WHICH IS A BETTER EDITORIAL CARTOON?

ART IS
POWERFUL
 EDITORIAL
cARTOONING
Jay C. Visperas
Resource Speaker
EDITORIAL CARTOONS CAN
INSPIRE
APPRECIATE
WAKE UP
MOVE PEOPLE
CONVINCE
 WHAT IS AN EDITORIAL CARTOON?
• Editorial cartoons are graphic expressions of
their creator’s ideas and fact-based OPINIONS.
• Editorial cartoons are based on current events.
That means, they are produced under restricted
time conditions
WHAT IS AN EDITORIAL CARTOON?
the editorial cartoon usually, but not always,
reflects the publication’s viewpoint.

• A good editorial cartoon combines a clear

drawing and good writing.
• A good editorial cartoon expresses a

recognizable point-of-view or opinion.

WHAT IS AN EDITORIAL CARTOON?
• Editorial cartoons are sometimes referred
to as political cartoons, because they
usually deal with political issues.
FOUR ELEMENTS OF AN EDITORIAL CARTOON

1. Symbolism
2. Captioning and Labels
3. Analogy
4. Exaggeration
SYMBOLS -are pictures that represent
something else by tradition.

DOVE
freedom, peace,
democracy

PENCIL, PAPER,
NEWSPAPER
Journalism, freedom
of expression
 SYMBOLS
CROCODILE
abusive person of
authority,
corrupt

KAMATAYAN
Death or bad omen
 SYMBOLS
CHAIN
Suppression of
freedom, maltreatment,
slavery

WAVE
Challenges, big
problem
 SYMBOLS
SALAKOT/ JUAN DELA CRUZ
Representation of Filipinos

SYRINGE
Cure, death
sentence, drug
addiction
 SYMBOLS
BLINDFOLDED WOMAN WITH
WEIGHING SCALE

Justice

MALLET
Law, justice
SYMBOLS

SKULL WITH CROSSED

BONES
poison
 -are used for clarity and
LABELS emphasis
LABELS
Editorial cartoons must use a visual and
verbal vocabulary that is familiar to readers.

Instead of
using “RA
No. 10627,”
I used Anti-
Bullying LAw
ANALOGY
- Analogies are comparisons that suggest that one
thing is similar to something else. The title of a
popular song or film might be used by a cartoonist
to comment on a current political event.
ANALOGY
ANALOGY
ANALOGY
• One good editorial cartoon is a
cartoon that integrates the main
issue with some trending/ current

topics .
ANALOGY
ANALOGY
ANALOGY
EXAGGERATION
-overstating or magnifying a problem, issue or
physical features
• Caricatures are drawings of public figures in
which certain physical features are exaggerated.
THE POWER OF AN EDITORIAL CARTOON
• Editorial cartoons, like written editorials, have an
educational purpose. They are intended to make
readers think about current issues.
THE POWER OF AN EDITORIAL CARTOON
• It can exert influence on the reader
• An editorial cartoons entertains its audience
• Humor is the power to evoke laughter or to express
what is amusing, comical or absurd.
• Some are not humorous but could
touch the affective domains of the
reader
HOW CAN AN EDITORIAL CARTOON BE EVALUATED?

• Some editorial cartoonists use balloons for

dialogues while others don’t.
• However, a cartoon without dialogues is better
and advisable. The message of the editorial
cartoon must be clear enough even without
dialogues.
WHAT IS AN EDITORIAL CARTOON?

• Editorial cartoons differ from comic strips.

Editorial cartoons appear on the
newspaper’s editorial or front page, not on
the comics page. They usually employ a
single-panel format and do not feature
continuing characters in the way that comic
strips do.
EFFECTIVE EDITORIAL CARTOONS
• It deals with a single idea.
• It is humorous.
• It exerts influence on the reader.
• It is realistic.
• It entertains the reader.
STEPS IN EDITORIAL CARTOONING
• Know the main issue.
• Illustrate through the aid of effective
symbols.
• Focus on the composition of symbols
and words
SCORESHEET FOR EDITORIAL CARTOONING
(IN ACCORDANCE WITH RM 1214 S. 2022)

30%
60%
10%
Workshop
What is your stand on the decision of DepEd
to remove MTB-MLE as a separate subject in
the new curriculum?

Show your opinion about this matter

through an editorial cartoon.