A cartoonist works in the make-believe world. The crooked creations of art take us to the world of imagination.He is an artist of vague lines. Acartoonist is expected to be a good communicator. He or she transmits information through three processes:
Leveling, sharpening, and assimilation.
The cartoons in books or magazines are usually leveled with two-dimensional works of art. The lines of cartoon outline of a figure with only a hint of the form’s texture, shade, and shape. The outlinesare simplified and they don’t carry unnecessary details.
Sharpening imparts importance to the objects that are dealt with in the frame. The cartoonist works with the eyes, mouth, brows, arms, and legs of the subjects with the clothes that suggest the real subject and ‘life-in-action.’
The depth of the cartoonist’s creation lies in assimilation through exaggeration and interpolation so that the fantasymakes sense for the viewer.
The experts of the field believe that a cartoon should maintain a positive outlook and balance in the description as this medium is a form of popular communication. Simplifying it can lead to oversimplification; sharpening can unfairly caricature; exaggeration can affect the worst racial, ethnic, or sexist elements of popular culture.
Children’s cartoons help in developing the knowledge and vision of the kids – not the subject of this article.
Social and political cartoons are drawn to convey an idea that is more like a commentary upon the current events. Cartoons are the barometers of fundamental freedoms enjoyed by the citizens of a state.A look at a cartoon informs about the freedom of speech and press.
Cartoonists go with short and crisp comments that create a novel impression and convey a deep thought by combining word and action. The cartoons are not difficult to draw but to create a make-believe world which a reader or viewerwould carry home is a real challenge.
