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Mr. Joshua

@pantspants.bsky.social

40K followers 52 following 402 posts

classically trained artist. theartofpants.com

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Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

“Bongo” Ballpoint pen, pencil, watercolor, acrylic paint, and a little colored pencil.

Our man is in trouble this time, reader. Art supplies are scattered around a painting of an abstract cityscape. On the canvas we see a man in a telephone booth making a frantic call to his cat, Bongo. In the foreground, an answering machine is taking his voicemail, [Leave a message at the beep] --- “Bongo, Daddy got stuck in the painting. Go get help, Bongo.” Bongo stands at the base of the easel looking at the phone. Her tail in the air and ears perked up. Whether she’ll be able to help is open to interpretation.

Artist’s note: One of my favorites from the Spooky Pants book. I was playing around with the idea of a painting coming to life (like that guy in Ghostbusters 2) and kind of fumbled my way into this version. I really draw a lot of corded phones. I won’t stop.

Reposted by Mr. Joshua

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I love when art books share rough drafts of finished pieces so I packed Spooky Pants w/ sketchbook & process drawings. Part art book/part comic collection, it's been one of my favorite projects to put together. Can't wait to ship this puppy in October Signed copies are available to preorder now!

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

“Spaghetti Night.” Pen and copic gray marker on paper.

Our man is in the kitchen making spaghetti for his guests, who have become increasingly rowdy as they wait for dinner. More on them in a moment. He speaks into his landline phone with his oven mitts on, “Everybody’s pretty riled up for spaghetti night.” He is correct because sure enough we see his riled up dinner guests in the background. Two men play wrestle as a woman raises her hand to spank one of the wrestler's cheeks. She’s got great leverage on the windup so those cheeks are about to be pummeled, reader. Another man finds himself being carried by a woman with a crew-cut. Her strength is on display here because despite the man’s weight she’s able to effortlessly run around the living room with him slung over her shoulder like a ragdoll. Behind them we see another spaghetti night guest pumping his fists and shouting to the ceiling. Perhaps howling.

Artist’s note: One of my favorite drawings. Love seeing the whole group having a great time together.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A man stands at the ticket counter of a movie theater. An employee asks if he’d like to upgrade his ticket. “Would you like to upgrade to Cinema VIP? You can pause the film for bathroom breaks.” Our man is intrigued by the offer. Next slide.

Inside the movie theater. The film has been paused and the movie screen lets the audience know: “PAUSED FOR VIP.” Our man stands at the center of the theater with his hands raised and a VIP badge attached to a lanyard around his neck. He’s part of the Cinema VIP program but at what cost? The other patrons have become increasingly upset with the pauses. A chorus of angry voices rain down on the VIP from around the theater. “Sit down, toilet boy,” one woman yells. She’s had enough of his potty breaks. “Oh COME on.” “Get this guy outta here.” “He ruined the trailers, too.” “Take his badge.” “3 times?!” “Put a diaper on.”

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Pen, watercolor, black & white charcoal pencil.

Another featured piece from the Spooky Pants book.

A man in a sweater stands with his hands on his hips looking out of a large window with the curtains open. Things aren’t looking good outside, reader. A massive winged demon is emerging from the clouds as dozens of little ghosts and bone demons rip through the sky. On the ground below we see townsfolk running through the grass. Our man in the window is in no mood for this. He lets us know, “Oh, I am in no mood for this.” His dog looks out the window as well, wagging its tail.

Fantasia (1940) inspired drawing. I think I could’ve gone a little heavier with the chaos outside but we’ll try again with fresh drawings this October. I like how the clouds turned out. Trying to balance my sloppy lines with more detail can be tricky but I think we achieved a good result.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Pen, watercolor, acrylic paint, black & white charcoal pencil.

One of my favorite pieces from my new book, Spooky Pants. Coming out this October.

A small cabin in the snow surrounded by trees. Two cabin people stand outside holding mugs of hot cider. One of them shouts out, “Big Fella, we got hot apple cider happening over here.” On the other side of the page we see Big Fella, a massive spider emerging from the forest.

Artist’s note: The spider only has 6 legs.. I made a mistake. However, I did read that some spiders can lose their legs in battle so maybe that’s what happened. Also, this drawing was probably directly inspired by the game Limbo. I love the art direction in it.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Ballpoint pen, watercolor, acrylic paint, copic marker, and colored pencil.

A man in a sweater vest carefully walks through a field of wild flowers. He’s concerned about accidentally stepping on his colleague so he calls out, “Don’t wanna stomp ya out. Clap so I know where you’re at.” Beneath the flowers we see a very teeny man, also in a sweater vest, clapping to make his location known. Their plan works. No one is stomped.

The meaning of this piece is open to interpretation. If we don’t take the scene literally, the smaller man could be a version of the larger man that exists somewhere in his subconscious. A part of him that needs to make itself known so it isn’t forgotten (or stomped out). Artist’s note: I usually start off drawing with no plan to turn it into a “comic” or whatever this is. For this one I started by just sketching flowers. I think originally I had dozens of little creatures clapping before simplifying it into the final version.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Next Stumpy is on the drawing board. Been too long since the last hunt.

