My first Sarah Palin cartoon.
Posted on September 19, 2008 - Filed Under Slate political cartoons, The Cartoons |
I am all kinds of thrilled that I’ve been invited to submit cartoons about the election to a major publication!!
I don’t think I’ve ever done any political cartoons until recently. (My father used to suggest that if I did them, I would be a “real” cartoonist, but fortunately - I think it wasn’t until he held my first book in his hands - that mantra has stopped, or at least slowed down. Well, here I am, Dad!)
I don’t know any cartoonists who mix the genres, actually; you’re either funny or serious, and I always choose funny! (Plus, what about those arrows and signs and symbols and nametags and scrawling ink splotches all over everything in editorial drawings? Kind of messy.)
Sarah Palin as a child. “They’re not toys, they’re trophies.”
Original cartoon next.
I have certainly made my opinions known about Los Angeles political figures in my other blog, but I don’t think of cartooning as my favorite way to prove anything. Words are faster. But national politics are easier to find the humor in…not as close to home!
One of the caveats of this project was: Don’t try out for a Pulitzer, please.
Speak for yourself, sir. Aim high. I have a few I’m already enamored of, but I thought I’d present this one here, as an example of how to rework, work it, baby.
The Drawing
Hope you can read the caption: “They’re not toys, they’re trophies.” This is my first try at actually lettering with my Wacom tablet and pen, and boy is it hard - my hand has been cramping up. (Any suggestions, cowboy cartoonists?) But the Wacom is much easier to color with and change some lines here and there. Which I did, as you can see, comparing this with the original cartoon, next:
Trophies from school field trips. Idiot.
This is the original early drawing, but not the original caption, although I like the school field trips one. Sadly, this reworking of captions, and even drawings, can go on for quite a while if the writer isn’t happy with the first concept. Years, in fact. Especially if the writer is me.
But I do like young, innocent Sarah!
*I now post political and editorial cartoons in my new blog, The Opposite of Wrong. That’s where all the new ones are, too. Hot.
- Want more like this?
- Sarah Palin is a five-letter word.
- Shout out to the gays, a Time Magazine un-cartoon of the week.
- Hello world!
LOL!!! The kitty with the bow is purrfect!
Great Cartoon !
I hope to see more !!!
Scott
@Geri, Good, I’m glad you could tell, they are supposed to be stuffed animals!
@Scott - Thanks, Scott, God willing.
Is that lipstick she’s holding behind her back?
*grin*
Great job, Donna!
I think the “field trip” caption is funnier, and I like the reworked drawing. Great cartoon! Yes the Wacom takes a while to get used to. However, once broken in, you’ll love it. I did my first Palin and Hillary cartoon a couple of weeks ago.
Trudy - Well, it could be MAC lipstick AND a gun!
Kevin - did it involve Bullwinkle?
[...] there is any money left in the market for ME from the market collapse, or wondering how many more Sarah Palin - moose cartoons will pop up this week - and my sympathy is with the mooses? Or is this just me? [...]
OK, one more. It should say, “Young Sarah shows Billy the household pets”.
That one’s pretty good, kinda mean.