Cartoonist Higgins reveals his secrets

Last updated 21:14, Sunday, 23 November 2008

IT'S not every day you get to see how a national award-winning cartoonist creates his cartoons which appear in the Evening Mail six days a week.

TOON TALK: Cartoonist Higgins with Jake Whillance REF: 0453241

A COMIC book storyline famously came to life in an A-Ha pop video.

Now a Furness boy has just seen his cartoon story board become reality.

Budding cartoonist Jake Whillance has been amazing children and adults with his sketches for some time.

The nine-year-old attends Burlington CE Primary School at Kirkby and Jake’s family want to encourage his talent. They weren’t sure how to go about this so they asked Jake’s headteacher Jan Bath if the school had any ideas.

Coincidentally a Burlington teacher spotted an Evening Mail article about Higgins, a former national Cartoonist of the Year, who started his career at the Mail more than 30 years ago.

His cartoons returned to the Mail this year and are on page three each day.

The school contacted Higgins and Jake came up with an ingenious way to invite the cartoonist to Burlington.

He created a cartoon strip of his own story, a boy who wants Higgins to come to school and give him some tips so he can improve his drawings.

Higgins was so impressed with the cartoon that he held a workshop for Jake and his school friends in October.

The whole school benefited from the cartoonist’s fun activities.

Even four and five year olds from the reception class confidently stood in front of the school to sketch in the style of Higgins.

Pupils of all ages created their own cartoon characters on a board. Using their drawing of princesses and animals they were inspired to use their imaginations and create a story.

Years Three to Six were introduced to a range of cartoon techniques before being set the task of drawing a classmate using their new skills.

There were plenty of giggles as they revealed their pictures to their friends.

The pupils were fascinated to learn how Higgins monitors the UK and world headlines so he can base his comical cartoons on the most current and topical events.

After getting his break at the Mail, Higgins went on to work for national newspapers and magazines, drawing cartoons but also working as a journalist and editing.

Jake, who started drawing cartoons after reading the Beano, said: “I did a cartoon for Higgins. It was me drawing and saying ‘I wish Higgins could help me draw better cartoons’.

“It’s just amazing to have Higgins at school. I think his cartoons are really funny. He has won prizes for drawing the best cartoons. Having a famous cartoonist here is such a big opportunity. I’m very, very excited.

“I like cartoons because you can go into another world and think wow.

“I wanted to be an artist but I think cartoons are much more fun to draw.”

Jake particularly enjoyed learning how to give his cartoon characters better expressions.

Higgins said: “I’m quaking in my boots after seeing their drawings.

“It’s been really good fun. The children are absolutely on top form.

“Jake sent me a cartoon strip about Jake meeting Higgins. I was very impressed. I’m going to come back to school and work with Jake and a smaller group.”

Molly Southward, seven, had a surprise for the cartoonist – she drew a cartoon of him. He said: “I’m very happy with that. That’s going up in my office.”

The cartoonist said he enjoyed using comic books such as Commando for inspiration when he was honing his skills. He presented Jake with a book of Commando war story comics for inviting him to school.

Mrs Bath said: “It’s fantastic to have Higgins working with the pupils. We really work hard with the creative curriculum. This is a really good opportunity for the children.

“From this work we will develop more writing and stories about the characters.”

Jake’s mum, Alison Whillance, said: “We are delighted that Jan and her staff took the trouble to find a way to help and nurture Jake’s talent. It proves that at Burlington CE School, Every Child Matters is not just a catchy government soundbite. We are very excited about Higgins’ visit to the school and hope this is the start of a long and creative partnership with Jake and the school.”