Exercise: Looking at Cartoons, Part 4, Project 1

 

With an upcoming referendum vote in Scotland about independence from the rest of the UK, it is not surprising that Alex Salmond has come under a lot of criticism; especially  for his lack of information on exactly what independence would mean.

In the cartoon above,  he has been portrayed as a jovial, isn't-this-fun Loch Ness Monster, rising up from the Loch to "rock the boat" of the United Kingdom, with Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour Leader Ed Milliband looking quite shocked by the tartan monster's size and threat. David Cameron has the last word, indicating that he is the more powerful of the two in the boat.

 David Cameron himself is often the subject of satire in the newspapers, as can be seen from this recent comment by Dave Brown in the Independent on Cameron's attempt to placate the eurosceptics in his party and stop the voters from going over to UKIP by promising a yes/no vote if he is re-elected in 21015. The cartoon below is a metaphor of what might happen if Cameron's plan doesn't work - i.e. the UK could be left out in the cold with no hope of re-admittance. Nigel Farange (UKIP leader) is represented here by a toad, while the British bulldog represents the eurosceptics.

 

The Royal Family are often the subject of profile cartoons, especially Prince Charles, who is instantly recognisable by his large ears, close-together eyes and receding chin. In this cartoon below, the addition of the ceremonial jacket with epaulets makes it obvious who is being lampooned. The cartoon shows the difference between a sketch of someone and a cartoon, as it is the exaggeration of the features that makes all the difference.

 

Another figure who is often the subject of cartoons currently is Mayor Boris Johnson, who is instantly recognisable by his blonde, slightly unkempt thatch. After the 2012 Olympics, Boris was seen as trying to be a crowd-pleaser and the subject of many gentle jibes. 

His plain speaking is also commented on, though and in the cartoon on the right, he is being likened to the dog that features in the advertisements for Dulux paint because they are both shaggy, but his forthrightness in using a certain word is alluded to in the changed name on the can. This is a very simple but clever mechanism that is also very economical. The picture says it all.