Cartooning and Illustration are great ways to express oneself. But how to draw? There are several points to consider that will help you become a better cartoonist or illustrator:

What to draw and what NOT to draw

Cartoon Cartoons or Realistic Cartoons?

Communication & Storytelling

What to draw and what NOT to draw
Cartoons are basically abstractions—a set of lines that suggest a real life object in the viewers mind. The most successful cartoons communicate not only to the mind, but also to the heart and the soul. So, how best to create this abstraction?

Charles Schultz, the creator of Peanuts said one needs to be able to draw the object realistically before he can draw it as a cartoon. This is good advice. You need to know what an object looks like and what distinguishes it from other objects. With a cartoon, you only use a few lines, so each line needs to express the size, shape, and feel of the object. Otherwise you just have lines on paper.

To create a cartoon, basically you strip away all the nonessential features and information from a drawing of an object until you are left with it's most basic and necessary elements. Draw enough lines to define the object clearly, but don't draw a single line more

Cartoon Cartoons or Realistic Cartoons?
There are two basic types of cartoons with everything else being in the spectrum between. Deciding on the type of cartoon to draw depends on what statement you are trying to make. Cartoon Cartoons are the most abstract with the least resemblance to the real world. Common examples include Flintstones, Dexter's Laboratory, Calvin & Hobbes, etc.

Cartoon Cartoons are more concerned with communicating some aspect of an object or character such as an outstaning trait or how we think of the character or object. They allow for more extreme actions and zany movements. They are great for expressing feeling and emotion. Cartoon Cartoons are great for high concept art and art for small children, because all the extraneous material has been stripped away which helps to promote the concept or idea in concept art, and is simpler to not confuse little kids.

Realistic Cartoons resemble the real world. They have correct perspective, accurate anatomy, correct proportions, and less extreme and/or zany antics. Examples include G.I. Joe and Superman, Story art, art for an older audience, and super hero art are common uses realistic cartoons.

Communication & Storytelling
After deciding what type of a Cartoon to use, you need to figure out how best to make your statement.

Probably the hardest thing about making a statement is making other people understand what you're trying to say. Everybody has a different background, different experiences, and different ways of interpreting the world around them. Using images, symbols, and ideas that most people can relate to and understand is both limiting and difficult.

You need to know who will view your statement and tailor it to them. A work of art no one gets is a waste of time, resources, and space. Show a comp to others and get their input. Is the message clear? Do they get it quickly, or do they have to think about it for awhile? Is there a clearer way to make your statement? Do all of the elements in your composition contribute to the overall message, or do they add confusion?

Elements of Art | Principles of Design | Color Theory

©2003 Jeff Thomason