Jon Arbuckle / Garfield - 1 Large-Format Signed Character Drawing – Dated 1990 (93x63 cm)

A striking large-format drawing of Jon Arbuckle from the Garfield universe, signed “Fentz” and dated “90” beside the portrait.

This expressive head-and-shoulders composition captures the character’s distinctive appearance through his oversized eyes, rounded features, loosely curled hair and cheerful, open-mouthed expression. The bold monochrome outlines contrast attractively with the warm-toned paper, giving the drawing a strong visual presence.

The generous scale is a particularly appealing feature of this piece. Rather than a small autograph sketch, it is a substantial character portrait with ample surrounding space, allowing both the drawing and the signature to stand out.
The drawing
The artwork combines confident dark outlines with lighter pencil construction lines, which remain visible around the hair, face, jawline and collar. These underlying lines offer an interesting view of how the portrait was developed, showing the initial shapes beneath the more defined contours.

Variations in the weight of the lines, together with the darker shading inside the mouth and around the neckline, give the portrait depth while retaining the immediacy of a character sketch.

The signature and date appear to the right of the lower part of the face, separate from the main composition and clearly visible in the accompanying close-up photographs.
About Mike Fentz
Mike Fentz is an illustrator and cartoonist with a substantial professional connection to Garfield. His professional résumé records his work as head illustrator for the Garfield licensing programme, providing illustration, layout, design and character development for products distributed internationally. His credits also include pre-production character design work for Garfield: The Movie. Mike Fentz

In his biography, Fentz describes spending 28 years working within Garfield’s licensing programme, creating artwork for storybooks, calendars, posters, greeting cards, clothing, games and other merchandise. That background gives this signed portrait an interesting connection to an artist involved in the character’s wider illustrated world. Mike Fentz
Artwork details
Artist / signature attribution: Mike Fentz
Character: Jon Arbuckle
Franchise: Garfield
Date: 1990, as indicated by the inscription “90”
Signature: “Fentz 90”, positioned to the right of the portrait
Medium: Monochrome drawing on paper, with visible pencil construction lines
Format: Large-format, vertically oriented character portrait
Approximate overall dimensions: 62 × 92 cm, as photographed with the protective cover in place
Quantity: One signed drawing
Presentation: Unframed; photographed inside a transparent protective cover
Condition
The drawing retains strong visual appeal, with clearly defined facial features, dark linework and a legible signature and date.

The paper shows visible signs of age and handling, including general toning, creases and some waviness. Creasing is particularly noticeable towards the left-hand side and upper-left area. There is also localised yellow-brown discolouration along parts of the lower margin and corners, together with a few small surface marks.

These condition points are visible in the photographs and should be taken into account. Nevertheless, the main portrait remains clear and expressive, and the generous margins provide an attractive setting for the composition.

The work is photographed through a transparent protective cover, which produces reflections in some images. Please examine all photographs carefully, including the close-ups of the paper, signature and margins, as they form an integral part of the description.
Collector’s appeal
An appealing piece for collectors of Garfield, Jon Arbuckle, signed cartoon illustration and large-format character drawings. Its combination of expressive linework, visible preparatory drawing and prominent dated signature makes it an engaging display piece with more to appreciate on close inspection.