Reposted by Mr. Joshua

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

These babies will start shipping next month. Very limited supply available. Lock in now if you want to be a part of art history in 2027.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

A crayon artist sits with their legs crossed in a chair next to a wall they have covered in dinosaur illustrations. They are wearing overalls and a bandana. They exude the confidence of an artist who has seen their vision to completion. However, like many creators, their vision is not shared by everyone. They are confronted by a man in a sweater vest, “Heard you been drawin dinosaurs on my walls.” The artist replies, “You heard right.”

Artist’s note: I try to do my drawings quickly so they maintain that spontaneous feel I’m going for (something we’ve discussed in previous posts). For this one I ended up redrawing the artist’s pose and subtle facial expression over and over again until it felt right.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Pen and watercolor. Two fools wander through an open field. The tall one dressed in a carrot costume and the short one dressed in an apple costume. Their hands are out to their sides to maintain balance. Carrot speaks, “You feel the ground shaking?” In the distance, we see a massive herd of wild horses thundering towards them. Hooves pound the ground racing to carrot and apple. By the time our boys realize their mistake it could be too late. Where are they going? Why wander dressed as horse treats? Things to consider. Artist’s note: Most of my drawings are black & white and I tend to use color sparingly. Hilary Knight, the illustrator of the Eloise books, is a big influence on both my linework and color use.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Newspaper headline: WOODLAND FAIRIES DEFEATED IN FLORAL ARRANGEMENT CONTEST. In the article’s photo we see a man in a sweater vest posing next to his winning arrangement with a 1st place medal around his neck. To his left we see his opponents: a defeated band of woodland fairies with their losing arrangement. They look distraught and confused and they should be, reader. How could this happen to the heavy tournament favorites? They’re woodland fairies. Flowers are their life and yet when it was all on the line, they came up short. The winner was just a floral enthusiast not even a professional florist. A shocking defeat and an inspiring win.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Ballpoint pen, copic marker, & a bit of crayon. A fully grown man is in a tree fort high above the ground. A pack of river beavers have circled the tree and are beginning to chomp. He pleads with the beavers. “Beavers,” he says. “Let’s talk. I can get you logs.” It’s doubtful that a deal will be made. These beavers have had their sights set on this tree and there’s no guarantee that this man can deliver on his log promise. Big tree fall hard. Artist’s note: I like how the leaves turned out here.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

A freestanding shelf is filled with plushies and stuffed animals. Elephants, bears, dolls, little horses, etc. Everyone is wearing a pink bow on their head, except for one: A tiny man, smaller than the rest of the group, hiding on the top shelf without his bow. A woman, who is not tiny and wearing a matching bow, stands next to her shelf of stuffed animals. She looks at the floor and sees that one of the bows has been thrown to the ground. “Looks like someone’s not wearing their bow,” she says. Her cat looks up at the top shelf, giving away the tiny man’s position.
Reader, we can’t be certain what happens next but there will likely be a punishment for bow removal. Also, let me tell you that while I like this piece, the line work bugs me a little. This is an older one and looking at it now I have to say that it’s too precise compared to some other drawings. Sometimes when I’m trying to add more details or multiple characters, I tend to slow down and be too deliberate with my lines. That’s not a bad thing but I prefer lines that indicate shape or at least feel spontaneous so there’s more energy. I’ve gotta trust myself when drawing and just let it rip. Of course it really doesn’t matter but at the same time it matters so much. We move on. We try again. Also, I’m going to make plush animals. I’m working on it.

Reposted by Mr. Joshua

zach silberberg @zachsilberberg.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

ever since mr joshua started writing alt text it has become required reading. a wonderful insight into his process. thank you pants

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Ballpoint pen on paper. A man in his PJs is tucked into his bed. He's upset because the bed has been lifted off the ground by a pack of small, mischievous creatures. We can only see 9 of them in the image but there are likely many more since they're all working together to lift the heavy bed frame. As the creatures run with the bed they chant, "hup hup hup hup hup hup hup hup hup." The man in the bed wants no part of this. "Put me down. No more hups," he says. It's unclear where they are going or what is happening. There is no punchline. There is little to no context. You're either with the hup team or you're out. Thank you for reading these.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

A large group of medieval knights ride in formation on horseback through an open field. The leader of the pack warns the group of a log in their path as his horse jumps over the obstacle. “Log,” he yells. This starts a chain of “logs” as each rider yells “log” so everyone is aware of the log. Their strong communication and teamwork likely results in all of the riders avoiding the log safely. Artist’s note: simple yet sloppy line work and elite composition make this piece a core work in pants art history.

Reposted by Mr. Joshua

Bean N. Curling @beancurling.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I will get around to hanging my framed @pantspants.bsky.social art. Maybe today.

Framed Mr. Joshua cartoon sitting on my office file cabinet.

