Sunday

Beware any Offer to Put Your Windows In

"Putting the Windows In" – A Play on Words

This cartoon features a homeowner standing outside his house, looking rather distressed, while a builder – hammer in hand – stands nearby. Every one of the householder’s windows has been completely smashed.

The householder says to the builder, “When you offered to put my windows in, I thought you’d be replacing them with new ones.”

The humour comes from the double meaning of the phrase “put your windows in.” To most people, it means fitting or installing new windows – but the builder has taken it literally in the opposite sense, as if it meant breaking them all!

It’s a classic example of a visual pun, where a simple misunderstanding of everyday language leads to comic chaos. The mixture of straight-faced logic and total destruction makes it all the funnier.


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


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Monday

"Perfect Shape" – A Doctor and Patient Cartoon

This cartoon, seen here on the cover of a notebook, is set in a doctor’s surgery, where a patient is receiving some rather unexpected feedback from his GP. The doctor is telling an overweight patient that he’s in “perfect shape” – but quickly adds, “if you were a sumo wrestler!”

The humour lies in the doctor’s blunt honesty and the play on words around what it means to be in “perfect shape.” In most contexts, that phrase would be reassuring – but here, it’s turned upside down by the punchline, which redefines “perfect” in a way the patient wasn’t hoping for.

It’s a light-hearted take on the way doctors sometimes mix compassion with candour, and it works visually too – the contrast between the doctor’s calm professionalism and the patient’s startled reaction makes the joke land perfectly.


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


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Saturday

"Show Her a Good Husband", the Counsellor Said...

This cartoon takes place during a marriage guidance counselling session. The husband is proudly showing the counsellor a photo of a friend, prompting her to clarify that when she asked him to “show her a good husband,” she didn’t mean a photo of one of his mates!

The humour comes from the husband’s complete misunderstanding of the counsellor’s request – taking it literally rather than as an invitation to reflect on his own behaviour. It’s a playful take on the kind of crossed wires that can happen in conversations, especially when someone takes a figure of speech at face value.

The joke works visually too – the man’s earnest expression, the counsellor’s exasperated look, and the innocent logic behind his mistake all combine to create a classic moment of cartoon misunderstanding.


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


Pocket Notebook for Doctors & Medical Practitioners

Here's a fun spiral-bound notebook that's a perfect gift for any doctor or medical practitioner!

The cover features a cartoon illustration of mine that shows a doctor using his stethoscope on a patient's feet.

The title on the cover of the notebook reads: “Doctor Finlay's Notebook”, but you can change the wording to your own choice when you order online from Zazzle via the link below.

You can view more notebooks that I’ve designed in my Gallery via this link >>


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

Friday

Four Christmas Cards I've Given a New Lease of Life to...

Here are four cartoon illustrations of mine that I'm using on Christmas Cards with Zazzle.

The beauty is that they are all personalisable – and you’ll have to take a look inside to read the punchlines!

You can also see many other items that I’ve designed on a Christmas theme in my gallery page here >>


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

Wednesday

Furniture Making, or Football? Hard to Tell...

This cartoon depicts a news anchor presenting a report titled “Furniture Making News”.

The news anchor’s dialogue adds to the joke: “Last week we saw the first leg, this week I’ll show you the second leg, and next week we’ll take a look at the top of the table.”

The humour lies in the double meaning of the words – while the topic appears to be about furniture making, the phrasing sounds exactly like something you might hear on a football programme discussing two-legged matches and league tables.

It’s a light-hearted play on football commentary clichés and DIY terminology, creating a clever mix of sports and woodworking humour.


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

Tuesday

"Top of the Table" – A Football Managers' Awards Night Cartoon

This cartoon depicts a group of football managers gathered at an awards dinner, with the caption: “They all want to sit at the top of the table!”

The joke works on two levels – it’s both a literal reference to the managers’ desire to sit at the head of the table during the meal, and a clever nod to every football manager’s ambition to see their team finish at the top of the league table.


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



Monday

Driving Test. Hoping the Examiner Noticed One Particular Aspect...

"Get-U-Thru Driving School" – A Humorous Take on Learner Driver Nerves

This cartoon captures a moment that many learner drivers can relate to – the dreaded driving test! Set at the fictional Get-U-Thru Driving School, it shows a weary examiner sitting beside a nervous student, both inside a car clearly marked for a driving test.

Driving test cartoon. Learner driver hopes the examiner noticed how well he opened the door when he got in

The examiner, looking thoroughly exasperated, says to the hopeful student: “For the last time, yes I did notice how well you opened the door when you got in!”

The humour lies in the way the student’s anxiety has turned even the simplest action – opening a car door – into something they imagine might earn points. It’s a light-hearted reminder of how over-thinking can creep in when we’re under pressure to perform, especially during tests or interviews.

Like many of my cartoons, it takes a familiar real-life situation and gives it a twist of gentle exaggeration, turning tension into laughter. Everyone who’s ever faced a driving examiner will recognise that blend of nervousness and misplaced enthusiasm!


You can find this design, along with many more of my motoring and everyday humour cartoons, on a variety of products in my Cartoons by Nigel Zazzle store >>.


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

"Alas, Poor Yorick!" – A Witty Twist on Shakespeare’s Hamlet

This cartoon reimagines one of the most famous moments in Shakespeare’s Hamlet – the melancholy scene in which Hamlet holds the skull of Yorick and delivers his immortal line about the court jester he once knew. It’s a moment steeped in drama, reflection and theatrical gravitas.

