Crossword Compilers Meeting...

This cartoon shows a man carrying a newspaper, about to enter a door labeled “Crossword Compilers Private Meeting.” 

The wording of the sign is cleverly arranged to resemble a crossword layout, which is the punchline of the joke.

The humour comes from the visual play on words: the sign itself looks like a crossword puzzle, making it immediately clear that the meeting is for people who create them. 

It’s a subtle twist that rewards careful observation and wordplay, typical of lighthearted, intellectual humour.

Cartoons like this work by combining familiar settings – in this case, a private meeting – with visual puns, letting the audience spot the joke and enjoy the idea behind the concept.

View my selection of Jigsaw Puzzles to buy online >>

If you’ve enjoyed this cartoon, you might also like a couple of others from my collection – perhaps “Don’t Confuse Your Internet Search with Research” or the cheeky “A Totally Useless Little Man”. There’s plenty more cartoon humour waiting on my blog!

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

Dog bite cartoon...

This cartoon plays on the familiar idiom, “his bark is worse than his bite.” 

In the image, a dog is literally biting a man’s leg, while his friend comments that the dog’s “bark is even worse.”

The humour comes from the visual twist on a well-known phrase, turning the metaphor into a literal and exaggerated situation. 

The cartoon captures the irony of language and the comic timing of the friend’s remark, highlighting the dog’s troublesome behaviour in a playful way.

Cartoons like this work by taking common sayings and showing them in unexpected, literal contexts, making us see everyday expressions in a new and amusing light.

If my latest cartoon raised a smile, you might like to continue the fun with “Drink to Forget” or perhaps the quirky “The Optician Didn’t Expect This Result”. More laughs await on my blog!

See my gallery of personalised Pet Bowls available online >>

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

Football Club Toilets...

This cartoon of mine depicts a humorous scene at a football stadium. 

A person dressed as a club mascot, wearing a football shirt with the number 9, is entering a toilet labeled “CLUB MASCOTS.” 

Nearby are the usual “GENTS” and “LADIES” toilets, while a football fan with a scarf looks on.

The humour comes from the idea that mascots, with their unique roles and oversized costumes, might need their own dedicated facilities. 

Soccer theme Gallery of items I have designed...

It’s a playful exaggeration of the behind-the-scenes realities of football, turning a mundane setting into a comic moment.

Cartoons like this work by taking familiar situations – in this case, a stadium toilet – and adding a quirky twist that catches the viewer off guard.

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

Football - Assistant Referee Cartoon...

This cartoon depicts a scene at a football match where two St John Ambulance personnel are attending to an injured assistant referee on the field.

An observing fan remarks: “THAT FORWARD'S GOING TO BE IN AN AWFUL LOT OF TROUBLE ONCE THE ASSISTANT REFEREE'S HAD HIS FLAG REMOVED.”

The humour comes from the fan’s interpretation of the situation: the unlikely injury is serious enough that the assistant-referee might need the flag removed from an orifice, and implying that the forward who caused the incident is in for a heavy punishment. 

Cartoons like this thrive on visual storytelling and witty captions, capturing the intensity and occasional absurdity of sports scenarios in a single frame.

Football-themed gift wristwatches I have designed >>

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

"Loose Chippings" - Not Seen as a Warning...

This single-panel cartoon pokes fun at a classic case of misunderstanding road signs. 

A car with two passengers drives past a sign reading “LOOSE CHIPPINGS,” and the caption reads: “THEY CERTAINLY HAVE SOME PRETTY QUAINT PLACE NAMES IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD.”

The humour comes from the driver mistaking a standard road warning – indicating loose gravel – for the name of a charming rural village. 

It’s a playful example of literal interpretation, showing how everyday signs can be misread in amusing ways.

Cartoons like this work because they take small, relatable situations and exaggerate the misunderstanding just enough to be instantly funny, without being mean-spirited.

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

Reading in the Library. A cartoon from my archives...

This cartoon, set in a library, plays on the double meanings of “short stories” and “tall stories.”

One character holds a book labeled “SHORT STORIES,” which is physically short in height, while another stands beside a towering stack of books labeled “TALL STORIES.”

The humour comes from the clever visual twist: literary terms turned into literal objects. It’s a playful way of showing how language can be interpreted in more than one way, turning a simple idea into a whimsical scene.

Cartoons like this rely on observation and wordplay, inviting viewers to spot the joke while appreciating the small details. The contrast between the tiny book and the enormous stack of “tall stories” makes the scene instantly amusing.

