Editorial
Cartooning
Is it possible
for papers
to present
“wordless”
opinions?
The Editorial Cartoon
•serves the function of the editorial
and the other contents of the op-ed
pages: to present an opinion on an
issue
•may or may not be a
complement of
the editorial
• Why is there a need for an
editorial cartoon? What are its
characteristics?
• Is the ability to draw a must to
come up with an effective cartoon?
• The cartoon, like the editorial, is a
permanent feature of the editorial
page. It is called a “wordless
editorial” because without words, it
expresses comment on a current
issue and seeks
to influence public
opinion.
* Aside from
relieving the
grayness of an
opinion page, the
cartoon provides
humor and
lightness that
break the
seriousness of
the accompanying
opinion pieces.
• While ability
to draw is a
must, the
ability to
conceptualize
an idea is more
important for
an editorial
cartoonist.
• Subject matter
covers a wide
range of topics
and purposes but
the typical
cartoon is about
current issues
and problems.
Every cartoonist
has his own
distinctive style.
*exaggeration
of the
distinct
feature of
the subject
a subtle
attack
“presented
humorously”
Samples of Editorial Cartoons:
• TIPS FOR CARTOONING:
1. Limit the use of words and labels.
2. Use universal symbols, those which
can be understood at once by your
intended reader.
3. Have your own style. Do not copy or
plagiarize.
4. If your cartoon is about the editorial for the
day, it must reinforce the stand stated in
the piece.
5. Choose a most interesting issue and
express your comment in an interesting
way.
6. Do not clutter your cartoon with unnecessary
details or complicate your
drawing with artistic touches. These will
distract from the impact of the cartoon.
Minimal is better.
• Preparing Cartoons for the School Paper
A school paper may have the good
fortune of having a cartoonist who draws
well and is well-informed and creative enough
to crystallize an editorial idea. But we have
students who, thought skilled at drawing,
cannot conceptualize. Others are loaded with
ideas but cannot draw.
If the class artist is not an editorialist, the
school paper adviser may suggest ideas or
better still, discuss with editors the cartoons
for a particular issue.
• Steps in Editorial Cartooning:
Dr. Net Billones, one of country’s top
cartoonists, suggests the following steps:
1. List down the subjects to choose from.
2. Once the subject is chosen, ask, what is
the issue? What is the paper’s opinion
about the issue?
Example: Issue – press freedom
Opinion: The government is going back
to the martial law days as far as
press freedom is concerned.
• 3. Decide
•
the symbols to be used.
Ex. Government ------GMA
Press Freedom—bird flying,
typewriter,school paper
Repression -------chair, scissors,
slingshot
4. Draw the cartoon.