Happiness Is…

My Husband’s Charlie Brown and Snoopy Art

In last week’s post, I shared Snoopy drawings that my youngest son and I made together last fall. We had so much fun that I invited the rest of my family to join us in a special fall “Happiness Is…” art project.

For this project, I asked my family to think of one thing that makes them feel happy. Using Charles Schulz’s characters and style, they were to draw and color a picture of their happiness.

My children drew Snoopy reading a book in bed, Snoopy on a road trip, and Snoopy finding a treasure with Charlie Brown all tangled up with his kite on a tree. Yes, these drawings were as adorable as they sound.

However, today’s post isn’t about the kids.

It’s about my husband Craig.

Prior to our “Happiness Is…” project, a year ago, Craig wasn’t prone to doing art by himself. He joined in and supported me when I initiated family art. But art wasn’t a passion for him.

After doing our initial project, Craig continued and made additional Charlie Brown and Snoopy art throughout the year.

Delighted by my husband’s art, I have asked him to share about his experience in this post.

From Craig...

Charlie Brown was a part of my upbringing like many children growing up in the 1970s and 80s.

I was only a moderate fan of the cartoons back then, mostly only following the annual “specials” on T.V. I wasn’t much of a fan of newspaper comics as a child. Despite this, I still feel nostalgic when I occasionally see any of the comic characters who were part of the Sunday comic section.

In the last year or two, I have begun to appreciate the artistic style of Charles Schulz. There is something really fun in drawing Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and all the characters. Why? For me, the world of Charlie Brown is simple but also has depth. Within it’s simplicity, there is the ability to show the affection and loyalty that existed in the relationships of the characters, especially between Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

As irritating and independent as Snoopy was at times, he still remained loyal to Charlie Brown. Many pictures of them together reveal their affection.

Charles Schulz—Thoughtful and Simple

Schulz believed that cartoonists should clearly define facial features—showing where the eyes, nose, and mouth are—so that emotions could be effectively conveyed without relying on exaggerated reactions. Schulz disliked overreacting to punch lines, stating he was a great believer in the “mild in cartooning” and criticizing extreme caricature, which he felt could hinder emotional expression.

On the importance of companionship, noting, “In life, it’s not where you go, it’s who you travel with.”

On life, he said, “I have a new philosophy. I’m only going to dread one day at a time.”

That sounds a lot like another famous person who said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”. (Matthew 6:34)

On suffering, Schulz shared, “Some of my best ideas have come from a mood of sadness, rather than a feeling of well-being.”

Finally, on Snoopy, he said, “Snoopy’s not a real dog of course - he’s an image of what people would like a dog to be. But he has his origins in Spike, my dog I had when I was a kid. White with black spots. He was the wildest and smartest dog I’ve ever encountered. Smart? Why he had a vocabulary of at least 50 words, I mean it. I’d tell him to go to the basement and bring up a potato and he’d do it.”

My Snoopy Art Projects

I am not a great artist by any means, but I’ve found relaxation and peace in my “Snoopy Art” times.

This was the first “Snoopy Art” picture I did. My wife led the family in an art project where we illustrated things we really like and appreciate in life. So I made this about “Silliness and Hugs”—two things that make me feel happy! I used colored pencils rather than paint to keep it simple and neat.

This one I did with Snoopy and Woodstock on an old wooden roller coaster. Classic wooden roller coasters bring back fond memories of an amusement park I went to as a child. I worked at the same park during my teenage years.

In Progress Now

I like this one a lot. It is Charlie Brown and Snoopy sitting on the dock on a lake. It reminds me of a prior home that had a large pond and a dock. The companionship shown here as they calmly gaze out together is warming. I will color this one soon.

This is Snoopy and Woodstock looking at the stars. In the picture, I made an important constellation commonly called “Orion” but more accurately it depicts in the High Priest constellation representing the Messiah in the sky.

You can read about the constellation here if you would like:

The High Priest Pictured in the Heavens

I need to finish coloring this one. I will also probably re-draw the moon and improve it.

Future Projects

I would like to do these three projects next…

I do not know how many more “Snoopy Art” pictures I will do, but I have to do what I consider two of the most memorable scenes in all of Charlie Brown history!

This one is cute, don’t you think?

From Amy...

So, there you have it.

It’s all about how art makes us feel.

For me happiness is...my husband’s drawings.

Yes, and Charles Schulz’s too.