Being the South China Morning Post cartoonist is possibly more challenging than ever before
- Humour has got a lot trickier in these woke times – the Post’s long-time political cartoonist reflects on his work as the paper celebrates its 120th anniversary
I started drawing as soon as I could hold a pencil and didn’t stop. When I was 15, my art teacher told my parents I could have a career in serious art if I applied myself and stopped drawing silly pictures to make my mates laugh.
But I worked in a supermarket and in interior design until deciding, at 26, that I wanted to be an illustrator. I found work in Sydney and Hong Kong before returning to London. Cartooning was a sideline at that time.
I first came to Hong Kong because I was running out of money while backpacking in Thailand. I fell in love with the city because of its diversity. I also really liked the people. Despite that gruff exterior, the Cantonese have hearts of gold and would do anything to help you.
After further travels, I returned to Hong Kong in 1994. It was only supposed to be for a few months. But my wife and I have been here ever since. When the South China Morning Post needed a new cartoonist, they asked me to pitch ideas and then to go into the office and do it for real. It was a nail-biting time. I never imagined I would be the Post’s cartoonist for the next 22 years.
Some days, the stories on the news list spark my imagination straightaway. I sketch roughs and send one after another until the editors pick one. That’s on a good day. Sometimes I spend a long time staring at a blank piece of paper and the ideas come only after panic sets in.
Other times, I send roughs and no one gets back to me for a long time. I think the record is 15. When that happens, I assume they hate all my ideas. But it turns out the editors are just in meetings. Once an idea is picked, I tweak the rough, then ink it up on a lightbox, put a grey wash on it, scan and send.
