Monday, September 22, 2008

Daryl Cagle: Frequently Asked Cartooning Questions


Editorial cartoonist Daryl Cagle shares a lot of frequently asked questions about him, and editorial cartoons today at his Cagle's Web Log. Here's but a small snippet:

I have to write a paper on the career I want to go into and I chose cartooning. Please tell me:
1) How much money do you make?
2) How much education was required for you to get your job?
3) How much time does it take you to draw a cartoon?
4) How did you get into this business?

1) Cartoonists make anything between $0 per year and $50,000,000 per year ­ just like actors, musicians and basketball players. And, like actors, musicians and basketball players, most cartoonists make closer to $0 than $50,000,000.

2) No education is required, only quality of work and some business acumen ­ but that is true of most careers. Education is very important and it is unusual for anyone to be successful without a good education.

3) All my life. Some cartoonists brag about drawing quickly; I think this diminishes the value of their work in the eyes of their editors and readers. Good cartoonists think about their work all the time and spend a lit of time working to improve.

4) I started as a general illustrator, and then worked as a cartoon illustrator, then I worked as a toy inventor, I did a syndicated cartoon, then editorial cartoons. I drew other people's characters in other people's styles, working on projects for others before my career got to the point that I could draw as I wanted.

Above photo by Genaro Molina nicked from the article "Political Cartoons: Dynamite or Dinosaurs" from the LA Times.

H/t to Daryl for this one. Thanks, Daryl! Some great reading!

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