You can see a gallery of items I have created which use this, and other book-themed cartoons HERE...

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

Item of News Just In...

This cartoon, titled "And now for an item of late news…", shows a news anchor on a television screen with a knife plunged into his back.

It’s a darkly humorous take on the idea of “late news,” playing on the double meaning of the phrase – both recent developments and potentially shocking or unpleasant reports.

The visual gag of the knife in the anchor’s back exaggerates the feeling of betrayal or surprise that often accompanies breaking news. It’s a tongue-in-cheek commentary on how news can hit us unexpectedly, sometimes with dramatic or unsettling effect. 

By turning the metaphor literal, the cartoon highlights the suddenness and impact of “late” developments in a memorable way.

Cartoons like this thrive on irony and visual exaggeration, taking familiar phrases and twisting them to make us pause and laugh – or wince – at the human experience behind the news cycle.

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

Bed Notch Gag...

This cartoon from my archives shows a man in bed, diligently marking tallies on the wall, while the woman beside him looks on with a mix of surprise and disapproval. 

It’s a humorous take on the idea of keeping track of “love conquests,” exaggerated for comedic effect.

The humour works on a simple, relatable premise: a private habit revealed in an unexpected way. It also plays with the familiar tension of relationships, where one partner’s quirks can bemuse or even alarm the other. 

The tallies on the wall, combined with the man’s oblivious focus, create a scene that’s instantly funny without being mean-spirited.

Cartoons like this are a gentle reminder of how humour often comes from everyday situations – exaggerated just enough to make us chuckle. 

It’s a playful nod to human foibles, where observation and timing are everything.

See more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk

Prison Cartoon...

This cartoon takes place behind prison bars, where two inmates are talking. 

One of them says, “I’m in for something I didn’t do – I didn’t arrange a getaway car.”

The joke works as a clever play on words. At first it sounds like the familiar claim of innocence often made by prisoners, but the punchline flips the idea on its head.

Instead of protesting that he didn’t commit a crime, the character admits he is guilty of poor planning – failing to organise the escape that might have kept him out of jail in the first place.

It’s a light, tongue-in-cheek look at criminal clichés, and it shows how humour can emerge from twisting a well-worn phrase into something unexpected. 

As with many cartoons, the scene is simple, but the laugh comes from the reader realising the double meaning and enjoying the irony.

Football Managers Cartoon...

Cartoon Archive – The Managerial Merry-Go-Round

Among my football-themed cartoons, one that captures a familiar phrase is the “managerial merry-go-round.” 

The drawing shows two soccer fans observing a carousel, complete with horses and figures, which amusingly seems to be part of the football ground itself. 

The scene blends the atmosphere of a funfair with the world of sport, creating a playful visual pun.

The humour lies in the way this simple fairground ride illustrates a serious point: the high turnover of football managers. 

Supporters often joke about how quickly some clubs change leadership, and the idiom “managerial merry-go-round” has become a well-known shorthand for this constant cycle. 

By turning the phrase into a literal picture, the cartoon highlights both the absurdity and the inevitability of such changes in the game.

It’s a light-hearted take on a subject that can sometimes be frustrating for fans, yet it reflects the passion, pressure and unpredictability that make football such a talking point week after week. 

Like many cartoons, it works by taking an everyday saying and giving it a visual twist that raises a smile.

Home Brew Cartoon...

In my archive of cartoons, here's one that features a man browsing in a shop with a sign above the counter reading “Home Brew Supplies.” 

Just beneath it, however, there’s an additional sign advertising an “Inflatable Barmaid.”

The humour comes from the unexpected pairing of two ideas – the serious hobby of brewing your own beer at home, alongside the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that a lonely brewer might also need some extra company in the form of a rather unusual product. 

It’s the clash of everyday reality with absurd possibility that makes the joke work, and it gently pokes fun at both the enthusiasm of home brewers and the way shops sometimes try to upsell items that nobody was really looking for.

As with many cartoons, the amusement lies not just in the drawing but in the reader’s own imagination filling in the story behind it. 

It’s a light piece, meant simply to raise a chuckle, and it shows how humour can emerge from the quirks of everyday life – even something as ordinary as a trip to the shop.

(As an aside, note how my signature has my full Christian name, rather than NIGE, as it became.)

A lovely day for caravaning...

