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It was Cartoonists day on social media yesterday and was a nice prompt to actually think about how awesome cartoons are and how much they actually offer us as an art form and as a way to communicate.

 

I loved cartoons when I was small and I love them now. I don't think you can go wrong with a classic episode of the Simpsons,sitting down to a Studio Ghibli classic like Spirited Away or binge watching some Rick and Morty. 

 

They make us laugh, they make us think, they take us on a journey. 

 

They are timeless.........(artists have been taking the mickey out of powerful people throughout history)

 

I love looking back at historical cartoons and seeing how they used their ink to poke fun at the politicians, attitudes of the day and the monarchy - think a modern day spitting image. These etched illustrations are incredible to look at but also have a timeless quality and a colour palette that really pops. You are probably more familiar with this than you think but if not try searching for James Gilray and take a look at his famous - "The plum pudding in danger' cartoon. They are basically next level MEMES. I think it's so important that artists can poke fun of those in power, ask questions and show things that are happening in society, sometimes an inky image is easier to understand, it disarms people and helps them ask their own questions. I'd like to do more of this in my work, there is certainly a lot of material to work with at the moment - so watch this space.

 

They Inspire....

 

Cartoons were my first reference materials for drawing when I was a kid. A picture of a care bear on a birthday card, the characters from my beloved Willow the Wisp Annual, a page torn out from the Christmas radio times with a bugs bunny in it, all avidly copied into my exercise book or sketch book. Trying to copy my favourite characters was some of the best drawing learning I did ,and also the joy when you made Evil Edna in your notebook and she looked right! Cartoons are a fun way to develop drawing muscles and inspiration to start making your own art.

 

They can help us be better..

 

I think Cartoons can help us visualise a better future. We can all draw in the things that should be happening as well as show the negative, we can include everyone by representing them in ink and we can use this as a guide map for the future. 

 

In summary I think cartoons, doodles,scribbles whatever you call them can be a real force for good.

 

Art is awesome - don't forget to have a doodle today!