How a cartoon is produced
People sometimes think cartooning is all about drawing; but drawing actually comes quite late in the process.
Ideas
If I'm working for a client who lets me choose my subject, I'll think about what is in the news and the kind of response that might appeal to their readers.
If I need to put a cartoon alongside a particular news story, letter or quiz, I'll think about the copy and look for an offbeat angle or point of view.
At this point, I often sit down at my drawing table and start scribbling ideas on a sheet of paper. Sometimes I show these to my partner, so she can tell me half of them are incomprehensible and the rest aren't funny.