From My Cartoon Archive – A Caravans and Traffic Cartoon

Among my older cartoons is this one that still raises a smile whenever I look back at it.

The scene shows a couple at home, gazing out of their window at their caravan. One of them suggests, with a straight face, “It’s a beautiful day. Let’s take the caravan out and hold up some traffic.”

The humour here comes from a gentle exaggeration of a common stereotype – that caravans are often associated with slow journeys and long lines of cars behind them. 

Of course, in reality most caravan owners are simply out to enjoy their holiday and the open road, but the joke touches on that familiar frustration of being stuck behind a slower vehicle. 

By turning it into a deliberate decision by the couple, the cartoon highlights the clash between leisure and impatience in a light-hearted way.

It’s a playful reminder of how humour can take everyday situations – in this case traffic and travel – and give them an unexpected twist. 

Like many cartoons, it relies on the reader’s own experiences to complete the joke, which is perhaps why it still feels relevant years after I first drew it.

I hope this cartoon brightened your day! You can find more light-hearted humour in “Wife Wishes Husband Was Her Dream Man” or the classic “The Hidden Bottle Opener”.

See more of my holiday and travel related cartoons HERE...

Wife's sprained wrist cartoon...

Sometimes humour comes from the little things we worry about in everyday life, and this cartoon is a simple example. 

It shows a man and his wife sitting in a doctor's surgery. The wife has her arm in a sling, and the man asks, "Give it to me straight, Doctor - can she still wash up one-handed?"

What makes this scene amusing is how relatable it is. Many of us have been guilty of focusing on practicalities – sometimes a bit absurdly – even in situations that are more serious. 

The cartoon gently pokes fun at that instinct, showing a husband more concerned about household chores than dramatic medical consequences.

The humour is understated - there’s no exaggeration or over-the-top punchline; it’s simply a snapshot of a normal situation made ridiculous.

I hope this little cartoon brings a smile to anyone who recognises that mix of concern and practicality in their own life. Sometimes, the smallest details can make us laugh the most.

If you enjoyed this post, you might like this cartoon >>

Leave the Greenhouse at Home!

"Caravan is Being Towed with a Greenhouse" is a scene which shows a person inside a mobile greenhouse, which is being towed by a caravan, and the caravan itself is being pulled by a car. 

It’s an absurd chain of transport that exaggerates just how far some people might go to combine their love of gardening with a holiday adventure.

I think what makes this cartoon funny is the layering of logistics – and impracticality.

The visual gag shows both the dedication of the gardener and the ridiculousness of the scenario.

This cartoon is a gentle nod to our hobbies and passions, and the lengths we might imagine going to indulge them, even when the plan seems completely over-the-top. 

The combination of everyday objects – a car, a caravan, and a greenhouse – in an unusual arrangement sparks immediate amusement, while also celebrating creativity and imagination.

Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast, a fan of absurd humour, or just someone who enjoys a fun cartoon, this piece brings a playful reminder that life – and cartoons – are best enjoyed with a little bit of whimsy and a lot of imagination. 

This cartoon has been added to a number of gift items in my Zazzle store. Take a look...

Greenhouse Towed by Car and Caravan
by Cartoons by Nigel

Beauty Salon Consent Form..?

Sometimes a single cartoon can capture an entire moment perfectly, and this one is an example.

Drawn by me, it depicts a scene in a beauty salon where a man hesitantly asks, "Do I have to sign a consent form or anything?" 

The humour is immediate – it plays on the idea that visiting a salon could feel like preparing for an operation in hospital, and exaggerates the apprehension many feel in that situation.

Many of us have felt that mix of curiosity and nervousness when booking a new treatment or appointment, and this scene captures it in a lighthearted, playful way. 

The simplicity of the dialogue paired with the expressive reactions in the drawing helps the joke land instantly, without needing any extra context.

Cartoons like this are a reminder that humour often comes from everyday situations – those small, slightly awkward moments we all recognise but rarely talk about. 

By exaggerating the idea of paperwork and formalities in a beauty salon, it gently pokes fun at our cautious side, while keeping the overall tone cheerful and relatable.

I always enjoy seeing how a simple scene can spark a smile or a knowing nod, and this cartoon has done just that. 

Whether you’re a regular at salons or just someone who enjoys the little ironies of life, I hope it brings a bit of light-hearted amusement to your day.

You may enjoy further Beauty Salon themed cartoons I have drawn which I featured on an earlier version of my website HERE >>