Kate Beaton: a look inside the cartoonist's sketchbook – in pictures

The officer who fell for the pirate
These are for a poster I made for a comics convention. Afterwards, I thought that the pirate captain and Royal Navy type in the bottom right-hand corner looked interesting side by side. They became these two characters who appear in lots of strips: they’re arch enemies, but are secretly in love. Ideas often come to me while I’m working on something else
Illustration: Kate Beaton

Love and war
… and here they are in action
Illustration: Kate Beaton

Not going to make it
This is a rejected comic about Pride And Prejudice. Even though I became known online for a comic about Mister Darcy, there are now so many Pride And Prejudice rip-offs that I felt I couldn’t publish this. At the top of the page is a comic about me talking to myself about how this one isn’t going to run
Illustration: Kate Beaton

Too timid to draw firmly
Looking in other people’s sketchbooks, which are often works of art, makes me realise that mine are really basic. They’re sketchy with lots of super-light pencilling because I’m too timid to put the pencil down hard
Illustration: Kate Beaton

New caption needed
Illustration: Kate Beaton

New caption needed
Illustration: Kate Beaton