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Out of Line: The Graphic Humor of D. Watson: The
For over fifty years, cartoonist D. Watson has been delighting readers with his sometimes cracked, sometimes provocative, always hilarious view of our world and the people who crawl around on it. Now for the first time, his best work has been collected in one place, showing the breadth of his talent and antic joy of his line. A must-own for any fan of classic American cartooning.
114 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 20, 2023
Last night, I paged through Donald Watson’s wonderful "Out of Line" and picked out a few favorite drawings. This morning, I woke up early, still thinking about them, and began to better appreciate the subtility of Watson’s mind as he crafted each image.
Take, for example my favorite, the drawing entitled “I’m over here.” It pictures a couple sitting at a small round table having a glass of wine. Probably a brasserie in the evening. The man is a simple line drawing in black and white and he is reading a newspaper, holding it up between them. In contrast, the woman is all flamboyant color in the style of Picasso or Braque or, more broadly, Dali or Léger. Clearly a very interesting woman being ignored by a rather pedestrian male. A very common scene worldwide, now that all of us have cellphones.
Thinking like a film director, what is happening in the moment and what was Watson thinking? Might he have put coffee cups on the table and created a morning scene? Would she be too much of a shock, first thing in the morning? Is he contrasting bourgeois, philistine, materialistic, pedestrian vs. intellectual, modern, free spirited? The man is white and she is not. Does she have small cubist children? Is she an acquisition, a prize he is exhibiting, and has he now turned his attention to the stock market and his next acquisition? What is she thinking?
Paintings created by Picasso and Braque are exhibitionist and do, like our woman, shout out: “look at me, look at me – I’m modern, I’m new, I’m interesting!”
Watson’s "Out of Line" has many images that will stick in your mind like some of Shel Silverstein’s single line drawings. If it had been published years ago, as it should have been, this collection would already be a classic.
Take, for example my favorite, the drawing entitled “I’m over here.” It pictures a couple sitting at a small round table having a glass of wine. Probably a brasserie in the evening. The man is a simple line drawing in black and white and he is reading a newspaper, holding it up between them. In contrast, the woman is all flamboyant color in the style of Picasso or Braque or, more broadly, Dali or Léger. Clearly a very interesting woman being ignored by a rather pedestrian male. A very common scene worldwide, now that all of us have cellphones.
Thinking like a film director, what is happening in the moment and what was Watson thinking? Might he have put coffee cups on the table and created a morning scene? Would she be too much of a shock, first thing in the morning? Is he contrasting bourgeois, philistine, materialistic, pedestrian vs. intellectual, modern, free spirited? The man is white and she is not. Does she have small cubist children? Is she an acquisition, a prize he is exhibiting, and has he now turned his attention to the stock market and his next acquisition? What is she thinking?
Paintings created by Picasso and Braque are exhibitionist and do, like our woman, shout out: “look at me, look at me – I’m modern, I’m new, I’m interesting!”
Watson’s "Out of Line" has many images that will stick in your mind like some of Shel Silverstein’s single line drawings. If it had been published years ago, as it should have been, this collection would already be a classic.
December 5, 2023
Donald Watson and I are fellow architects, educators, writers, cartoonists and long-time friends, which is why I especially admire and love looking and laughing at his wonderful, imaginatively composed and always amusing cartoons. Don's unique visual wit and anecdotal messaging are potently conveyed by simple, free-form yet inventive use of line and color. Indeed his story-telling images will motivate readers to visit this very special book again and again. Each rereading evokes new interpretations and new smiles.
November 13, 2023
Watson is one of the great cartoonists of our time. This volume does great justice to his work, presenting page after page of large scale reproductions of his best panels. It also presents a comprehensive history of his life and output from his earliest drawings to the current day. A pleasure to read, to look at, to marvel at his humor and ability to turn anything into a work of art. Highly recommended!
December 14, 2023
Don Watson is a remarkable cartoonist. He manages to take a pen and paper and turn the world completely inside out. One of the best examples of this is TyPUNs, a way of looking at letters and fonts as abstract art. They're beautiful, simple, funny, and mind blowing. I was delighted to learn that Don and his friends were inspired to create TyPUNs by the great artist Joseph Albers, who he studied under at Yale.
November 24, 2023
The quirky and yet profound wit in Don's cartoons, evident at an early age, continues to this day! The cartoons are beautifully expressive, conveying so much meaning and humor with few or no words. I love Don's cartoons because they are a unique expression of his universe, allowing me to experience it through laughter. This is a book I would recommend to everyone who loves to laugh!
July 1, 2024
I recently read Out of Line and thoroughly enjoyed it. My favourite cartoon was "That's the ticket" on p20 - I TOWtally believe this could happen. I also loved the untitled painting cartoon on p12, "Sling chair” on p13, “Flags" on p40, "High spirits” on p88, “Paint by Number" on p90, and "Beach clean-up" on p100. An exceptional collection!
November 13, 2023
Well, I would give five stars, wouldn't I? But D. Watson has been creating brilliant cartoons for over 60 years, and this retrospective of his work is a must-own for any fan of cartooning, illustration or the graphic arts.
November 15, 2023
This is a book for anyone who likes a good laugh. Drawing humor on paper requires imagination and talent, and Donald Watson has both. This is a book to keep by your bedside. You can turn to it again and again and never get tired or bored.
January 9, 2024
Great read for anyone with an interest in illustration and cartoons - interesting back story of the artist and the way he developed from a young age. Also lots of beautiful and funny cartoons to make you laugh - I loved it
November 20, 2023
Out of Line is a wonderful book of wise humor. I laugh and learn from the master.
November 21, 2023
Wonderful book, with wonderful drawings. I treasure my copy. A book to own!
Dr. Gooddraw
Dr. Gooddraw
December 9, 2023
A beautifully produced retrospective of a master. D. Watson’s work is brilliant, beautiful, thought provoking and always hilarious!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews