{{short description|Visual artist who makes cartoons}}
[[File:Jack Elrod.jpg|thumb|[[Jack Elrod]] working on the comic [[Mark Trail]]. This photo was taken by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.]]
{{for|people who make animated cartoons|Animator}}
A '''cartoonist''' is an artist who specializes in creating [[Cartoon|cartoons]]—visual artworks that often employ [[humor]], [[satire]], or [[caricature]] to convey messages or entertain audiences. These creations can be standalone images or part of a series, such as [[comic strips]] or [[graphic novels]]. Cartoonists may work across various media, including print publications, digital platforms, and [[animation]].<ref>[https://www.toonsmag.com/censorship-in-art/ The Bold Truth About Censorship in Art: Impact on Cartoonists and Illustrators]</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox occupation
|name = Cartoonist
|image = Jack Elrod.jpg
|caption = Cartoonist [[Jack Elrod (cartoonist)|Jack Elrod]] at work on a [[Sunday comics|Sunday page]] of the ''[[Mark Trail]]'' [[comic strip]]
A '''cartoonist''' is a [[visual artist]] who specializes in both drawing and writing<ref name="Guide"/> [[cartoon]]s (individual images) or [[comics]] (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from [[comics writer]]s or '''comics illustrators'''/'''artists'''<!--'Comics artist', 'Comic artist', 'Comic book artist', 'Comic strip artist', 'Comics illustrator', 'Comic illustrator', 'Comic book illustrator', and 'Comic strip illustrator' redirect here--> in that they produce both the literary and graphic components of the work as part of their practice.
Cartoonists may work in a variety of formats, including [[book]]lets, [[comic strip]]s, [[comic book]]s, [[editorial cartoons]], [[graphic novel]]s, [[User guide|manuals]], [[gag cartoon]]s, [[storyboards]], [[posters]], [[shirts]], [[books]], [[advertisements]], [[greeting cards]], [[magazines]], [[newspapers]], [[webcomic]]s, and [[video game packaging]].
== '''Historical Overview''' ==
The term "cartoon" originally referred to a full-scale preparatory drawing for artworks like frescoes, tapestries, or mosaics. In the early 19th century, it evolved to denote humorous or satirical [[illustrations]] in newspapers and magazines. This shift marked the emergence of the modern cartoonist, who combines artistic skill with social or political commentary. <ref>https://www.britannica.com/art/caricature-and-cartoon</ref>
==Terminology==
=== '''Roles and Responsibilities''' ===
<!--'Cartooning' redirects here-->
Cartoonists are responsible for both the visual and narrative elements of their work. They conceptualize ideas, develop storylines, and create illustrations that effectively communicate their intended message. This process often involves:
{{see also|Comics creator}}
A cartoonist's discipline encompasses both authorial and drafting disciplines<ref name="Guide">{{cite book
|last1 = Lyga
|first1 = Allyson A. W.
|author2-link = Barry Lyga
|last2 = Lyga
|first2 = Barry
|year = 2004
|title = Graphic Novels in your Media Center: A Definitive Guide
}}</ref> (see [[interdisciplinary arts]]). The terms "comics illustrator", "comics artist", or "comic book artist" refer to the picture-making portion of the discipline of '''cartooning'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA--><ref>{{cite web
|last = Rojahn
|first = Margaret
|date = May 4, 2022
|title = 10 Reactions To Neal Adams's Passing From The Comics' Community
}}</ref> (see [[illustrator]]). While every "cartoonist" might be considered a "comics illustrator", "comics artist", or a "comic book artist", not every "comics illustrator", "comics artist", or a "comic book artist" is a "cartoonist".
Ambiguity might arise when illustrators and writers share each other's duties in authoring a work.<ref>''Contemporary Literary Criticism'', Volume 195, Gale, 2005, p. 167: "(Full name [[Neil Richard Gaiman]]) English [[graphic novelist]]".</ref>
* '''Researching''' current events or cultural topics to ensure relevance.
* '''Sketching''' initial drafts and refining them into final pieces.
* '''Collaborating''' with editors or writers, especially in publications.
* '''Adapting''' to various styles and formats, depending on the target audience and medium.
==History==
=== '''Types of Cartoonists''' ===
Cartoonists can be categorized based on the nature of their work:
===Editorial cartoons===
* '''[[Editorial Cartoonist|Editorial Cartoonists]]''': Focus on political or social commentary, often found in newspapers and magazines.
{{main|Editorial cartoon}}
* '''[[Comic Strip Artist|Comic Strip Artists]]''': Create recurring characters and storylines, typically published in serial formats.
The English [[satire|satirist]] and [[editorial cartoonist]] [[William Hogarth]], who emerged in the 18th century, poked fun at contemporary politics and customs; illustrations in such style are often referred to as "Hogarthian".<ref>[http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/invt/brimus068?stylecat=art_prints The British Museum. Beer Street, William Hogarth - Fine Art Print] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303011009/http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/invt/brimus068?stylecat=art_prints |date=3 March 2010 }} Retrieved 11 April 2010.</ref> Following the work of Hogarth, [[Political cartoon|editorial/political cartoons]] began to develop in England in the latter part of the 18th century under the direction of its great exponents, [[James Gillray]] and [[Thomas Rowlandson]], both from London. Gillray explored the use of the medium for lampooning and [[caricature]], calling the king ([[George III]]), prime ministers and generals to account, and has been referred to as the father of the political cartoon.<ref>{{cite news|title=Satire, sewers and statesmen: why James Gillray was king of the cartoon|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/mar/21/satire-sewers-and-statesmen-james-gillray-king-of-cartoon|agency=[[The Guardian]]|date=16 June 2015}}</ref>
* '''[[Graphic Novelist|Graphic Novelists]]''': Develop longer, more complex narratives presented in book form.
{{Clear}}
* '''[[Animator|Animators]]''': Specialize in creating animated cartoons for television, film, or digital media.
[[File:Benjamin Franklin - Join or Die.jpg|left|thumb|[[Benjamin Franklin]]'s ''[[Join, or Die]]'' (May 9, 1754), credited as the first cartoon published in an American newspaper]]
====Origin in the U.S.====
=== '''Notable Cartoonists''' ===
While never a professional cartoonist, [[Benjamin Franklin]] is credited with the first cartoon published in ''[[The Pennsylvania Gazette]]'' on May 9, 1754: ''[[Join, or Die]]'', depicting the American colonies as segments of a snake.{{sfn|Hess|Northrop|2011|p=24}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia {{!}} "Join, or Die," Pennsylvania Gazette, 9 May 1754|url=https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/cartoons-and-cartoonists/15961_ca_object_representations_media_105404_original-2/|access-date=24 October 2021|website=philadelphiaencyclopedia.org}}</ref> In the 19th century, professional cartoonists such as [[Thomas Nast]], whose work appeared in ''[[Harper's Weekly]]'', introduced other familiar American political symbols, such as the [[Republican Party (United States)#Name and symbols|Republican elephant]].{{sfn|Hess|Northrop|2011|p=24}}
Throughout history, several cartoonists have gained prominence for their influential work:
{{Clear}}
===Comic strips===
* '''[[Honoré Daumier]]''': A 19th-century French artist known for his satirical lithographs critiquing society and politics.
{{main|Comic strip}}
* '''[[Charles Schulz]]''': Creator of the beloved "[[Peanuts]]" comic strip, featuring characters like [[Charlie Brown]] and [[Snoopy]].
{{Comics navbar}}
* '''[[Osamu Tezuka]]''': Often referred to as the "[[God of Manga]]," he significantly impacted Japanese comics and animation.
[[Comic strip]]s received widespread distribution to mainstream newspapers by [[Print syndication|syndicates]].<ref name="www.comicsreporter.com">{{Cite web | title = The Comics Reporter | url = http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/all_about_comics/all_about/76/ | access-date = 17 November 2009 }}</ref>
* '''[[Alison Bechdel]]''': Known for her graphic memoir "[[Fun Home]]" and the long-running comic strip "[[Dykes to Watch Out For]]."
Calum MacKenzie, in his preface to the exhibition catalog, ''The Scottish Cartoonists'' (Glasgow Print Studio Gallery, 1979) defined the selection criteria:
=== '''Impact and Influence''' ===
:The difference between a cartoonist and an illustrator was the same as the difference between a comedian and a comedy actor—the former both deliver their own lines and take full responsibility for them, the latter could always hide behind the fact that it was not his entire creation.<ref>MacKenzie, Calum. ''The Scottish Cartoonists''. Glasgow Print Studio Gallery, 1979.{{page needed|date=September 2023}}</ref>
Cartoonists play a vital role in shaping public opinion and reflecting cultural sentiments. Through satire and humor, they can highlight societal issues, challenge authority, and provide commentary on current events. Their work often serves as a historical record, capturing the zeitgeist of different eras.
Many strips were the work of two people although only one signature was displayed. Shortly after [[Frank Willard]] began ''[[Moon Mullins]]'' in 1923, he hired [[Ferd Johnson]] as his assistant. For decades, Johnson received no credit. Willard and Johnson traveled about [[Florida]], Maine, [[Los Angeles]], and Mexico, drawing the strip while living in hotels, apartments and farmhouses. At its peak of popularity during the 1940s and 1950s, the strip ran in 350 newspapers. According to Johnson, he had been doing the strip solo for at least a decade before Willard's death in 1958: "They put my name on it then. I had been doing it about 10 years before that because Willard had heart attacks and strokes and all that stuff. The minute my name went on that thing and his name went off, 25 papers dropped the strip. That shows you that, although I had been doing it ten years, the name means a lot."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-28-li-526-story.html|title=Toon Talk : Two Comic-Strip Artists Discuss the Craft They Love|date=28 September 1989|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
=== '''Modern Developments''' ===
With the advent of digital technology, the field of cartooning has expanded into new platforms. [[Webcomics]], social media, and digital animation have provided cartoonists with broader audiences and more interactive formats. Despite these changes, the core principles of combining art with narrative to convey messages remain central to the profession.
==See also==
The art of cartooning continues to evolve, adapting to new media and societal changes. Cartoonists remain influential figures in both art and communication, using their unique blend of visual storytelling and commentary to engage and inform audiences worldwide.
{{portal|Comics|Cartoon}}
{{Colbegin}}
*[[Comics creator]]
*[[Daily comic strip]]
*[[Editorial cartoonist]]
*[[Female comics creators]]
*[[Glossary of comics terminology]]
*[[List of cartoonists]]
*[[List of newspaper comic strips]]
*[[List of manga artists]]
*[[Mangaka]]
*[[Penciller]]
*[[Sunday comics]]
*[[Sunday strip]]
*[[Webcomic]]
'''Societies and organizations'''
*[[Association of American Editorial Cartoonists]]
*[[Association of Illustrators]]
*[[Cartoonists Rights Network International]]
*[[Indian Institute of Cartoonists]]
*[[National Cartoonists Society]]
*[[Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles]]
*[[Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators]]
*[[Society of Illustrators]]
*[[Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles]]
{{Colend}}
==References==
== Reference ==
===Citations===
<references />
{{Reflist|25em}}
[[Category:Cartoonist]]
===Works cited===
* {{cite book|last1= Hess|first1= Stephen|last2 = Northrop|first2 = Sandy|title= American Political Cartoons: The Evolution of a National Identity, 1754-2010|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=04VY36Q_OxAC|year= 2011|publisher = TransactionPublishers
|isbn= 978-1-4128-1119-4}}
==Further reading==
* Steve Edgell, Tim Pilcher, Brad Brooks, ''The Complete Cartooning Course: Principles, Practices, Techniques'' (London: Barron's, 2001).
