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Copyright © 2008-2012 | All Rights Reserved | Lee Rodriguez www.cartoonrod.comPolitical and Editorial Cartoon Information
The Bias of Editorial Cartoons
An editorial cartoonist has an advantage that other journalists, including editorial writers, do not share. Cartoonists are able, if not encouraged, to voice their personal biases in their work. The cartoonist’s reliance on caricatures and exaggerated features creates an artistic license that is not shared by those that work with the written word.
Why is this Important?
Understanding the personal bias of an editorial cartoonist is important for a variety of reasons. First, it is necessary for a reader to understand that a cartoon need not be objective like other forms of journalism. For example, you will not see an article written in the New York Times, Washington Post or other well respected paper that overtly calls one politician a devil and another an angel. However, you may see the devil and angel portrayed in a political cartoon. Even editorials which argue one side of an issue are typically polite and well reasoned pieces. An editorial writer needs to have facts and arguments to support his or her positions. An editorial cartoonist does not need anything to support the premise of his or her cartoon. Readers need to be aware of that and treat the information learned from the cartoon accordingly.
Editorial cartoonists understand that they are permitted more leeway in their artistic cartoons than other journalists or editorial writers. They are much less likely to be sued for misrepresenting the facts than traditional journalists. For example, some cartoons show politicians acting violently toward another politician or group of people. It is understood that in the context of cartooning, the violence is meant to represent a politician’s strong stance against another politician or idea. However, if a journalist or editorial writer were to write that Politician A took a knife to or shot Politician B (and, of course, it was untrue) that journalist or editorial writer would be criticized and might even lose his or her job or be sued.
What are Some Examples?
Many political cartoonists have found recognition and even fame in their support of a candidate or a cause. As early as 1754, Ben Franklin published a cartoon in support of the unification of the American colonies. During the middle and late 1800s, Thomas Nast made his anti Ku Klux Klan views well known. Additionally, his cartoons were thought to help elect several presidents. It was Nast’s cartoon portrayals of the donkey and the elephant that have given rise to those animals as the symbols of the two primary political parties in the United States.
Those who steadily follow or study political cartoons would do well to learn the background of a particular cartoonist and to study his or her pieces together. In that way a reader can understand the personal bias of the cartoonist and better understand his or her pieces of work. Not everything seen or read in an editorial cartoon is literally true. Many cartoonists work with metaphors and exaggerations to make their points. A good editorial cartoonist knows how to balance the literal truth while making effective, enjoyable and memorable metaphors.
Political Cartoons in the Classroom
An editorial cartoonist might be surprised to know that his or her work may be studied by both current students and future generations of students. Editorial cartoons have a lot to teach both about the politics and issues of the time in which they are written and about analyzing an editorial work of art.
Why are Cartoons Used in the Classroom?
Political cartoons provide many lessons for students. First, the cartoons require students to think analytically. They must analyze the symbols and pay attention to the subtle details in order to understand the message being conveyed by the editorial cartoonist. This lesson in analytic thinking should carry over to other areas of the student’s studies. For example, it may help them in the areas of art appreciation, creative writing and literature. Concepts such as metaphors and satire can be taught in an exciting and memorable way.
Further, cartoons provide interesting history and political science lessons. Many important politicians and social issues are depicted in editorial cartoons. Famous cartoonists such as Thomas Nast used the medium to portray their views on slavery, segregation and various political contests among other issues. During World War II, Dr. Seuss was an editorial cartoonist who made his anti-Hitler, anti-racism and anti-Japanese feelings well known. Even with regard to the 2008 United States presidential election, editorial cartoonists are making their opinions known and expressing important issues within their cartoons.
Just about every major United States presidential candidate in the last 150 years, and every war and social issue in the United States has been depicted in an editorial cartoon. By grouping editorial cartoons together, either by year, by subject matter or by cartoonist, students can learn valuable history lessons.
