Make it Pretty A beginner’s guide to editorial and political cartoons

Methods A typical political cartoon can use different methods to make a point Art can be very detailed or simple A cartoon is like a “visual editorial” or column

4 Common techniques Caricature Exaggeration Symbolism Pop Culture Reference

Exaggeration Taking a situation to an extreme to show its folly Example: Sending the military to combat avian flu

Exaggeration

Caricature Physical Exaggeration Focuses usually on a person’s face, emphasizing certain features Examples: Clinton’s round nose, fat chin; Bush’s pointy ears, thin lips

Caricature (common person)

Symbolism Very common, especially for political purposes Using one person or object to represent an entire group or abstract concept Examples: elephants and donkeys

Symbolism

Pop Culture Reference Using something in popular culture to make a comparison to hard news Helps to make important news more accessible

Pop Culture Reference

Test your knowledge What point is the cartoonist trying to make? What technique(s) does the cartoonist use?

Test your knowledge What point is the cartoonist trying to make? What technique(s) does the cartoonist use?

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