The tools: I use to carry around a 3½" X 5" Strathmore Premium Recycled Sketch pad (400 series) where ever I go. They get kind of ragged around the edges. Now I carry the 5.5" x 8.5" pad. I also carry uni-ball micro 0.2mm black pens. I also have larger pads I use at the house. If I'm working on a serious project where I pencil first (most of what is here on this site is staight pen to paper), I use mechanical pencils with various leads, then ink with PIGMA Micron pens of various sizes. I use a fishing tackle box to carry all my art supplies (much cheaper than those "art" boxes). For coloring on paper, I like Prismacolor markers and Eberhard Faber Design2 art markers.
   
The creative process:

Usually, I start drawing the eyes. Then the nose. I start to shade these now. Mouth, then ears, then finish the head. Okay. Now what is this guy doing? I have no clue yet. What's on the characters mind? Something bizarre? I always like to do something extreme to the character. Hey! I get an idea and draw it out, shading the drawing as I go.

If I had time, I do have pencils and erasers and pens and ink, BUT that would be the right way!
   
The computer process: I use a UMAX 1220U scanner and scan the drawings as a black and white document at 300dpi. With graphics software, I convert the picture to RGB color, remove all the white (which only leaves the lines and add color to layers behind the original drawing. With my WACOM Artz II 6 x 8 tablet, I fix, color, paint the cartoon and sometimes replace the hand written text with Comic Sans MS font. I then use Microsoft FrontPage to work on the site and add the drawing.
   
Copyright © 1998-2002 Curt Potteiger. Not for use elsewhere without my permission. Yeah! Draw yer' own stuff!!! Don't copy, use, spindle, mutilate, cause excessive mayhem to, or take credit for any of it!!! I DID IT! NOT YOU! ME! I DREW IT ALL! ME! ME! ME! I DIDN'T SPEND ALL THAT MONEY ON THERAPY FOR YOU MAGGOTS TO... er... um... sorry, got carried away.