Effective Teaching Techniques
Children enjoy comics and are usually excited to see political cartoons as part of their school work. It is useful for them to answer simple questions about the cartoon to get them thinking about the cartoon’s use of symbols and potential bias. Another useful assignment is to have each student create their own cartoon about a current events issue that is being reported on in the press. Students may be excited to see their work compiled into a newspaper type handout or published in the school paper, if possible.
There are many lessons that can be taught with political cartoons. You can use a few cartoons in conjunction with each new chapter in your history curriculum or you can do an entire unit on analyzing political cartoons as part of your English, journalism, political science or history class. Either way the students are learning valuable analytical skills while at the same time learning about important historical or current events.
Editorial cartoons evolved as a way of communicating personal view points to the masses. Few, if any, of the 18th and 19th century editorial cartoonists could have imagined that their work would be important for 21st century students. However, there work is important and has much to teach today’s students. So, each editorial cartoonist at work today should consider the impact their work might have both on their intended audience and future generations of students.
Political Cartoons on the Internet
Finding a job as an editorial cartoonist for a newspaper or magazine can be difficult. There are few jobs available and there is intense competition for each opening. As newspapers and periodicals cut costs, editorial cartoons are often one of the first things to be cut. So, that leaves many editorial cartoonists looking for other places to publish their work.
The internet is an obvious choice for many experienced and aspiring cartoonists. Despite cuts in newspaper and magazine jobs, the public still has an interest in reading well crafted editorial cartoons. There are specific websites dedicated to the publication of editorial cartoons and some are very popular.
Why the Continued Popularity of Editorial Cartoons?
There are a few reasons why editorial cartoons continue to be popular in the United States in the 21st century. One important reason is that many of today’s public school students are required to pass a standardized test in order to graduate from high school. Many states require that an editorial cartoon be analyzed by the student as part of the test. Accordingly, analyzing editorial cartoons is part of many public school curricula. Some students seek out editorial cartoons on the internet as part of their homework and others discover that they have a genuine interest in the cartoons and continue to read them long after the assignment is over and the testing is completed.
Older Americans may have nostalgic feelings about editorial cartoons. Editorial cartoons were very popular at the turn of the last century and into the middle of the 20th century. Many of today’s senior citizens may fondly remember their parents and grandparents discussing the current political cartoon and some may remember or have clippings of their favorites.
Many Americans, of all ages, appreciate the work of an editorial cartoonist for the complex and thoughtful pieces that they create. It takes great skill to create a good editorial cartoon. A cartoonist must be a talented artist, have a good sense of humor and understand the current issues. The combination of these skills create thoughtful pieces of art that are appreciated by many people.
Why the Internet?
In the 21st century, many Americans rely on the internet for most of their news and a good deal of their entertainment. While many still read the daily paper, few read it with the precision and detail of our parents and grandparents. Instead, we browse the internet for stories that we wish to know more about and for entertainment. Editorial cartoons give both information about current events and entertainment. Without purchasing a paper or leaving their desks, Americans can go to their favorite internet sites and follow the work of their favorite cartoonists, no matter where the cartoonist publishes his or her printed work.
As we continue in the digital age, the popularity of editorial cartoons on the internet is likely to continue growing. An editorial cartoonist who wishes to compete in today’s market will understand this and seek to have his or her work published on the internet, in addition to other mediums.
Professional Political Cartoonists
While it may not be a large profession, every editorial cartoonist should know of the organizations which support the profession and the awards available for those cartoonists who excel.
Organizations
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) is the largest professional organization for editorial cartoonists. It provides many useful services for its members. The goal of the organization is to promote the work of all editorial cartoonists in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Professionals, freelance cartoonists and students are all encouraged to participate in the AAEC. The AAEC is dedicated to its work of promoting editorial cartoonists and as such may get involved in First Amendment freedom of the press issues. Otherwise, the organization does not get involved in political matters.
The other goal of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists is to bring together cartoonists to talk about the industry and to learn from each other. In addition to cartoonists, the AAEC welcomes publishers, collectors and historians at its annual conference which is held in a different North American city each year. Creating editorial cartoons can be a lonely field. While some cartoonists work on staff at major newspapers and magazines, many work individually as freelancers. The chance to connect to other cartoon professionals is important both professionally and psychologically. It is certainly possible to learn about other cartoonists styles from looking at their work but it may also be beneficial to learn about how they generate their ideas and how they organize their work time.
Other more general professional organizations for cartoonists are also open to editorial cartoonists. For example, editorial cartoonists may join the National Cartoonists Society.
Awards
The most coveted of all journalism awards, the Pulitzer Prize, has an award for the best American editorial cartoonist each year. The Pulitzer committee has been giving this award out since 1922. The committee considers things such as originality, effectiveness and quality of drawing. The committee’s reasoning for giving the award to a particular cartoonist is explained at the time the award is presented.
Other awards include the Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Thomas Nast award from the Overseas Press Club. For students, the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists awards the John Lochner Memorial Award each year to the most promising student editorial cartoonist. Editorial cartoonists may also be included in various books or collections that are created to honor the best editorial cartoons of a given year. Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year and Best Political Cartoons of the Year are published annually, for example, and showcase different cartoonists’ work.
It is true that most editorial cartoonists do not enter the field to win awards and they most certainly do not do it for the money. However, creating effective and meaningful editorial cartoons is hard work and it is always nice for hard work to be appropriately recognized. It is also useful for an aspiring cartoonist to look at the work that has been recognized with these prestige awards to see what kind of cartooning is effective. So, whether you are a student or a professional editorial cartoonist it is important to know about both the professional organizations and the awards specific to editorial cartooning.
What Makes an Editorial Cartoon Effective?
An effective editorial cartoonist understands certain elements that will make his or her cartoons popular and memorable. It is a combination of factors that go into making a high quality political cartoon and it requires a great deal of thought and talent from the cartoonist.
The Art
Traditionally, editorial cartoons were drawn by hand. Editorial cartoons have been published in the United States since at least 1754 when Ben Franklin published his famous Join or Die cartoon. Ben Franklin did not have a choice but to draw by hand his separated snake in the Join or Die cartoon. Today’s cartoonists do have options. Many have turned to computer aided artwork. This certainly has its advantages for witty people who have an idea in their head for a cartoon but lack the artistic skills to draw that idea out on paper. It allows more people access to the world of political cartooning and gives the public a more diversified field of political cartoonists.
Whether the art is computer generated or done by hand, it should include traditional elements of political cartooning to be effective. For example, caricatures, visual metaphors and symbols are important features of an effective cartoon. Many political cartoons are a single frame and others are in comic strip form. Either way, the cartoons must have traditional elements of cartooning in order to be included in this category.
Effective symbolism works its way from editorial cartoons into the mainstream American culture. For example, the donkey and the elephant were first used to represent the two major U.S. political parties in the cartoons of Thomas Nast. Mr. Nast is also credited for giving us our modern day depiction of Santa Claus. Other cartoons have created symbols such as a dragon for China and Uncle Sam for the United States.
The Message
An editorial cartoonist should have a clear message for each one of his or her cartoons. Each cartoonist has a different style, a different technique and a different viewpoint. However, each cartoonist should try to clearly and concisely communicate his or her idea(s) on one topic for each cartoon. The goal should be to make the reader think about an important social or political issue of the time.
The cartoonist should also pick his or her topic with care. It needs to be an issue that many readers of the specific publication will identify with and understand. For example, a United States presidential election is likely an appropriate topic for a publication anywhere in the United States. However, the subtleties of a congressional campaign in Mississippi is unlikely to be understood by readers of a New York newspaper unless it is a nationally reported on race.
An effective political cartoon is truly a work of art. It requires a balance of art and politics that is subtle enough to make the reader think yet obvious enough to be understood by the intended audience. A good editorial cartoonist is capable of striking the right balance and creating cartoons that are enjoyed and admired.
How to Be a Successful Political Cartoonist
A successful political cartoonist understands the elements that make an ordinary cartoon into a sensation. The vast majority of political cartoons involve a caricature of a person (or people) and a situation in which the caricature(s) is placed. There are a few elements that make a political cartoon a success and any aspiring political cartoonist should understand each element in order to achieve the greatest possible success.
The first important element is the artwork. The artwork must be detailed enough to convey a complex message in a little space. Every stroke counts. Some details are exaggerated to prove a point. Like all cartoons, political cartoons are works of art and the best cartoons are created by talented artists. Some political cartoons are especially sought after and sold for large amounts of money.
The second element is that the cartoon must be based in truth. Of course the truth can be exaggerated to convey a message, however the cartoon must convey a real issue. Otherwise, people will dismiss it as pointless. Newspaper and magazine editors are unlikely to publish cartoons that have no basis in the truth. Political cartoonists must have a good understanding of both current politics and symbols that are familiar to the public at large.
The third element is that the cartoon must be simultaneously well detailed and uncomplicated. Traditionally, political cartoons have been found on the editorial pages of newspapers or magazines. In recent years, there is a growing presence of political cartoons on the internet. Either way, the cartoonist must assume that many people will take a quick glance at the cartoon. Therefore, the cartoon’s message must come across clearly and quickly. However, there are those who enjoy the subtle details of political cartoons and there is much information that can be conveyed in the details. Therefore, a cartoonist also needs to be careful to provide sufficient detail for his or her more detail orientated readers. Finally, the cartoonist should consider using a variety of symbols so that as many people as possible understand the cartoon and if one detail is not understood by a reader, that reader still understands the message of the cartoon.
Finally, if the cartoon is meant to last past the current election cycle then it must be about an issue or politician that is likely to be important in the future. Many cartoons from the 19th century are still popular today. They stand the test of time because the issues they address were important enough to be understood in an historical context by people of subsequent generations. Political cartoons provide a great history lesson for future generations of students and history buffs. They provide great insight into the important issues of the day.
So, successful political cartoons share important elements. Detailed artwork that is based on the truth, well detailed and about important issues make the most successful cartoons. A political cartoonist has an important and unique role to play in the world of editorials and well crafted cartoons will be admired and studied for generations.
A Cartoon Boon: Dr. Seuss’ Impact on United States Political Cartoons
When we think of Dr. Seuss, many of us think of a talented children’s author not a political cartoonist. There is still much to learn from the catchy rhymes of the Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham. There is also still much to learn from the political cartoons created by Dr. Seuss during World War II.
During the early 1940s, Dr. Seuss worked for a progressive newspaper in New York named the PM. From 1941-1943, he worked as the chief editorial cartoonist for that newspaper. For the PM newspaper alone, Dr. Seuss created over 400 political cartoons.
The Artwork
Some of Dr. Seuss’ best known artwork from his children’s book was actually first seen in his political cartoons of the 1940s. For example, in one cartoon Uncle Sam wears a hat that is very similar to the well recognized red and white striped hat of the Cat in the Hat. Other popular characters drawings such as a Sneetch, the Grinch and Yertle the Turtle also can be seen in the cartoons Dr. Seuss created for the PM newspaper. All of his cartoons are signed, “Dr. Seuss”, and there is no mistaking his artwork.
The Subject Matter
Dr. Seuss touched on all of the important issues facing the United States of America and, indeed, the world during his career as a political cartoonist in the early 1940s. His cartoons clearly depicted his anti-isolationism, anti-Hitler, and anti-Japanese thoughts regarding World War II. His cartoons also depicted his disdain for racism, anti-Semitism and conservative American politics.
However, despite his dislike for prejudice against African Americans and Jews, the political cartoons of Dr. Seuss show an overt racism towards the Japanese. In his cartoons about Germany, Hitler looks like Hitler. However, in his cartoons about Japan, he does not draw Hirohito or any other well known figure. Instead, he draws a stereotypical Japanese person in a way that many argue is racist.
While the great majority of Dr. Seuss’ political cartoons were created and published during the World War II years, he had other noteworthy political contributions. In the late 1920s, Dr. Seuss worked as a cartoonist for the magazines Judge and Life. He published an anti-prohibition cartoon in the Judge.
His post World War II work included posters and of course his world famous children’s books. Many of his children’s books had underlying political themes. For example, The Lorax is clearly about environmental issues, Yertle the Turtle is about dictators and The Sneetches is about the need for racial tolerance.
Dr. Seuss was a talented cartoonist and activist. At first glance his children’s books seem like delightful little rhyming stories designed to engage young children and, they are that. However, a more thoughtful reading uncovers deeper political and social messages that are also his important. Likely his early career as a political cartoonist helped shape his later career as a children’s author and helped give us many of the famous books that we cherish today.
The History of Political Cartoons
A talented political cartoonist can have an important part to play in commenting on modern American politics and in subsequent generations understanding of the politics and issues facing people at a certain time in history. As early as the 1700s, political cartoonists in the United States were publishing their work.
One of the famous early cartoons was done by Benjamin Franklin. It has a picture of a broken snake and the words “Join, or Die”. It was meant to depict that the separate colonies needed to unite or they would fail. Join or Die was published in 1754 and is often thought to be the first American political cartoon.
During the 1700 and 1800s, political cartoons were important because their messages reached concerned citizens who were both literate and illiterate. At that time in American history there was a large population of intelligent and politically astute citizens who could not read. The cartoons allowed them to think about other people’s opinions in a way that words could not. The cartoons also conveyed critical information about political candidates to citizens who could not read and helped change the way politicians acted.
Thomas Nast is often considered the first real political cartoonist. He was the first cartoonist to be published on the editorial page of a newspaper. He contributed to Harper’s Weekly from 1859-1860 and from 1862-1886 and his cartoons are thought to have helped imprison William Tweed for an embezzlement scandal. Specifically, it is thought that the Nast cartoons made Tweed very recognizable and therefore he was found and convicted. He dealt with the important issues of the day including slavery, segregation, the Ku Klux Klan and the American Indians. He is sometimes credited for helping to elect President Ulysses Grant by his relentless cartoons against the other candidate, Horace Greeley. Later, he had an important role in electing Rutherford B. Hayes to the presidency.
With the success of Thomas Nast and his important and influential role in the mid to late 19th century, many political cartoonists followed his lead. It is estimated that as many as 2,000 political cartoonists were working in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The majority represented conservative Republican views. Some sold their work individually at print shops and, over time, the majority began to publish in newspapers and magazines.
In 1884 Walt McDougall’s political cartoon ran on the front page of the October 30 edition of the New York World. It was a satire on presidential candidate James G. Blaine and is often attributed to the failure of his presidential bid. The cartoon created quite a stir and led other periodicals to compete for qualified cartoonists.
Today, there are not nearly as many political cartoonists as there were at the turn of the last century. It is a competitive business that requires an artist who is talented in his or her drawing and creative with his or her ideas. A political cartoonist must be opinionated, must be talented and must be competitive to succeed in this exciting editorial business.
How to Become a Political Cartoonist
With so few full time jobs available for political cartoonists, it may seem impossible to build a career as a political cartoonist. In a June 2005 article on the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists website, Mike Keefe, an editorial cartoonist with the Denver Post, claims that there are fewer than 100 full time editorial cartoonist jobs at major newspapers in the United States. He goes on to say, “You want something less exclusive? How about a surgery residency specializing in kangaroo face-lifts…” The news is not all discouraging, however, and with a little bit of work, there are ways to make yourself more marketable in this extremely competitive market and to earn some money creating the cartoons that you enjoy.
Education
There is no college degree program specific to political cartooning. However, most major newspapers want their employees to have an advanced degree. So, it is useful to tailor your program to the skills that you will need as a political cartoonist. A diversified program that includes history, political science, art and journalism are all useful classes for an aspiring political cartoonist. Effective cartooning uses art to convey a political or social message, so all of these courses would be useful in a future career as a political cartoonist.
