Christmas Toon - My Santa for 2024

This year's 2024 Santa image was created via physical pencil sketch, into Procreate for some "pencil setting" inking, and then under-colored and text added using Photoshop. ("BWAAH!" created using AI generating Ideogram.com.)

My wife and I enjoy watching Kathleen Madigan's weekly podcast; she's one of our favorite comedians. She often talks about her touring, including places she visits, foods she discovers, and gifts fans give her at shows. On one particular show, she mentioned a place called The Fainting Goat, where she purchased a small plastic goat figurine that makes that hilarious screaming sound we've all heard in videos. It never fails to be funny, and she uses it in nearly every podcast.

My 2024 Christmas Cartoon

When I do a Christmas cartoon, I want it to be unique. It's too easy to do the usual Christmas gags, puns or traditional jokes. So the goat scream was my influence in this image. Hopefully you can hear that goat scream in your head, (I certainly did as I was drawing it. Never not funny.) 

The original sketch

An ARGH! Tune: When the Night Falls (Upbeat Folk Rock w/Celtic Undertones)

This time I'm going for a more Folk-rock song, inspired by a little mix of The Waterboys, Tom Waits and the Jayhawks. I wanted to have a real Celtic vibe, with a hearty singer and I believe I got what I was trying to achieve. 

When the Night Falls (Upbeat Folk Rock w/Celtic Undertones)

This song is about heartbreak, regret and hope; reflecting on a relationship that has crumbled under the weight of unspoken words and emotional scars. The narrator expresses feelings of betrayal and sorrow, emphasizing the pain caused by a partner′s indifference. The  night symbolizes both the end, and a time for introspection -- evoking a melancholic yet hopeful yearning for a possible rekindling of their relationship. 

Created using UDIO.com Music: 'When the Night Falls'
Lyrics and arrangement by Jim Romer

Want to hear more of my songs? Link: youtube.com/@ArghTunes