Animation and Graphics
Trending Career BLOGS

How To Become A Cartoonist: A Step-By-Step Guide

Share this post

Introduction

Delving into the realm of cartooning opens doors to the creation of political, social, and advertising cartoons, each carrying a unique message. Cartoonists play a crucial role in newspapers, magazines, television, and the film industry, utilizing their skills to draw comic strips, animations, portraits, and more. This article sheds light on the world of cartoonists and the requirements to build a successful career in this creative field. If you’re wondering how to become a cartoonist, this article will provide you with the necessary insights.

While food science encompasses the study of all aspects of food, focusing on the application of scientific and engineering principles leads to the specialized field of food science and technology. Similarly, in the world of cartooning, focusing on the application of artistic and creative principles can guide you on how to become a cartoonist.

Skills Required

IT Skills

Eligibility and Courses

Courses

Stream	Graduation courses	Diploma/Certificate courses	Post-Graduation courses
The candidate should clear class 12th from a recognized educational board.	The candidate should pursue a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college.	If you don’t want to pursue a bachelor’s degree, you can go for diploma or certificate courses.	The candidate can also pursue a master’s degree in animation.
You can pass 12th from any stream (Commerce, Arts, or Science)	You should enroll in the course related to cartoonist. (B.des, B.A. in Animation, B.Sc. in Animation and Multimedia).	Diploma courses like Graduate Diploma Program in Cartoon Animation/Advance Diploma in Animation in cartoonist from a recognized institution.	You should enroll in the course related to cartoonist (M.Des., M.A. in Animation, M.Sc in Animation and Multimedia).
Try to gain at least a minimum percentage to get admission in colleges.	Try to gain at least a minimum percentage of 50-60% to get admission in post-graduation.	You can get admission easily in the diploma or certificate courses.	Try to gain at least a minimum percentage to get a good placement.

Top Colleges

College	Location
School of Visual Arts (SVA)	New York City, USA
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)	Valencia, California, USA
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)	Savannah, Georgia, USA
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)	Providence, Rhode Island, USA
The Kubert School	Dover, New Jersey, USA

Entrance Exams

Entrance Exam	Description
SVA Cartooning Portfolio Review	Applicants submit artwork portfolios for evaluation by SVA faculty members, focusing on cartooning skills.
CalArts Character Animation Portfolio Review	Prospective students undergo a portfolio review emphasizing character design and storytelling for animation.
SCAD Sequential Art Portfolio Review	Applicants submit portfolios showcasing sequential storytelling skills, including cartooning, for admission to SCAD.
RISD Illustration Portfolio Review	Prospective students submit portfolios demonstrating illustration skills, including cartooning, for RISD admission.
The Kubert School Entrance Exam	Prospective students may undergo an entrance exam assessing drawing skills and comic book storytelling comprehension.

Work Description

The following are the day-to-day work responsibility of a cartoonist job

Job Profiles

Job Profile	Description
Cartoonist	Cartoonists create visual humor and commentary through drawings for newspapers, magazines, websites, or animation studios.
Character Designer	Character designers specialize in creating original characters for various media such as cartoons, animation, video games, and comics.
Storyboard Artist	Storyboard artists translate scripts or narratives into visual sequences to plan scenes for animation, film, television, or video games.
Comic Book Illustrator	Comic book illustrators create artwork for comic books, graphic novels, and webcomics, visualizing characters, backgrounds, and scenes.
Animator	Animators bring illustrations to life through movement and action, creating animated cartoons, films, television shows, and advertisements.

Top Recruiters

The following are some companies that hire cartoonists-

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

FAQs

What does it take to become a cartoonist?

It requires a solid understanding of art principles, creativity, and the ability to convey messages through illustrations.

What are the opportunities for a cartoonist?

A cartoonist has opportunities in newspapers, magazines, television, and the film industry, creating comic strips, animations, portraits, and more.