14 March 2006

Flannery the cartoonist

Many of O'Connor's published cartoons were linoleum-block prints. Linoleum-block printing involves cutting or etching an image on to a linoleum sheet. In O'Connor's case, she attached the linoleum to a piece of wood, applied a solid color of ink to the linoleum cutting, and printed the image on to a piece of paper. The image was then printed in black and white in the final publication.

O'Connor's interest in creating cartoons continued as she left home in 1945 to pursue a graduate degree in writing at The University of Iowa. Among O'Connor's first courses at The University of Iowa were two courses in advanced drawing. She hoped to be able to support her writing by selling cartoons to national publications. O'Connor, however, was unable to sell any of her cartoons, at which time she began devoting all of her energy to writing.
(Via Maud, who excerpts the bit from Mystery and Manners about the theft of the wooden leg and "the habit of art.")

1 comment:

Jana Swartwood said...

Wow...just think what would have happened if she had become a famous cartoonist rather than a writer.