Build a Portfolio
If you are looking for a full time job in this competitive field, you will almost always need a portfolio to show potential employers. There are a number of ways to build a portfolio without a full time job. You can begin at any time by trying to publish your cartoons in your school newspaper or an organization’s newsletter. As you become more skilled in the field you can attempt to publish your cartoons in local newspapers that are unlikely to have full time cartoonists on staff. As a freelance cartoonist, you can submit your work to various publications to gain more exposure. You should save copies of every published cartoon to build a portfolio that is rich in cartoons that address different topics and different audiences. A potential employer will want to know that you can produce a diverse set of cartoons for his or her publication. So, for example do not concentrate all of your cartoons on the economy but instead include some on the economy, some on international issues and some on politics.
Mentoring
As with any industry, a good mentor can be critical to the success of someone just starting out in the field. A mentor can provide a critique of your work and advise you on how to improve it. A mentor can also give you valuable advice about different publications and what they look for in a cartoonist. He or she may even have some job leads for you that will help you gain experience in the political cartooning field. If you are looking for a mentor then consider contacting the cartoonists in your local newspapers or contacting the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.
Political cartooning can be a fun and rewarding career. So, if you are considering a career as a political cartoonist then follow the steps to success that are described above and with hard work and a little luck your career will blossom.
Why do People Enjoy Political Cartoons?
The job of an effective political cartoonist is to convey a political or social message through his or her artwork. Since Benjamin Franklin’s famous Join or Die cartoon of 1754, Americans have enjoyed and learned from political cartoons.
The History
In the 19th century many intelligent and politically interested people were illiterate. Times were different than they are today. Farmers and even those in the city were less likely to be able to read newspapers, magazines or books. It wasn’t until well into the 20th century that radio was available in the United States. So, without radio and without access to written words, many people were limited in the news that they received. Politicians recognized this and some felt they were infallible because their constituents would never know of their illegal or immoral behavior.
Political cartoons changed that. A political cartoonist named Thomas Nast who worked for Harper Magazine in the latter half of the 19th century is often thought to be the father of American political cartoons. People who could not read could look at his cartoons and understand the sentiments.
Nast was very powerful in American presidential politics. Remarkably, all of his power came from his cartoons. Nast, through his cartoons, is said to have had an important role in electing Ulysses Grant to the presidency by his effective cartoons against Grant’s opponent, Horace Greeley. Later, President Rutherford B. Hayes called Nast, “the most powerful, single-handed aid [he] had”. Nast was able to reach the American public in a way that no other medium of the time could and, accordingly, he transformed American politics by communicating with the masses in a way that a single campaign speech could not.
Nast’s cartoons regarding difficult social issues of the time were also powerful and effective. His famous cartoons regarding the Tweed Ring resulted in the capture and imprisonment of William Tweed for an embezzlement scandal. Tweed had escaped to Spain after reportedly offering Nast half a million dollars to stop his cartoons on the subject. Nast’s cartoons made Tweed recognizable in Spain and he was caught and brought to justice. His cartoons also dealt with other important social issues of the time including the Ku Klux Klan, slavery, segregation and American Indians.
Nast’s success and, the public’s thirst for accessible information, led to the heyday of American political cartoons. It is estimated that there were approximately 2,000 full time cartoonists in the United States at the turn of the century.
Modern Day
Today, most people in the United States are literate. Even if they are not, most have access to radio and or televisions that report news on politicians and important social issues. There are not nearly as many political cartoonists as there was a century ago. However, political cartoons continue to play an important role in American journalism and education. People still look to the cartoons as a quick source of information or for a laugh at the outrageous conduct of a politician. Cartoons are routinely used in classrooms as a teaching tool about both history and modern day social issues.
Today, as in previous times, a political cartoonist provides his or her audience with valuable information in an enjoyable format and the effect of his or her cartoons should not be underestimated, as many a politician will attest.
