Techniques Authors Use in Political Cartoons
Symbolism
Think about what each object or person
stands for…this is not an art project.
Authors draw each object for a reason;
what is their reason?
EXAGGERATION
Sometimes people or objects look
distorted in a political cartoon…this is
not a poor reflection of the artist’s
ability, but it actually highlights certain
areas which give you blues as to what
the author is really trying to say.
Labeling
Every word or phrase has a meaning in a
political cartoon. Often authors will
label certain objects or people in order
to clearly tell you what something
stands for.
Analogy
Authors often make comparisons
between two unlike things that share
some characteristics. This is usually
done with complex issues that might be
difficult for some people to understand.
Irony
Authors of political cartoons sometimes
use this technique to show you how they
think things are or should be. This is
how an author expresses his opinion to
you.