If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ve noticed that I’m not only talking about cartooning, but it appears I’ve gone off on a wild tangent to discuss wet shaving! How can these two be related? Well, as I mentioned in an earlier blog entry, ideas and creativity strike when I’m doing the most casual, routine, and uneventful tasks. It’s during these moments  of walking, shaving, driving,  etc., that lightning strikes!

I recently spoke with my good frined Bunny Hoest of “The Lockhorns” fame.  She told the story of a cartoonist who took his time sharpening pencils.  When his editor complained that he took too much time sharpening pencils, the cartoonist explained that this is when he did his most creative thinking.   As Bunny related, “When you’re doing the most mundane, slow, and routine thing is exactly when your mind is racing along at a hundred miles an hour!”

And that’s why I do some blog posts about shaving with a safety razor.  It’s during my morning shave that I get to clear the cobwebs and let my mind wander and race around a bit.

And if I do get that funny idea, I have to IMMEDIATELY write it down.  Failing to do so results in it being lost forever.  I even know of cartoonists who keep a pad and paper on their night stand. They sometimes wake up with an idea and need to write it down.  Otherwise, in the morning, it’s forgotten.

So, whatever your career, I’m sure it involves a creative process.  I encourage you to let your mind wander and race around as you do that routine task.  Wet shaving is a great way to start the morning.  Give it a try!  You’ll get a great shave and you’ll also find yourself coming up with creative solutions to those pressing problems and questions.

Here’s a quick look at a really nice portable drawing board I often use.  I’ve had this board for years.  And it’s a perfect tool to use.  It turns any desk or table into an instant slanted drawing table!

You can find a similar model in The Georgetoon Studio Stop store.

(If you look closely at the cover frame/thumbnail, you can see my portable wand scanner which I wrote about here.)

I find myself buying and trying different products for my wet shaving routine. I never used to do this.  But when you move over to this method of shaving (which is the RIGHT way to shave), there are countless skin products to help the process along.

And the bonus in all this is, I’m learning something new which means I’ll be able to cull some cartoon ideas from it.

If you wet shave, give Neutrogena Men’s Razor Defense Post Shave Lotion a look .  It’s in The Shave Stop store.

I’m really getting into wet shaving.  so much so, that, yes, I’m actually shooting videos about the various products I use.

Well, the reason is, wet shaving (also know as “DE Shaving” or “double edge shaving”) is becoming quite popular again.  And there is an air of mystery around it.   My father always said that a safety razor and lathered soap delivered the very best shave.  He was right.  The problem was, he never gave me any instruction in the proper technique.  Hence, I hacked up my face and quickly moved to disposable razors and then electric razors.

Whether it was cartooning or Linux, there was always a bit of mystery surrounding the process.  And I had to dig a bit to learn how to cartoon or how to install Linux to a computer.

It’s the same thing with wet shaving.  But youtube comes to the rescue!  There are thousands of videos on youtube which give you proper technique, top products, reviews, etc.

And these videos and written reviews are my way of helping others who REALLY want to learn how to shave with a safety razor, shaving cream, and a shaving bowl.

And, of course, you can get the Vikings Blade Razor at The Shave Stop.

Back during my college days, before Google and digital imaging, the race was always on to get a book from the library in order to complete an assigned mid-term paper.  Many times, all you needed to do was reference a page or two from the book.  Predictably, all copies of the book were always checked-out by another student.  And that left you waiting for the book, and the needed information, to complete your paper.

Some students, knowing others needed the book for the same mid-term paper,  were a bit more considerate and simply found the pages, paid the ten cents to make a copy at the library’s copy machine, and then returned the book.

It would’ve been great if we’d had a portable scanner!  Then it’s simply a matter of running the wand over the needed pages, and voila!  No need to check-out the book or pay for copies.

Well, a portable scanner is exactly what I use today.  And, coincidentally, it was recommended to me by a friend who is college professor (now retired).  He used it in the exact same way I had imagined years earlier.  To digitally record/grab information for research papers from various books and periodicals.

When he showed it to me, I quickly saw the advantages, and bought one!  I use it to scan my cartoons and drawings.  I use it in my studio and I take it on the road.

I bought one a couple of years ago and, even though it works great, these devices have gotten BETTER and cost a lot less today!  I paid almost $100.00 for mine!  Now, you can pick one up for around 70 bucks.  It has better resolution and comes with a docking station so you also use it as a sheet feed scanner!  Brilliant!

It’s in the Georgetoon Studio Store at a great price!

While I really like my current model wand scanner, this newer device is definitely on my upgrade list!