Reposted by Mr. Joshua

Nick Katz @nickkatz.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Every @pantspants.bsky.social can be a Spooky Pants if you've got moxie.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

These babies will start shipping next month. Very limited supply available. Lock in now if you want to be a part of art history in 2027.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

A man in socks stands in front of a full-length mirror. He wags his finger in the air and speaks to his reflection, "Me? No no no... I don't dance. I would never." But he's fibbing to himself and us, reader. He knows it too because as soon as he finishes the conversation, he begins dancing. And dancing well. We can see that his bold and confident moves are clearly inspired by Gene Kelly and Bob Fosse.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Pencil on paper. A man in a sweater leans out of his apartment window with his hand on his heart and yells out for everyone to hear, “There’s music in my heart again.” A woman leans out from her window a floor below him and says, “Sing us a song, sweater boy.” Artist’s note: I was emerging from a long stretch of moodiness when I made this one. For a moment, I was sweater boy.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

A chef approaches a table where 3 food judges are waiting to be served. Before setting down the plates he tells them, "Judges, I'm in no mood for constructive feedback. Praise or nothing."

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

More Sketchbook stuffff. A man wearing a cape is holding a paint brush in front of a blank canvas. He shouts a command to someone or possibly no one, “Remove my cape. I’m ready to paint.”

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Sloppy drawing from sketchbook. A home baker is in the kitchen reading a book of muffin recipes titled “David’s Muffins.” They read a passage from the book out loud, “ “Add a pinch of cinnamon” oh, David you truly are the muffin man. “

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

A man is vacuuming while trying to make conversation with someone in another room. He is thrilled with the turning radius of the machine. A voice from the other room yells, “What?” The vacuuming man yells back, “I said this puppy’s got serious turning radius.” It’s likely he’ll continue to repeat himself over the sound of the vacuum Artist’s note: I’m always aiming for bold and sloppy line work. We achieved that here.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Muji 0.5mm ballpoint pen on notebook paper. A poorly drawn donkey sits in the grass. The text reads “you have a secret admirer”

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Ballpoint pen, colored pencil, and copic gray marker on paper. A man sits at the table with a painting easel, painting supplies, and a small bowl of fruit. As he paints on the canvas he speaks to someone on his landline phone, “Had a dream that a witch told me to start painting - - yeah, doin’ a little fruit bowl thing.” Artist’s note: I probably should’ve painted the colors in this one rather than used colored pencil. Whatever the witch represents in his psyche he is wise to listen to her.

Reposted by Mr. Joshua

metal dot txt @metaltxt.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Got a ridiculously over the top frame for the @pantspants.bsky.social print

Clear a circle. I’m going to dance.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Two men clap their hands in rhythm as three small fairies float through the air playing music on their woodwind instruments. In the foreground, we see a sign in the grass that reads, "Do not clap-along." It's unclear what the consequences will be for disregarding the sign but it's likely that there will be a punishment.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

“Cowboy Roll” • Pen, colored pencil, and copic gray marker on paper. A lone cowboy sits atop a hill in the foreground. He yells out to his colleagues “last one” before rolling down the hill like a silly boy. When he reaches the bottom he sits up and says “just one more.” In the background of the piece we see two other cowboys on their horses and a 3rd horse eating grass. It’s likely these cowboys have been waiting here for sometime. Artist’s note: I like the line work and expressions in this one. I try to keep most of my drawings as single panels so creating movement and time-lapse in one frame is a good challenge.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A very grumpy man in a sweater is attempting to spend the afternoon indulging his bad mood while listening to music on his portable CD player. Unfortunately, his plans are ruined because the beat of the song is so good that it begins to improve his nasty attitude. The caption reads "Trying to brood but the beat is improving my mood." Artist's Note: I was thinking of the song Fantasy by Mariah Carey. Great beat.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

An audience listens to a presentation about Gus Gus, the rotund mouse from the 1950 animated feature film Cinderella. The speaker shows a slide of Gus Gus with a massive stack of yellow corn kernels and states, “Gus Gus’ greed nearly results in his death. Next slide.” He is of course referencing the moment when Gus Gus attempts to load up on breakfast kernels despite the threat of Lucifer, the stepmother’s nasty cat. An earlier moment in the film shows Gus Gus struggling to get his share of corn from a pack of hungry chickens.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

A small child with a bowl cut offers his horse, Applejacks, a carrot. The boy shares the good news that his father has pointed out that he and the horse have a similar haircut. "Pa says we got the same cut, Applejacks." I think we can all agree that father is correct.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Man stands at a grocery store self-checkout machine with his groceries. The screen on the self-check asks the customer “Got any fun plans for the weekend? tap yes or no.” It’s likely he will tap no

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Listen up, I deleted this piece earlier because it doesn't ring true in my heart. Our boy wouldn't lie about the cha-cha. He rolled his ankle doing the cha-cha. That's what happened and there's no reason to hide it. No more lies.

A balding man sits on a doctor’s table with an injured ankle. The doctor asks him how he hurt his ankle and the man recalls a memory of him twisting his ankle while performing the cha-cha for his cat. He lies to the doctor and says he was jogging. I don’t like this comic.

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

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Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Art collectors: Big signed frog prints are in the shop now theartofpants.com

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

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Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Mr. Joshua @pantspants.bsky.social · 07/08/2026