See What Happened When Classic Cartoonists Drew Blindfolded

RossaLincoln

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See What Happened When Classic Cartoonists Drew Blindfolded

I admit I wouldn't be able to do remotely as well.

Here's a thought experiment: can you do the one thing you do best in all the world, only with the sense needed to do it completely (and deliberately) muffled? I know I couldn't. (Of course, the thing I do best in all the world is make incredibly stupid decisions, which fortunately for me you don't need any senses to pull off.) Maybe you can, but I'm guessing probably not.

Proof? In 1947, Life magazine asked several popular cartoonists to draw their signature characters while blindfolded. Included in the experiment: Dick Tracy creator Chester Gould; Dixie Dugan's John Striebel; Blondie's Chic Young; Gasoline Alley artist Frank King; Zack Mosley, creator of Smilin' Jack; Andy Gump artist Gus Edson; Bill Freyse, creator of Major Hoople; Johnny Hazard's Frank Robbins; Secret Agent X-9 creator Mel Graff; and Milton Caniff, creator of Steve Canyon.

The results were a frequently ridiculous and hilarious hodge-podge that looked about as clear as when someone drunkenly scrawls their name and number on a cocktail napkin. Well, better than that, since most people probably aren't handed cocktail napkins by Chester Gould. But don't take my word for it. Thanks to the blog A Hole In The Head, you can see them for yourself. Below, find all ten participants and, weirdly enough, occasional proof that some of them clearly drew the same thing again and again and again.




















Source: Dangerous Minds [http://a-hole-in-the-head.blogspot.co.uk/2007/07/eyes-wide-shut-in-1947-life-magazine.html].

[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/comics-and-cosplay/]

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Neverhoodian

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The Dick Tracy one is pretty awesome, actually. Hell, most of these are pretty impressive given the circumstances.

I love me some classic comics. A friend of my mother had a huge book chock full of them at her house. I spent many an hour leafing through it as a kid when we came over to visit.
 

default

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Hehe, that was cool. Thanks for the giggles. I loved the little old descriptions of each underneath, really funny.
 

Fulbert

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Sort of reminds me of that "drawing while on LSD" experiment [http://www.cowboybooks.com.au/html/acidtrip1.html].
 

Scarim Coral

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Is it a bad thing that I only know one of the characters only (Dick Tracey)? Granted I never read the older comics where they're from.
 

Risingblade

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Scarim Coral said:
Is it a bad thing that I only know one of the characters only (Dick Tracey)? Granted I never read the older comics where they're from.
You don't know Dagwood? He still has a comic strip.
 

PunkRex

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They look more like Pop-art versions opposed to blind-fold attempts, these guys/gals were amazing!
 

busterkeatonrules

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Redlin5 said:
Dick Tracy can solve crime... BLINDFOLDED!

Honestly, that was the most awesome one.
Hardly surprising, though, given that cartoonist Chester Gould did practically nothing BUT draw Dick Tracy for 46 years straight. The one time he decided to go on a quick holiday with his wife, he absent-mindedly signed 'Mr. and Mrs. Dick Tracy' in the hotel guest book.

He'd likely have had more difficulty drawing something that DIDN'T look like Tracy!