For the first half of my career as a cartoonist, my cartooning process was entirely analog. I worked on Strathmore 500 Series Vellum Bristol, a surface that could take a beating from repeated erasures and still hold a crisp ink line. My sketches began with a non‑photo blue pencil, a humble tool that kept my underdrawing invisible to the camera but visible enough for me to refine. Inking was done with a Winsor‑Newton Series 7 #1 Kolinsky Sable Brush and India Ink—a combination that gave me unmatched line variation, from whisper‑thin strokes to bold, sweeping curves. That tactile dance between brush, ink, and paper was my daily ritual.
When I transitioned to digital work, I feared losing that physical connection. Then I discovered Escape Motions Rebelle. Its realistic brushes for inking and watercolor stunned me. The way the ink flows, the subtle bleed of watercolor into a textured surface—it all feels eerily close to the real thing. Rebelle’s brush engine doesn’t just simulate marks; it simulates the behavior of traditional media, right down to the way pigment pools or fades with pressure.
While nothing can truly replace the feel of sable bristles loaded with ink gliding over Bristol, Rebelle comes closer than I ever thought possible. It’s the nearest match to the tactile experience of my brush‑and‑ink days, and it lets me work with a freedom that’s hard to match in the physical world.
As a cartoonist, I find that the digital tools available today enable me to explore new styles and techniques that were not feasible in the past.
Embracing the Digital Age as a Cartoonist
Do I miss my old tools? Absolutely—and I still return to them from time to time. But digital drawing with Rebelle has its own advantages: multiple undos, easy color adjustments, and the ability to experiment without wasting materials. For me, it’s a worthy second place—one that blends the spirit of traditional illustration with the possibilities of the digital age.