Q&A for How to Analyze Political Cartoons

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How good do I need to be at drawing to make good authentic cartoons?

Community Answer

To make a good authentic cartoon, it's less about how well you can draw, and more about how well you can convey the message using analogy, irony, exaggeration, labeling and symbolism. You don't need to be the best at art, as long as you can convey what you are trying to show.

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What does it mean when in a political cartoon it shows graveyards?

Community Answer

Maybe that something in the comic is dying, outdated and should be left for dead or dead. It definitely means death in some form. You would have to analyze the cartoon as a whole to understand it though.

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Question

How do I analyze a normal cartoon?

AneHane

Community Answer

Almost all cartoons, even those that are not overtly so, are political. You can apply all these steps to a "normal" cartoon, too, but you will find that almost all cartoons have a political message. This might not relate to party politics, but more abstract forms, like international relations, gender inequality or generational disparities.

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What do straight or curvy lines used in a cartoon mean?

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It depends, but in most cases, they may anticipate or indicate a challenge or problem.

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Question

What is frame in analyzing a cartoon?

Community Answer

The frame is the border around a panel, which is where almost everything in a cartoon happens. Panels are separated by gutters, which are white gaps. As you go from the left to the right, each panel usually shows a moment later in time.

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