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Helga - by Everard Davy

Someone I met in the street the other day said to me, "You must explain what those cartoons are all about". And I thought, 'Crikey. If I need to explain them, they're clearly not working.'Μύ

There's not a lot to explain really. They're simple but I hope stylish drawings.

I can only really draw in one primitive way, but... and this was a revelation to me... it turns out that's a good thing. The fact that one drawing looks very much like another is not a problem. Far from it. It gives me a recognisable style.

Everard Davy

I've been doing the odd cartoon for my own amusement and my family's bemusement for years. I would tend to do them as a leisure activity, so I have a lot of silly sketches of our family holidays.

As a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ exclusive some of them are displayed here - including some of the few that I have done in colour.

I always use a pen. And proper ink. In a bottle. And paper of course. I know a lot of people do cartoons on a computer. But I spend enough of my life at a terminal. (Although I do have to use a computer to get them scanned and put in the paper and on the web.)

I've got a website too. It's proved really popular. Sometimes people other than my own family have been looking at it.

All of the cartoon strips are what I call inspired by real life. They're little things that people have said or done that I twist a little to bring out the humour. Often I will change who said what, so that usually the joke is on me.Μύ

'Midgets' - cartoon by Everard Davy

I feel that me putting down my family is not funny. So they always put me down. I am the pompous chump who doesn't quite know how stupid he is. Which of course is far from the truth. (I am never allowed to forget how stupid I am).

I do at least one such drawing every day of the week, then in that lot there's usually something that I will work up into a strip for the Sheffield Telegraph.Μύ

Some of the drawings might look very very simple, but believe me, that is hard work. Distilling the idea and then drawing down to the minimum number of words and the minimum lines on the page give it more impact. It can take umpteen drafts to get to the finished item.

I also work under limitations imposed by my family who felt all nervous at the prospect of the cartoons being in the paper.ΜύSo I do not mention any of their names.

Fortunately, none of them admit that my drawings look anything like them, so they can't admit to any fear of being recognised.

Do I plan to give up the day job? Er- no.ΜύI do have plans to expand what I am doing in terms of cartoons, but it is a difficult, precarious and not very well-paid business.ΜύI think I'll be reading the news for some time yet.

Sunburn - by Everard Davy

:: Hear Everard Davy, the Voice of News in South Yorkshire, reading the bulletins every weekday from 5.30am until midday on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Sheffield.