On Orc Laughter (Patreon)

I rarely sketch a smiling orc, but it was with some horror that I realized I had never drawn an orc laughing. Which begs the question, do orcs laugh? How?

Here's what I came up with:

• Orcs do have a sense of humor but it's not complex. 

• Orcs love crude physical/bodily humor, especially witnessing falls and other accidents.

• The original orc laugh sounds more ape than human, mostly on the breath with jaws and eyes wide open. This can be intimidating.

• As orcs encountered other races, they began imitating laughter as we know it. They are not good at it, and it's even more intimidating.

• Most orcs think one laughs with the throat—and unaccustomed to the practice—gag as they make the attempt. It is not uncommon for an orc to get it wrong and throw up for their troubles.

This post (obviously) dedicated to Andrew.