==External links==
{{wiktionary|Cartoonist}}
{{commons category|Cartoonists}}
'''Societies and organizations'''
*[http://www.procartoonists.org/ Professional Cartoonists' Organisation (UK)]
*[http://www.reuben.org/ National Cartoonists Society]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070701020627/http://editorialcartoonists.com/ Association of American Editorial Cartoonists]
*[http://www.societyillustrators.org/ Society of Illustrators]
*[http://www.scbwi.org/ Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators]
*[http://www.si-la.org/ Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles]
*[http://www.theaoi.com/ The Association of Illustrators]
*[http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/ The Illustrators Partnership of America]
*[http://www.illustrationquebec.com/ AIIQ - l’Association des Illustrateurs et Illustratrices du Québec]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061205043129/http://allianceofillustrators.org/ Colorado Alliance of Illustrators]
*[http://www.archaeologists.net/groups/graphics Institute For Archaeologists Graphics Archaeology Group]
*[http://www.gnsi.org/ Guild of Natural Science Illustrators]
*[http://www.gnsinw.org/ Guild of Natural Science Illustrators-Northwest]
*[http://www.cartoonists.org.au/ Australian Cartoonists Association]
{{Comics}}
{{Pens}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Cartoonists| ]]
[[Category:Comic strip cartoonists|*]]
[[Category:Comics creators| ]]
[[Category:Visual arts occupations]]
[[Category:Comics]]
[[Category:Cartooning]]
Latest revision as of 11:01, 28 November 2024
Jack Elrod working on the comic Mark Trail. This photo was taken by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
A cartoonist is an artist who specializes in creating cartoons—visual artworks that often employ humor, satire, or caricature to convey messages or entertain audiences. These creations can be standalone images or part of a series, such as comic strips or graphic novels. Cartoonists may work across various media, including print publications, digital platforms, and animation.[1]
Historical Overview
The term "cartoon" originally referred to a full-scale preparatory drawing for artworks like frescoes, tapestries, or mosaics. In the early 19th century, it evolved to denote humorous or satirical illustrations in newspapers and magazines. This shift marked the emergence of the modern cartoonist, who combines artistic skill with social or political commentary. [2]
Roles and Responsibilities
Cartoonists are responsible for both the visual and narrative elements of their work. They conceptualize ideas, develop storylines, and create illustrations that effectively communicate their intended message. This process often involves:
Researching current events or cultural topics to ensure relevance.
Sketching initial drafts and refining them into final pieces.
Collaborating with editors or writers, especially in publications.
Adapting to various styles and formats, depending on the target audience and medium.
Types of Cartoonists
Cartoonists can be categorized based on the nature of their work:
Editorial Cartoonists: Focus on political or social commentary, often found in newspapers and magazines.
Comic Strip Artists: Create recurring characters and storylines, typically published in serial formats.
Graphic Novelists: Develop longer, more complex narratives presented in book form.
Animators: Specialize in creating animated cartoons for television, film, or digital media.
Notable Cartoonists
Throughout history, several cartoonists have gained prominence for their influential work:
Honoré Daumier: A 19th-century French artist known for his satirical lithographs critiquing society and politics.
Cartoonists play a vital role in shaping public opinion and reflecting cultural sentiments. Through satire and humor, they can highlight societal issues, challenge authority, and provide commentary on current events. Their work often serves as a historical record, capturing the zeitgeist of different eras.
Modern Developments
With the advent of digital technology, the field of cartooning has expanded into new platforms. Webcomics, social media, and digital animation have provided cartoonists with broader audiences and more interactive formats. Despite these changes, the core principles of combining art with narrative to convey messages remain central to the profession.
The art of cartooning continues to evolve, adapting to new media and societal changes. Cartoonists remain influential figures in both art and communication, using their unique blend of visual storytelling and commentary to engage and inform audiences worldwide.
