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Who is a Cartoonist?
If you want to be a cartoonist, live the life of a cartoonist ~ Oliver Gaspirtz
A cartoonist is a professional who draws cartoons or pictures either on sketchbooks or on computers. Cartoonists work for magazines, newspapers, publishing houses, print and digital media, gaming companies, studios. A cartoonist specialises in one or several other fields such as political commentary, comic strips, installation guides, or user manuals. In today’s scenario, cartoons are not only used for entertainment, but also to represent current events, news, and social emotions. Cartoonists are not only the artists who make sketches, they are present world’s revolutionaries who represent the reality of situation with appropriate humour and sensibility. But what is it that fuels a cartoonist?

Cartoonist in a Nutshell
A cartoonist is someone who draws cartoons or pictures. A cartoonist deals with the animated characters and digital tools. Cartoonists work in various kinds of companies such as magazines, newspapers, publishing houses, gaming studios. Some cartoonists also work as a freelancer, or accept commissioned work.
Quick Facts for Cartoonist
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Industry
Entertainment, Media
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Suitable for
Male, Female, Others
The job is preferable for anybody who wants to pursue his/her career in cartooning. Both men and women can work as cartoonists, it is suitable for all. If a person has the required skillsets and the right attitude, then there is no stopping.
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Any special needs
Yes
There are no limitations for specially-abled people to choose cartooning as a career. A career as a cartoonist is a desk job that can be done remotely without any physical movement and external efforts. Hence, the job is a perfect fit for anyone who is specially abled.
Table of Contents for Cartoonist
What is the role of Cartoonist?
Primary role of a cartoonist is to create or draw images. If we define carttonist’s job description, then we can definitely say that cartoonists create or design graphics, motion pictures, commercials, online advertisements, films, video games. Cartoonists create, edit animations and visual effects as per the director’s or clients’ requirements.
Develop processes
Cartoonists are required to undertake various physical aspects into consideration before beginning designing. During the research, they are responsible for developing various processes and diagnosing methodologies in order to excel the scope of cartooning for the particular section.
Study
One of the most important parts of cartoonists’ job includes studying about the project they are working on. They are required to constantly study and remain updated at each and every step of the project. They are responsible for studying the project, it’s scope in land development, limitations, efficiency that the project exhibits, and the consequences related to the project.
Consultation
Cartoonists are required to consult different professionals including other cartoonists in order to meet certain requirements of the project they’re working on. For instance, political cartoonists are required to meet and consult several research scientists working on the same project as them.
What is the workplace/work environment of Cartoonist like?
Cartoonists usually work in a tech-equipped office or a studio. The workspace will depend on the particular form of company, under which the cartoonists function. A cartoonist is considered to be part of the entertainment industry, and typically has a modern approach to office space. It may be convenient to work from home, and flexible working hours may have been offered.
Does Cartoonist require travelling?
Likely
Traveling is not necessary for the cartoonists. Cartoonists don't need to fly. From their offices or studios, they may simply accomplish their assignment. Cartoonists that participate in initial planning, need to meet with the client to discuss ideas for the work layout. This preference in terms of working hours and location provides considerable versatility and is a good choice.
Employment Shifts
Full Time, Part Time
They are usually required to work full time during office hours. There are exceptions where freelance/part-time cartoonists work according to their own work hours. Usually, cartoonists work about seven-eight hours per day and up to 12 hours in case of a major project. The working hours vary from organization to organization. Jobs shift off a cartoonist is both full-time as well as part-time and there are more part-time workers than full-time employees according to a study.
Employment Nature
Contractual, Permanent
The animation industry accommodates both contractual and permanent jobs. Although, a full-time job is a preference for most of the cartoonists.
Work Place
Home Office, Office
Although many cartoonists work individually, people who work as part of a team also work for professional animation organizations. Most cartoonists collaborate with colleagues on projects or communicate with clients everywhere in the world. Many other cartoonists do freelancing from home and there are also self-employed cartoonists.
Presence in Geographical Area
Urban
There are less or no prospects for cartoonists in the rural areas. Most of the cartoonists' jobs are in urban areas, they can find jobs in cities like Gurgaon, New Delhi and Bangalore. Cartoonists usually work for media industries like entertainment, news, business communications that are situated in Tier-1 cities. Hence, most of the cartoonists work in an urban setup.
Weekly Hours of Work
Min 40 Hours
Cartoonists work about seven-eight hours per day and up to 12 hours in case of a major project.
