David Ostow, a stay-at-home dad to two energetic sons often finds his time to create cartoons squeezed between the chaos of daily life. While juggling family duties leaves him with little room to draw on rare occasions the stars align and he sneaks in some much-needed cartoon time. His inspiration comes from the peculiarities of the world around him whether it’s the antics of his kids the absurdities of politics, or anything else that catches his eye. In a past conversation, David mentioned that he has plans for a children’s book, but reassured me that his passion for cartooning would never wane. Drawing cartoons is just too much fun ever to give it up he said despite any other creative projects on the horizon.
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When asked about his typical day creating a comic David offered a thoughtful response It varies he said. If I already have a few ideas I’ll grab my iPad sit at the kitchen table blast some music and dive right in drawing nonstop until it’s time to pick up the kids from school. On the other hand, if inspiration hasn’t struck yet, I might make the bed or fold some laundry letting my mind wander. If something finally clicks, I’ll bring my iPad to the playground and look for a quiet bench while my kids enjoy their time outside.
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As a comic artist, David understands that not every idea cuts. When asked which concepts he tends to abandon he explained, It doesn’t happen often but if I come up with a joke that feels too dark I’ll usually scrap it right away. I aim to keep my work accessible and enjoyable for a wide audience without crossing boundaries. The start of 2020 was particularly interesting in this regard. Death has always been a theme in gag cartoons but when the pandemic hit and so many lives were lost making light of death felt deeply inappropriate. Like many of my fellow artists, I shifted away from that topic entirely.
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When asked about the message he hopes people take away from his comics David reflected that Single-panel cartoons are a pretty minimalist format so it’s tough to get people to laugh out loud. Personally, when I come across a great cartoon, I usually just chuckle to myself and think That’s clever. But when a cartoon genuinely makes someone laugh out loud it’s a rare and special moment. For me, even coming up with an idea that feels worthy of drawing is a win but if I can create something that makes someone laugh so hard they spit out their coffee that’s the ultimate goal.
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