Meet the T-D: Gary Brookins
Sunday, Jan 21, 2007 - 09:56 AM Updated: 02:43 PM
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At work:
Editorial cartoonist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch for 28 years. He’s created more than 6,000 editorial cartoons since he began in January 1979. His cartoons generally appear daily, except Saturdays and Mondays. In addition, he’s drawn seven “Pluggers” panels (for 10 years) and seven “Shoe” strips a week (for seven years) totaling another 6,000-plus cartoons.
At home:
Married to his wife, Janet, 32 years; four sons - Matt, 30, who lives in Lexington Park, Maryland, with his wife Nicki; Tim, 26, who lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with his wife Mary Mac and son Adam, who was born in November; Dave, 24, who lives in Richmond; and John, 17, who attends Douglas Freeman High School.
At play:
Enjoys plein air painting (open air painting). Also plays the alto and tenor saxophones, and the bass clarinet in his church orchestra and in a clarinet quartet.
How do you describe your job?
To draw attention (no pun intended) to the Editorial Page. After reading my cartoon - which I'm sure readers will laugh at as well as agree with - hopefully they will go on and read the rest of the Editorial and Op/Ed pages.
What hours do you work?
I work here at the downtown office Monday through Friday, and I work at home pretty much seven days a week.
What's the most difficult thing you have to do?
When a really huge event occurs close to deadline and I have to draw a cartoon - such as when a president dies, or when Saddam was executed. Those are difficult because you have a very, very quick turnaround in getting the idea, drawing the cartoon, coloring it, getting it processed, and then meeting the deadline. That's probably the most difficult. Issues such as teen drinking that have been around - you can really draw them at any time. When Saddam was executed, you have to get it done.
What's the most interesting part of your job?
It's the people I work with. There's a great, great group of folks in this shop. We all get along really well and it's just an exchange of ideas. It's a real pleasure.
What goes through your mind as you start the workday?
The first thing is trying to decide what to draw and finding a topic. I'm given a lot of freedom in my job; I can pretty much draw what I want to. We have daily editorial meetings, and we discuss topics that are coming up for the next day or in the next few days. I will often draw a topic they're discussing, but it's a signed piece; it's not the opinion of the newspaper. Even though philosophically I am in tune with the newspaper's position on the Editorial Page, I'm not bound to adhere to that. It's my own opinion, and that's why it's signed. So the first thing is deciding on a topic, then working on an idea. That may get through several stages - usually the first idea isn't the best one, but occasionally it is. You just keep working through it, and maybe do a couple of quick sketches.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A cartoonist - from the time I was 2. Well, as I got older I got to thinking, "Well, maybe that's not possible. Maybe I should do something else." And had I been able to do math - I love science and I love birds - I probably would have been an ornithologist. But I can't do math - and you need that.
What was your first job?
I was a paper carrier in Panama City, Florida - my hometown.
Most important thing you learned in school?
How to research things.
Do you have any personal heroes?
My dad, certainly. Politically, Ronald Reagan. Artistically and cartoon-wise, there are a lot of different people I like, so I guess I wouldn't say one person really stands out. There are so many different people I've admired over the years.
If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be?
Well, I would say Paul Desmond, an alto saxophone player. But he's dead, so that wouldn't work.
What is your favorite Times-Dispatch section or feature?
The Editorial Page. Beyond that it's "Pluggers," and then after that I would have to say I enjoy - believe it or not - the Obituary section. It's just fascinating to read about the lives of people and some things are just so surprising that you read; you never had any idea. So many people have done remarkable things, and they live here, and you don't know them.
Editorial cartoonist at the Richmond Times-Dispatch for 28 years. He’s created more than 6,000 editorial cartoons since he began in January 1979. His cartoons generally appear daily, except Saturdays and Mondays. In addition, he’s drawn seven “Pluggers” panels (for 10 years) and seven “Shoe” strips a week (for seven years) totaling another 6,000-plus cartoons.
At home:
Married to his wife, Janet, 32 years; four sons - Matt, 30, who lives in Lexington Park, Maryland, with his wife Nicki; Tim, 26, who lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina, with his wife Mary Mac and son Adam, who was born in November; Dave, 24, who lives in Richmond; and John, 17, who attends Douglas Freeman High School.
At play:
Enjoys plein air painting (open air painting). Also plays the alto and tenor saxophones, and the bass clarinet in his church orchestra and in a clarinet quartet.
How do you describe your job?
To draw attention (no pun intended) to the Editorial Page. After reading my cartoon - which I'm sure readers will laugh at as well as agree with - hopefully they will go on and read the rest of the Editorial and Op/Ed pages.
What hours do you work?
I work here at the downtown office Monday through Friday, and I work at home pretty much seven days a week.
What's the most difficult thing you have to do?
When a really huge event occurs close to deadline and I have to draw a cartoon - such as when a president dies, or when Saddam was executed. Those are difficult because you have a very, very quick turnaround in getting the idea, drawing the cartoon, coloring it, getting it processed, and then meeting the deadline. That's probably the most difficult. Issues such as teen drinking that have been around - you can really draw them at any time. When Saddam was executed, you have to get it done.
What's the most interesting part of your job?
It's the people I work with. There's a great, great group of folks in this shop. We all get along really well and it's just an exchange of ideas. It's a real pleasure.
What goes through your mind as you start the workday?
The first thing is trying to decide what to draw and finding a topic. I'm given a lot of freedom in my job; I can pretty much draw what I want to. We have daily editorial meetings, and we discuss topics that are coming up for the next day or in the next few days. I will often draw a topic they're discussing, but it's a signed piece; it's not the opinion of the newspaper. Even though philosophically I am in tune with the newspaper's position on the Editorial Page, I'm not bound to adhere to that. It's my own opinion, and that's why it's signed. So the first thing is deciding on a topic, then working on an idea. That may get through several stages - usually the first idea isn't the best one, but occasionally it is. You just keep working through it, and maybe do a couple of quick sketches.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A cartoonist - from the time I was 2. Well, as I got older I got to thinking, "Well, maybe that's not possible. Maybe I should do something else." And had I been able to do math - I love science and I love birds - I probably would have been an ornithologist. But I can't do math - and you need that.
What was your first job?
I was a paper carrier in Panama City, Florida - my hometown.
Most important thing you learned in school?
How to research things.
Do you have any personal heroes?
My dad, certainly. Politically, Ronald Reagan. Artistically and cartoon-wise, there are a lot of different people I like, so I guess I wouldn't say one person really stands out. There are so many different people I've admired over the years.
If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be?
Well, I would say Paul Desmond, an alto saxophone player. But he's dead, so that wouldn't work.
What is your favorite Times-Dispatch section or feature?
The Editorial Page. Beyond that it's "Pluggers," and then after that I would have to say I enjoy - believe it or not - the Obituary section. It's just fascinating to read about the lives of people and some things are just so surprising that you read; you never had any idea. So many people have done remarkable things, and they live here, and you don't know them.
