Karl Jeffery
A little bit about me . . .
I’m a cartoonist with a habit of overthinking, and drinking too much tea.
I spend a lot of time alone with my thoughts, making funny little drawings about life, and everything that makes it absurd, surreal or a struggle. I hope my work helps to brighten your day, or resonates with you in some way.
I have a BA (Hons) Fine Art degree — which qualifies me for absolutely nothing, except the ability to draw a worm. I also have a student debt that quadruples every time I blink.
I began working as a cartoonist and illustrator in the 1990s. My work has appeared in national magazines, books, and even on Christmas cards. I took a career detour — working as a DJ, presenting breakfast shows on local radio stations, then as a professional ventriloquist. I also trained to become a meditation teacher (I was honoured with the sacred spiritual title: The Angry Buddha).
It was while teaching meditation that I found my way back to cartooning. I realised that, like meditation, cartoons have a sneaky superpower: they can transform the stress, confusion and challenges of life into something that makes us smile, feel lighter, and see the world a little brighter. Both meditation and cartoons give your mind a gentle boost — one through stillness, the other through laughter — and both do wonders for our mental health and wellbeing.
PS. When I’m not drawing, I can be found meditating, teaching mediation, or walking through a forest pretending I’m not hugging the trees. If we pass each other, feel free to wave and say ‘Hi,’— or leave a biscuit on a tree stump.
Do you take on commissions
I often get asked if I take on commissions, and illustration work. Yes, if you’d like something drawn, or have a creative project in mind, feel free to get in touch — I’d love to help bring your ideas to life.
Can I support your work?
I want to continue putting as much work out there as I can for people to enjoy for free, while also having the time and funds to work on larger projects.
By supporting my work, you’ll be helping to spread more humour, joy and smiles with others. I reckon the world could do with a lot more lightness and laughter right now.
Buying prints of my work, supporting me on Patreon or Substack, are all ways you can help me to keep the cartoons coming.
You can also support me for free by following me and sharing my work with your friends online (your click is a virtual hug for my creativity).
I know from experience that life can get pretty overwhelming. Sometimes it can feel very heavy — a bit like carrying a sofa upstairs on your own. So, if my work can help to make life feel a little lighter and brighter for someone, then it’s worth all the doodling, overthinking, and all the cups of tea it took to get there.