Nineteen years ago, cartoonist Peter Woolcock published the first of what has become an annual "must" on the Christmas shopping list: a book of his weekly cartoons which appeared in The Royal Gazette.

Little did anyone imagine that what the author admits he initially consented to do at the urging of others would become such a fixture — so much so, in fact, that past editions of 'Woppened' have become collectors' items, and there are those who are still anxiously searching for missing editions from their collection.

Indeed, in his foreword to the latest edition, former Premier Alex Scott happily admits that not only does he own the entire series, but also he believes that few have been lampooned as many times as he has because he has actually counted them.

Mr. Woolcock also counts, and estimates that when the 20th anniversary edition appears next December, he will have done over 1,000 cartoons. By anyone's reckoning that is a lot of creativity and hard work, not to mention professionalism, for no matter what personal challenges he may have experienced, the requisite cartoon has been faithfully delivered to this newspaper's editorlike clockwork.

With so many possibilities to choose from each week, many readers wonder just how the cartoonist chooses his topic and portrays it so succinctly. Equally, there are those who wonder why he didn't choose something else. Diplomatically, the cartoonist explains that, what looks so effortless in print is, in fact, a carefully thought-out piece of work.

"When people ask, 'How do you start your drawings?' I say, 'The subject is the hard part'," he relates. "Once you have found the subject, you let your mind go into neutral around it — take a walk or a shower, stare at the wall on the opposite side of the studio for a while — and think 'Hmm, how can I put a lunatic twist on it?' That is the essence. You have to think visually."

Which explains why, when people call Mr. Woolcock from time to time with what they believe is the 'perfect' suggestion, he must politely demur, although he appreciates their interest in cartooning, and says input is good.

"Not everybody thinks visually and most of the suggestions are not visual, so I could not possibly portray them," is how he puts it.

In any case, there are certain subjects which he does not touch: drugs, AIDS, family disputes, and sub judice court cases among them.

In addition to the visual, the cartoonist must think, 'Will people understand it?' Too subtle, and chances are it will either leave the readers puzzled, or go right over their heads. So, another golden rule is to create something which is easily and quickly understood in today's context. This is not always easy, given that his audience is readers of all ages, from all walks of life, all levels of education, and living in a world where literary references are different.

"Tastes in literature and nursery rhymes have changed from the classics upon which previous generations were brought up," Mr. Woolcock says. "Some of the traditional symbols which cartoonists used in the past would not be used today, as a result of which we are left with fewer points of reference, and I have to bear that in mind sometimes."

People often ask him how long it takes to draw a cartoon, to which his response is: "It's a very moveable feast, depending entirely on the content. If I just have to draw, say, the Premier standing there doing something, that will take far less time than if I have to draw half the Cabinet. Sometimes I get a day when the drawing flows, and ideas come crowding in almost too fast for me to put them down on paper, but on others I get the equivalent of writer's block — then I reach for the eraser and rub the whole lot out!"

All cartoons begin life in pencil, and it is not until Mr. Woolcock is finally satisfied that he completes the drawing in ink. Between the two steps, he likes to 'sleep' on his work overnight, because with fresh eyes he invariably spots something which needs tweaking — either by holding the drawing up to a mirror or else by viewing it against the light, when errors show up immediately.

"I am very self-critical," he confesses. He is also a meticulous record-keeper, with files bulging with photographs, newspaper clippings and other material to which he refers for likenesses and other details. For example, a subject may have changed his or her hairstyle or style of dress, added or subtracted a mustache or beard, acquired an earring or two, with all of which he must remain au courant.

"I may have drawn a face hundreds of times, but I still pull his or her picture out of the file because I draw my best when I have photographic references, and I do that with everyone."

No doubt readers have also noticed how precise and uniform Mr. Woolcock's lettering is. That, he says, "is an art in itself".

"There are artists who only do lettering — beautiful, beautiful stuff. In fact, some people go to an artist because he is a letterer."

As for the little lizards, Lucy and Leroy, who first appeared in 1991, they occupy a very exclusive domain in Woolcock cartoonery. "Strictly apolitical", they only appear in The Royal Gazette. Similar devices are used by many cartoonists as a way of making an extra statement.

Buying the annual 'Woppened' (Bermewjan for 'What happened?') collection not only gives the reader a permanent source of the laughs briefly enjoyed throughout the year, but also adds details of the context in which the cartoon was created. Written by Mr. Woolcock, they are completed at the same time as the cartoon, and filed away for publication.

In looking back over the past year, Bermuda's much-admired cartoonist points out that, whereas 'Woppened 19' begins with two different Party leaders, it ends with two different ones, so the edition covers quite a bit of ground. While politics is inevitably a popular topic, the infamous tital-wave-that-never-was certainly provided Mr. Woolcock with a new and "very refreshing" diversion.

'Woppened 19' is dedicated to "giants" of the art of cartooning with the author's thanks for their inspiration over the years. Retailing at $15.95 it is now available at local book stores and other fine stores.