Cartoonist's Digital Bush Puppet to Debut

By: Dave Astor There's life after The Sun of Baltimore for editorial cartoonist Kevin "KAL" Kallaugher -- and part of that life involves George W. Bush.

KAL -- who left The Sun this winter after reluctantly accepting a buyout -- has developed a digital, three-dimensional Bush puppet that will be unveiled today (Monday) at a press conference and also demonstrated to the public on June 25 at Baltimore's Walters Art Museum. The events are in conjunction with the museum's June 18-Sept. 3 exhibit entitled "Mightier Than the Sword: The Satirical Pen of KAL."

The puppet will converse and answer questions in "real time" at the June 12 and June 25 events, said KAL, adding that digital Dubya "can be animated daily in reaction to current news."

KAL discussed and showed footage of the Bush puppet at the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists convention in Denver, and also talked about his creation with E&P. He said he first molded his creation out of clay, and then had the sculpture scanned in 3-D to get computer-animated. Now, the digital Bush has dozens of mouth movements, eye expressions, and other capabilities -- with KAL supplying the voice. "It helps that I've worked as a puppeteer," said KAL.

The cartoonist developed the Bush puppet as an artist-in-residence at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's Imaging Research Center. A number of IRC digital artists helped with the project.

"KAL wants to ensure that editorial cartooning remains an influential form of political commentary at a time when newspaper circulation is falling and the public is increasingly glued to television and computer screens," said William Noel, who's co-curating the Walters show with KAL.

The June 18-Sept. 3 exhibit will include a film about the making of the Bush puppet as well as cartoons, caricatures, and other KAL work from over the years.

KAL, who continues to draw for The Economist magazine and the Cartoonists & Writers Syndicate/New York Times Syndicate, was with The Sun for 17 years before leaving this January. He accepted a buyout after hearing that The Sun cartoon spot might be eliminated; it hasn't been filled since.