We’ve spent a lot of time talking about humor here on these blog posts, which is a key component of political cartoons. However, I really haven’t talked a whole lot about the art side of the equation. So, let’s take a break for a bit and look at how I draw.

Every artist — yes, I consider cartoons art — approaches drawing differently. Some, like Michael Ramirez and David Horsey, like really detailed drawings, while other prefer more simple and clean drawings, like in the case of Tom Toles or Henry Payne.

Personally, I’ve always liked the graphic simplicity of the United Productions of America (UPA), an animated shorts company from the ‘50s that revolutionized animation design. Their works, from Gerald McBoing-Boing to Mr. Magoo, are marvels of stylization. I’ve always been inspired by their work, and judging by their influence in modern animation, so have a lot of artists.

But, I think my favorite modern artist is a guy called Stephen Silver. Silver, as a character designer, has worked on many, many cartoons, creating very appealing and fun designs. To me, Silver combines the ‘40s, rubbery, squash-and-stretch character designs with the more modern UPA designs, creating characters that are graphic, yet organic at the same time. Mike Krahulik, the Seattle based artist of Penny Arcade!, is probably the most obvious disciple of Silver as he manages to bring some much needed quality to the rather dismal land of Web comics.

In terms of drawing ability, I cannot emphasize this enough, but you have to draw every day, as often as you can. The only way to improve is draw all the time. To quote Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes fame, “You’ve got 100,000 bad drawings in you, better get them out now.”

To really improve, there are a few things you should do. I think it’s vital to look at references. I don’t necessarily mean you should create boardwalk caricatures, but the human body is so varied and so specific that adding a little quirk helps your drawing avoid blandness and feel more real.

Oh yeah, it’s also OK to copy. Yes, all the great artists have stolen from someone in their lives, and I’ve found that when I copy a drawing, I analyze why the drawing works. For me, it’s never mindless duplication but rather an active and informative art lesson. Now, you should never use copied material in the professional work you turn in. That’s an art crime and the fastest way to infuriate the art community — and we’re angry people.

This has been a pretty general overview of what I think about when I draw, and I hope to blog about it again in more detail. If there are any questions you readers would like to ask (besides, “Why don’t you take your own advice?” ha ha), let me know. Until then, keep drawing. We could always use another cartoonist.