
1945 cartoon from ''The Rock Magazine''
A 'cartoon' is any of several forms of
illustrations with varied meanings that evolved from its original meaning. A cartoon (from the
Italian ''cartone'' and Dutch/Flemish word "karton", meaning strong, heavy paper or pasteboard) is a full-size
drawing made on
paper as a study for further drawings, such as a
painting or
tapestry. Cartoons were typically used in the production of
frescoes, to accurately link the component parts of the composition when painted onto
plaster over a series of days. Such cartoons often have pinpricks where the outline of the design has been picked out in the plaster. Cartoons by
painters such as
Raphael and
Leonardo da Vinci are highly prized in their own right.
Print media

"Cartoon no.1: Substance and Shadow", an illustration by
John Leech that satirizes the preparatory cartoons for frescoes in the new Palace of Westminster (1843), and which created the modern meaning of the word "cartoon"
In modern print media, a cartoon is a piece of art, usually humorous in intent. This usage dates from 1843 when ''
Punch'' magazine applied the term to satirical drawings in its pages, particularly sketches by John Leech. The first of these parodied the preparatory cartoons for grand historical frescoes in the then-new
Palace of Westminster. The original title for these drawings was ''Mr Punch's pencillings'' and the new title "cartoon" was intended to be ironic, a reference to the self-aggrandising posturing of Westminster politicians.
Modern
gag cartoons, found in magazines and newspapers, generally consist of a single drawing with a caption immediately beneath or (less often) a
speech balloon. Many consider ''
New Yorker'' cartoonist
Peter Arno the father of the modern gag cartoon (as did Arno himself). Gag cartoonists of note include
Charles Addams,
Gary Larson,
Charles Barsotti,
Chon Day and
Mel Calman.
Editorial cartoons are a type of gag cartoon found almost exclusively in news publications. Although they also employ humor, they are more serious in tone, commonly using
irony or
satire. The art usually acts as a visual metaphor to illustrate a point of view on current social and/or political topics. Editorial cartoons often include speech balloons and, sometimes, multiple panels.
Editorial cartoonists of note include
Herblock,
Mike Peters,
David Low and
Gerald Scarfe.
Comic strips, also known as "strip cartoons" in the United Kingdom, are found daily in newspapers worldwide, and are usually a short series of cartoon illustrations in sequence. In the
United States they are not as commonly called "cartoons" themselves, but rather "comics" or "funnies". Nonetheless, the creators of comic strips—as well as
comic books and
graphic novels—are referred to as "
cartoonists". Although humor is the most prevalent subject matter, adventure and drama are also represented in this medium. Noteworthy cartoonists in this sense include
Charles Schulz,
Bill Watterson,
Scott Adams,
Mort Walker,
Steve Bell.
Also a cartoon is more commonly known as a U certificated animation.
Motion pictures
Main articles: Animated cartoon
Because of the stylistic similarities between comic strips and early animated movies, "cartoon" came to refer to
animation, and this is the sense in which "cartoon" is most commonly used today. These are usually shown on
television or in
cinemas and are created by showing illustrated images in rapid succession to give the impression of movement. (In this meaning, the word cartoon is sometimes shortened to ''
toon'', which was popularized by the movie ''
Who Framed Roger Rabbit''). Although the term can be applied to any animated presentation, it is most often used in reference to programs for children, featuring
anthropomorphized animals,
superheroes, the adventures of child protagonists, and other related genres.
In science
The term "cartoon" is sometimes used in a scientific context to mean a diagram, particularly
External links
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Cartoons as a Unique Gift - Cartoons/caricatures from photos in ANY scene you describe
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Cartoons as radically unique icons/avatars - From an uploaded photo
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Contemporary, political and vintage cartoons from CartoonStock
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Archive of cartoons from The New Yorker
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Sport CartoonsSport Cartoons
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BrazilCartoon.com
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Don Markenstein's Toonopedia
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Big Cartoon Database
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Cartoon Research Library
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Golden Age of Cartoons
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A free cartoons directory : The Cartoon Spot
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Pro Toonerz - International Professional Cartoonists Directory
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London Cartoon Gallery - Editorial Cartoons
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Kiotron
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A free cartoon gallery, sketching news and events
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Selected cartoons
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Online cartoon community