How to become a Cartoonist?
Steps to become a Cartoonist
What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Cartoonist?
Creativity: As a cartoonist, one is expected to work creatively and produce original, aesthetic, and pleasing designs and animation. A career as a cartoonist is ever-changing and require professionals to generate creative graphical content on an everyday basis. Cartoonists are expected to take inspiration from day-to-day mundane things and turn it into entertaining work.
Patience: Patience is a crucial factor during the process of sketching or drawing. Mind-block is a common phenomenon in artists' work and hence as a cartoonist, one must remain calm and patience and must find a way to keep generating engaging content. Patience and perseverance are the key tools for an artist.
Eye for detail: The whole concept of animation is related to visuals and displays, and hence even a slight mistake will reflect a huge loophole in the result. As a cartoonist, one must focus on each and every aspect of the project and make most out of every detail provided to him/her.
Technical skills: An cartoonist needs to mix technical abilities with realistic abilities to give the characters life. Having good drawing skills is essential, as it is easier to sketch the ideas on the tablet for animation. A cartoonist also needs to acknowledge how and why the character moves, and be mindful of the animation rules. One should have in-depth knowledge regarding the specialist computer generation software such as Maya, Flash, and After Effects.
Drawing skills: The very first phase in creating animation is the development of a plan and a storyline. The cartoonist requires strong drawing skills to give a design team or client a visual interpretation of the animation idea. The cartoonist generates a storyline in certain situations or helps the client in the formation of the storyline.
Colour theory: To be a good cartoonist aspiring students ought to learn the colour theories first because every animation requires colours. They also need to realize how to use colours and what shade they will be using to convey various thoughts and emotions.
Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Cartoonist?
Internship Availability
There are plenty of internships available in the field of animation. Various companies and organizations hire interns with relevant skills and interests. Through online recruiting portals, one should discover numerous internship openings. Through internships the individuals get hands-on experience. The majority of internships are provided by higher education cartoonist colleges paying for the preparation.
What is the job outlook for Cartoonist?
Opportunities in the animation industry exist both with the government as well as private sector enterprises. The animation itself is an industry, and it’s on the boom. There exist numerous animation houses both in India and abroad who work for clienteles. An cartoonist and multimedia professional can also work as a freelancer or start his / her own enterprise given he/she has entrepreneurial skills and funds for investments. cartoonists work in various fields like Advertising, Online and Print News Media, Film & Television, Cartoon production, Theater, Video Gaming.
Frequently Asked Questions for Cartoonist
Que. What do cartoonists do?
Ans.Cartoonists create or design graphics, motion pictures, commercials, online advertisements, films, video games. They create, edit animations and visual effects as per the director’s or clients’ requirements. Cartoonists design animations and graphics for television, video games, internet marketing, online advertising, website development, and more.
Que. What kind of education is required to be a cartoonist?
Ans.Generally, a bachelor’s degree is required in the field of animation. But there are many cartoonists who hold only a certificate or a diploma.
Que. Do I need to study science to be a cartoonist?
Ans.No, you can take up any stream after class 10. Science is not compulsory but it would definitely help you if you have a technical bend of mind and a knack to learn new software.
Que. Can someone be a good cartoonist without having a good understanding of colours?
Ans.Knowing to play with colors will definitely be an advantage but even if your sense of colours is not that strong you will not lose too much.
Que. What is the clean-up artist job description?
Ans.Clean-up is a part of the process in hand-drawn animation development. The first sketches are called "roughs" or "draft animation" in traditional animation, as they are mostly done in a really informal manner. The artist who does the clean-ups is in charge of the final line and completed the shot look.
Que. How long does it take to become a cartoonist?
Ans.This solely depends on the course and also on the cartoonist college. If a student opts for any degree course then it generally takes three years but if any student choos diploma course they will study for one or two years. There are some short term certificate courses that take only six months to complete.
Que. What does a cartoonist do on a daily basis?
Ans.Cartoonists and multimedia designers produce simple sketches, paintings, and animations on a regular basis for product labels, cartons, advertising, or TV. They design complex graphics and animation using computer hardware, individual decision, innovation.
Que. What is the stop motion cartoonist job description?
Ans.Stop motion cartoonist job description is to incorporate the art of film, storytelling abilities, and the power to control framing and measure angles without digitally altering the animation to stop motion. The cartoonist creates images of objects, characters or scenes which display them in different positions
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