Martin S. Laird

Artist | film-maker | animator

Category: Cartoons & Illustration

  • Cartoon – The Wreck of the Crown of London

    Cartoon created to accompany The Orkney News article in the June 2018 edition of iScot magazine, about the Orkney connection to the Scottish Covenanters. The drawing references the dark artistic vision of William Blake. The figure of Urizen represents an aspect of God in Blake’s personal mythology. The Covenanters were a 17th Century Scottish Presbyterian…

    Written by

    Martin Laird
    cartoon showing praying covenanters in the hold of the ship 'The Crown of London'. One says "Lord, let us not die slaves in an English colony." In the next panel a William-Blake inspired God sinks the ship and says "I really should just drown this entire Me-forsaken country."

  • Cartoon – the peerie folk

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    This cartoon was created for The Orkney News column in the May 2018 edition of iScot magazine. The theme is music, and the article addresses the excellent standard of musical education and live performance that can be found in Orkney. In Orcadian folklore the ‘peerie,’ ‘trowie’, or fairy folk were said to dwell within ancient…

    Written by

    Martin Laird
    Pen and ink black and white cartoon showing a section through a chambered cairn. Inside small fairy folk dance to the tune of a human fiddler while a skeleton watches them. Caption reads "take care if the peerie folk ask you to play. The night may go on for a year and a day."

  • Orkney Library receives a surprise visit

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    Since 2012, as a result of the ideological austerity programme being pursued by the Conservative Government at Westminster, at least 449 public libraries have closed across the UK. Scotland did not vote for this. The Scottish Government has to spend valuable time and resources trying to mitigate Tory cuts within the limits of a budget…

    Written by

    Martin Laird
    Pen and ink cartoon of JK Rowling riding a broomstick above the Orkney Library. She says she has rowled in to see if Orkney Library was a victim of Tory austerity, and references her statement against Scottish independence. An orangutan librarian shakes his fist at her.

  • The Vore Tullye: the Sea Mither versus Teran

    The Vore Tullye: the Sea Mither versus Teran The Vore Tullye, or Spring Struggle, is a mythical battle between two primal nature deities described in the folklore of the Northern Isles of Scotland. It takes place every year, in March. The Sea Mither is a benevolent spirit who calms the wind, stills the seas, and…

    Written by

    Martin Laird
    A pen and ink cartoon depicting the Spring battle between the Sea Mither and Teran - primal nature forces. The Sea Mither resembles Nicola Sturgeon and a sea anemone and has calmed the stormy seas. Teran has the face of Theresa May and is a giant monster thrashing it's flippers making waves.

  • Cartoon: Tavish Scott and the PFI Ferry debacle

    Tavish Scott and the PFI Ferry debacle This cartoon first appeared in the January 2018 edition of iScot magazine. It accompanies an article by Fiona Grahame of The Orkney News called “Owre the ferry tae the islands.” The subject of the article is the provision of lifeline ferry services in the Northern Isles, which has…

    Written by

    Martin Laird
    Pen and ink cartoon showing Tavish Scott and Nicola Sturgeon as Punch and Judy. Mr. Tavish is hitting Nicola with a newspaper and shouting about unfair ferry fares.

  • I ken whaur ye bide, beuy

    “I ken whaur ye bide, beuy.“ This cartoon was drawn to accompany Fiona Grahame’s The Orkney News column in iScot magazine for December 2017. The subject of the article is the problem of goose management in Orkney, but the cartoon has a different subtext. It was inspired by a recent incident of racial abuse in…

    Written by

    Martin Laird
    iscot cartoon orkney news goose martin scott laird