Roy Peterson

I often tried my hand at copying the work of other artists (cartoonists in particular) who I admired. You can learn a lot about technique while trying to imitate it. This is Roy Peterson, a Canadian prairie boy at his funniest best, from a political cartoon that ran in the Vancouver Sun circa the 80s. I don't recall the jibe or who the politician being skewered was, I just liked the drawing. No tracing or mechanical cheating either, this was drawn freehand and it took a long time to complete. I wouldn't have the patience now!
Peterson's work appeared regularly in MacLean's magazine most often illustrating Allan Fotheringham's columns, and in the Vancouver Sun from 1962 to 2009. His biting wit, coupled with his astonishing ability to draw, made him in my opinion, hands down the best political cartoonist who ever put brush to paper. He was, quite simply, the best of the best.
What did I learn from Peterson's style? Well, first that he was stratospherically out of my league, but I did learn a great deal about cross-hatching (as in the sock here).