Editorial Cartoons

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Editorial Cartoons
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What is an editorial cartoon?

• Editorial cartoons are comics with a purpose.
• Also called political cartoons, they make a
  comment about issues in the news
• Editorial cartoons are opinion-based. They have a
  point of view. Not objective.

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Why are they effective?

• Visually powerful.
• Quick and easy to read people who wont read an
  entire editorial will glance at a cartoon
• Easy to understand theyre not often subtle, so
  most people get the message quickly

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• The combination of words and images gives an
  editorial cartoonist a unique way of commenting
  on the news.
• Because he or she isnt obligated to be
  objective, a good cartoonist can sway public
  opinion about an issue.

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What makes editorial cartoons effective?
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Editorial Techniques

• Good editorial cartoonists rely on a toolkit of
  persuasive and artistic techniques to generate a
  response in the reader.
• When used effectively, the techniques discussed
  on the following slides can create strong
  emotional and logical responses in a reader.

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• Many cartoonists are interested in starting a
  debate or a discussion.
• You may not agree with the opinion presented, but
  if it prompts you to talk about it, it can be
  considered a success. Editorial cartoonists want
  to influence the public discourse.

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Symbolism

• One thing stands in for something else. Editorial
  cartoons rely on images. There isnt time or
  space to use enough text to explain complex
  issues.
• As a result, a complex issue or a large group of
  diverse people may be distilled down to a single
  image.

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What do these symbolize?

• A dove?
• A beaver?
• Uncle Sam?
• A bull and a bear?
• A white flag?

• Peace
• Canada
• The U.S.A.
• The stock market
• Surrender

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Exaggeration / Distortion

• Certain elements of the visual are distorted to
  draw extra attention to them.
• What is distorted and how it is distorted will
  depend largely on the effect the artist hopes to
  create.

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• For example, a politician or country that is
  acting like a bully might be made
  disproportionately huge.
• An overwhelming underdog might be made just as
  disproportionately small.

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Stereotypes

• Stereotypes are more often than not insulting,
  generalizations that may or may not have any
  basis in fact.
• That said, they can be put to incredibly
  effective use by immoral and/or unscrupulous
  people.
• Some stereotypes are less negative and can be
  used by the artist to create humour, etc.

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Caricature

• Caricatures help us identify news figures quickly
  by emphasizing and exaggerating the most
  recognizable features of the person.
• Caricatures are not always flattering, but make
  it clear who the artist is drawing, even if his
  or her artistic skills are limited.

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Humour and Irony

• Humour can sometimes take the edge off a serious
  or controversial subject.
• Humour can also be used to ridicule a person,
  group or issue that that the artist believes to
  be embarrassing or wrong.

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• By making people laugh at something, the artist
  has the power to make it less powerful.
• Irony (a statement that is the opposite of what
  is meant) can also be used to draw attention to
  an issue that is important to the artist.

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Captions and Labels

• Words can be used (very few words, however) to
  emphasize or explain some aspect of the drawing.
• The artist may also use captions and labels to
  make it completely clear who or what is pictured
  in the drawing.
• A picture may be worth a thousand words, but
  sometimes one or two more words make the picture
  worth even more.

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Analyzing Cartoons

• Part I - Choose one of the cartoons in this
  PowerPoint and find another cartoon of your own
  choosing from one of the following sites
• http//cagle.msnbc.com/
• http//www.canadiancartoonists.com/
• Complete the Political Cartoon Analysis sheet
  provided

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• Complete the following for one of the two
  cartoons youve analyzed
• Briefly describe the cartoon
• What issue is being addressed?
• List the key objects in the cartoon
• What is the cartoons message? In other words,
  how do you think the cartoonist feels about the
  issue? (What gives away his or her bias?)

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• Is the artist successful in sending the message?
  Is the cartoon effective? Why or why not?
• Is there any person or group that might be
  particularly offended by this cartoon? Would they
  be justified in this feeling?
• Submit the final product via email
  jamiemac_at_staff.ednet.ns.ca