Political CartoonsA Brief Introduction

Current Local Issue

Decoding Political Cartoons

Just remember - K.I.D.B.I.

Essential DevicesCaricature-Purpose: to identify

the people, place, or event

Device: simplify, distort, or exaggerate

Analogy- Purpose: creation of

settings, situations, for comparison

Device: historical, literary, cultural

Words- Purpose- commentary,

explanation, revelation, Devices: titles, captions,

name tags, dialogue, balloons

Signs and related devices-

Purpose: quick communication

Devices: signs, symbols, stereotypes, size, shading

Identifying Bias of Cartoonist

National or Regional

Political

Religious

Racial or Ethnic

Vocational

Economic

Gender

Historical Influences

Personal Values

Marital Status

Caricature

Caricature is a form of visual satire and is nearly always negative.

Focus on a an individual’s unique physical characteristics and exaggerate or distort them!

Analogy

Analogy draws on a rich pool of historical, literary, and cultural

references to create a fantasy setting or situation which relates in some way to reality. The similarity forces the viewer to think about the situation

in a new way.

Words

Cartoons usually have titles or captions, and sometimes they have

name tags, balloon comments or dialogue.

Signs

Road signs, warning signs, informational signs. Abstract + = ÷×≠®™

Facial expressions, gestures, attitude and position of body, also used to convey messages.

They all emphasize ideas and convey emotions.

Symbols Canada:Maple LeafBeaverJean Baptiste

USA:Uncle SamStars and StripesEagle

Britain:Union Jack The Lion

StereotypesA stereotype is an

oversimplified mental picture of characteristics supposedly shared by many people in a group.

Stereotypes may be unfair and insulting to the group they represent!

Size

Size is frequently used by cartoonists to draw attention to a particular figure in the cartoon or to emphasize status or power.

Shading

Another visual device used by cartoonists is shading. The dark figures represent the ‘bad’ guys, and the light figures the ‘good’ guys. How is shading used here?

Editorial Cartoon Drawn in 2 Minutes !!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dkaEPWyi_k&feature=related

In class: Applying your new knowledge of the devices

used by political /editorial cartoonists – analyze the political cartoons I have handed

out.

Assignment:Look at examples of Canadian political cartoons

on-line, then create your own political cartoon from either a current or historical

Canadian political event relevant specifically to women.

Photo Option for Assignment:

If you do not wish to draw – you may use a digital photograph, or photo from the recent news.

Giving credit where credit is due:

This PowerPoint has been adapted by Anastasia Andrews from the fabulous booklet:

Charles and Cynthia Hou. The Art of Decoding Political Cartoons, A Teacher’s Guide, (Vancouver, Moody’s Lookout Press), 1998.

For more information: History of Editorial Cartooning in Canada: This website has links to biographical information about

Canadian cartoonists: http://www.canadiancartoonists.com/news_history_templ

ate.html

Canadian political cartoonists-not a comprehensive list!

Historical: Duncan Macpherson and Leonard Norris Contemporary: Roy Gable, Roy Peterson, Andy Donato

On-line Canadian Political Cartoonists: MacKay http://www.mackaycartoons.net/index.html Maple Leaf Web click on CARTOONS (National, Political,

and Local cartoons) http://www.mapleleafweb.com/political-cartoons