gallery situated near the British Museum. |
St Woolos Cathedral, Newport
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He enjoys the process of gag writing which he claims can be very cathartic. Indeed, he has expressed the opinion that he draws cartoons mainly to cheer himself up! Influenced from an early age by the humour of Spike Milligan and Monty Python, a lot of his surreal and decidedly 'offbeat' cartoons display these influences. Admitting to an inherent melancholic streak, quite a few of them have a definite 'dark' undercurrent too. He greatly admires the work of cartoonists who are good draughtsmen as well as humourists and he singles out British cartoonists Ed McLachlan, Martin Honeysett and Ronald Searle as a few of his favourites. In addition to cartoons Gerard has freelanced as a copywriter for Camden Graphics greetings card company supplying them with greetings ideas and jokes. |
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In conjuction with his cartooning career Gerard is also an illustrator and caricaturist. He has had illustration commisions from a number of top name companies including Welsh Water, SIr Julian Hodge Bank, Bath based magazine company Future Publishing and the Christian charity, Care for the Family. Currently he is reinvigorating an interest in architectural illustration and he has drawn several local landmark buildings which he hopes to sell as limited prints
Much of Gerard's work is done with pen and ink, the favoured medium of the cartoonist generally, but he also works in pen and watercolour wash and in coloured pencil which he regards as an excellent medium for doing expressive drawings and one which is much undervalued.
Email:
Url:
www.ger-art.co.uk
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