Play director cartoon about an Actor performing as Hamlet

In my humorous version, that solemn atmosphere is suddenly punctured by another character – the stage director or fellow actor – who interrupts Hamlet mid-speech to correct him with the proper line: “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio.”

The comedy arises from the clash between grand tragedy and trivial correction. While Hamlet wrestles with life and death, the director’s pedantic insistence on accuracy brings the scene crashing down to earth – the lofty turned laughable in an instant.

There’s also a playful nod to how often Shakespeare’s lines are misquoted or parodied in modern culture. By mixing the famous speech with echoes of “Dem Bones, Dem Bones,” the cartoon gently pokes fun at how easily high art becomes light entertainment.

It’s a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Bard – a reminder that even four centuries later, his words still invite both deep thought and laughter in equal measure.


You can see more of my humorous artwork, often blending wordplay with visual wit, at my Cartoons by Nigel Zazzle store >>.


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




Sunday

Highways Maintenance. This Driver's Out Gritting

When the roads are due to get icy, the workers are out gritting – but in this cartoon, the driver takes it a bit further! 

The driver of a gritter lorry is also gritting his teeth

The scene shows a gritting lorry driver with a strained expression, clearly gritting his teeth as he works. The humour lies in the wordplay between “gritting” the roads and the driver’s own reaction to the cold, tough job.

It’s a simple, clever cartoon that captures the spirit of British humour – dry, literal, and perfectly timed for the winter season. Whether you’ve seen a gritter out on your morning commute or you just appreciate a good pun, this design is bound to make you smile.

You can find this and other funny designs on products such as mugs, prints, and T-shirts in my Cartoons by Nigel Zazzle store >>.


If you enjoy light-hearted humour with a visual twist, take a look at more of my cartoons at www.nigelsutherland.co.uk. You might also like my “Printed in China” and “It’s Wife, Kevin – Not Housekeeper” cartoons for more classic British wit.

Saturday

Handy to Have your Solicitor Close By...

This cartoon shows two inmates in a prison cell, with one commenting to the other, “At least I've got easy access to my solicitor – he's in the next cell.”

Two jailbirds in prison cartoon

The humour comes from a sharp twist of irony. Normally, having a solicitor nearby is a positive for a client, but in this case, both client and legal representative share the same unfortunate circumstances. 

The joke highlights the absurdity of the situation and plays on the reader’s understanding of the legal system, turning what might be a serious context into a moment of satirical comedy.

It’s an example of dark humour done lightly, showing how cartoons can comment on real-life frustrations and contradictions with just a single line of dialogue. 

Simple in presentation, it invites readers to appreciate the irony without taking itself too seriously.

N.B. I rarely do this, but I used the same drawing, with an alternative caption some years earlier, which you can see HERE >>


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







Speed Dating. Maybe not Suitable for Everyone...

This cartoon captures a delightfully humorous scene at the “Twilight Retirement Home,” where the residents are gearing up for a “Speed Dating” event later that evening. 

Speed Dating cartoon set in an old people's home.

The common area is filled with elderly residents, some with canes or walkers, as they prepare for the night ahead. A sign clearly announces: “TONIGHT! SPEED DATING.”

The humour is in the gentle irony of the situation – the idea of “speed dating” in a setting where the participants are anything but speedy. It’s a playful exaggeration that highlights both the determination and the charm of the residents, showing that finding companionship and fun doesn’t have an age limit.

Like many of my cartoons, this one mixes everyday life with a twist of absurdity. It’s relatable, lighthearted, and a reminder that humour can be found in the most unexpected places – even in retirement homes where the pace of life is slower, but the personalities are full of spirit.


You might also enjoy some of my other cartoons that explore relationships, humour in later life, and everyday absurdities, including “And Now for an Item of Late News”, “God’s Gift to Women”, and “On the Face of It - Beauty Salon”.

It's Time Cartoonists Start Thinking of Christmas (Cards!)

It's that time of year when businesses and organisations start planning their Christmas Cards. A thoughtful and eye-catching card can make a big difference in how your company is remembered by clients, partners, and staff.

The process often begins with the design. If a humorous or unique image is desired, that's where cartoonists like me come in. 

I work closely with clients to develop concepts and illustrations that perfectly capture the message and personality of their business.

Below are just a few examples of the cartoons I have created over the years for a variety of companies. Each design is tailored to the client's brand, creating cards that are both memorable and enjoyable to receive.

Perhaps you’re looking for something original for YOUR business or organisation this festive season. If so, don’t hesitate to get in touch and discuss your ideas – I would be delighted to create a bespoke cartoon design that will make your cards truly stand out.

Contact Me... to start planning your unique Christmas card today.

Wednesday

Here's my New Calendar - with a Cartoon for each Month.

Here’s another of my creations – a full-year calendar featuring a different cartoon for every month. 

Each illustration is packed with humour and charm, making this calendar a fun and practical way to brighten up your home or office throughout the year.

Whether you’re looking for a unique gift for family, friends, or a colleague, this calendar is perfect for cat lovers, cartoon enthusiasts, or anyone who enjoys a daily smile. 

You can start the calendar from any date you choose, making it a personalised and thoughtful present.

I hope you enjoy this calendar as much as I enjoyed creating it. If it brings a smile to your face, please share it with friends and family who would also appreciate a touch of humour every month.