Tuesday, October 15, 2024
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About our Cartoons

Sometimes a Sketch Speaks Louder Than Words

If you’ve browsed the pages of LARi.ca, you’ve likely come across some of our original cartoons and illustrations. We hope you enjoy them. In the tradition of The New Yorker and National Lampoon, they are meant to bring something different to the topic than what the words on the page convey. It could be simple humour, irony, satire, or sarcasm. Mostly we just aim for a fun take that’s worth a laugh.

 

In creating our cartoons we draw on the influence of some brilliant illustrators of yesteryear. Too many to list, really, but let’s name a few: P.C. Vey, Sam Gross, and the prolific and talented Sergio Aragones.

 

Our full team is involved in creating our cartoons. There’s three parts:

  • The idea/concept: This is the hardest part. Coming up with an original idea. Sometimes a quick brainstorming session is required.
  • Artwork: We use a combination of digital illustration tools and AI image generation
  • Composition: Fine-tuning and adding branding components for the finished item

We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labour!

A crowded, wild collage of absurd looking cartoon characters.

Island Hideout

Original post: The Role of Licensed Insolvency Trustees in Canada

Date: Feb. 9, 2024

Cartoon: With Easter Island statues in the background, a man is buried in the sand up to his chest in the foreground. A woman looks at him and says "John, this is no way to hide from creditors."

WRONG ROBINHOOD

Original post: Is Robinhood Coming to Canada? We Think So.

Date: Feb. 5, 2024

Cartoon: A couple is looking at a bag of flour with a Robin Hood-looking logo. He says to her "So ... how do we log in?"

HONEST AL’S

Original post: Canada Food Price Inflation Calculator

Date: Jan. 17, 2024

Cartoon: Honest Al's Supermarket. The storefront signs say "1 for the price of 2!" and "Now 20% MORE for most items!"

LIGHTS OUT

Original post: Spending: Canadians Focus on Essentials

Date: Jan. 8, 2024

In a pitch black room only two pairs of eyeballs are visible. One says "I know we're trying to cut back on our bills Howard, but lighting is essential when making a casserole."

INFLATION INSURANCE

Original post: Inflation Impacts Insurance Coverage for Canadians

Date: Jan. 5, 2024

Cartoon: A man seated across the desk from an insurance salesman. He says "What I really need is insurance against inflation."

FIRST HOME

Original post: Housing: Inflation Stalls Canadian Buyers

Date: Jan. 7, 2024

Cartoon: An outdoor outfitter store with tents on display has a banner that says "first-time homebuyers welcome"

DE-RISKING

Original post: Canada’s Inflation Drives Changes in Investment Strategy

Date: Jan. 3, 2024

A climber on a steep mountain peak is speaking to another climber and says "So I switched to GICs and diversified my portfolio. Now I'm... RISK-FREE."

ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION

Original post: Canadians’ Retirement Plans Changing Due to Inflation

Date: Jan. 2, 2024

A man sits at an office desk. Two thought clouds illustrate his retirement dreams before and after inflation. On the left is a large mansion with a pool, on the right is a small cabin in the woods.

LOST INTEREST

Original post: Debt Management Tips for Canadians

Other posts: Inflation Has Canadians Focused on Debt Reduction

Date: Dec. 31, 2023

Cartoon: A woman is in the background looking at charts on the wall. A young man stands in the foreground speaking on the phone. He says "Since she got into DEBT MANAGEMENT, she has ... lost interest."

SHRINKING WALLET

Original post: Canadian Inflation: The Toll on Employment and Salaries

Date: Dec. 29, 2023

Cartoon: A man is at a store counter, staring at his wallet in panic. He says to his nearby partner, "Honey... I think my wallet is SHRINKING."

TIGHT SQUEEZE

Original post: Mortgage-Free, Tiny Homes in Canada

Date: Dec. 21, 2023

Tiny home owner shocked as movers bring a pool table.

PAWNED

Original post: NFT Investors Pay the Price for Hype

Date: Dec. 20, 2023

A woman holds a laptop, speaking with a Pawn Shop owner. She says "I've got these NFTs here".

ONE GRAPE

Original post: Canadians Stung by Rising Food Prices

Date: Dec. 26, 2023

Inflating food prices in Canada: a cartoon woman places a single grape on a weigh scale in the grocery store

Bates AirDOA

Original post: STA Owners: Rewards and Headaches

Date: Dec. 19, 2023

Cartoon: A creepy host resembling Norman Bates stands in front of a "Bates Motel". Above the sign in neon it reads "Now on AirDoA!"

DEFLATED

Original post: The Financial Impact of Divorce on Canadians

Date: Dec. 17, 2023

Cartoon: Two men are talking in front of a Sign Rental Store. On top of the store is a massive inflated party balloon labelled "Divorce!!". One man says "It's not our top seller..."

WEALTH TRAPPING

Original post: 10 Ways to Build an Emergency Fund

Date: Dec. 15, 2023

A man has dug a big hole with a safe inside it labelled "Emergency". There are robotic traps around the area. His wife says to him "I think you're taking the emergency fund idea too far."

MONKEY BUSINESS

Original post: The Complete RRSP Guide

Date: Dec. 1, 2023

Cartoon: A man stands at a crossroads with a signpost ahead. One arrow points to the city with the label "Business". The other points to a jungle with the words "Monkey Business". The man says "It's time for something new."

SWEAR JAR

Original post: The Complete RESP Guide

Date: Nov. 29, 2023

An enormous jar labelled "swear jar" is full of coins. Parents are talking with kids nearby. The woman says "Well, the RESP fund is growing fast."

QUAINT FUNERAL

Original post: Estate Planning and Digital Assets

Date: Nov. 29, 2023

An enormous carnival and pageant surrounds a casket as hundreds are dressed for an elaborate event. A man speaks to a woman in the foreground, saying "She asked for a 'quaint' funeral."

SEMI-PRIVATE

Original post: Healthcare Costs in Retirement

Date: Nov. 28, 2023

A man in a hospital bed looks nervously at an enormous freaky monster peering at him through the curtain nearby. He says to his wife "I'm rethinking getting a private room."

BOLD STATEMENT

Original post: TFSA Basics for Beginners

Other posts: Mutual Fund Basics

Date: Nov. 27, 2023

A man faces the beach, showing an elaborate back tattoo with a chart and numbers. He speaks to the woman admiring him, saying "It's my investment statement from March 2023."

HAPPY RETURNS

Original post: How Financial Advisors Get Paid

Date: Nov. 27, 2023

An advisor holds up a rapidly rising line graph chart. He says "Your returns looks fantastic." The client across the desk says "That's ... your commission payouts."