Sunday, October 24, 2010

What's a cartoon? Cartoon genres part 1

As with other art forms, there are many different cartoon styles and types. In the first part of this article we take a look at the definition of a cartoon, in a second part, we will present an overview of most cartoon styles. Please mail us your suggestions or remarks  to ecc.cartoonbooks@gmail.com.

What's a cartoon? 



"The word cartoon has various meanings, based on several very different forms of visual art and illustration. The artists who draw cartoons are known as cartoonists.
The term has evolved over time. The original meaning was in fine art, where cartoon meant a preparatory drawing for a piece of art, such as a painting or tapestry. The modern meaning refers to both humorous illustrations in print and animated films. Even more recently, there are several contemporary meanings, including creative visual work for electronic media and animated digital media. When the word cartoon is applied to print media, it most often refers to a humorous single-panel drawing or gag cartoon, most of which have typeset captions rather than speech balloons. The word cartoon is sometimes used to refer to a comic strip,[1] and it can also refer to a humorous illustration for fiction or nonfiction published in newspapers and magazines."

Other definitions are: (source: google dictionary)

cartoon
  • A simple drawing showing the features of its subjects in a humorously exaggerated way, esp. a satirical one in a newspaper or magazine
  • A comic strip
  • A simplified or exaggerated version or interpretation of something
    • this movie is a cartoon of rural life in America
    • Dolores becomes a cartoon housewife, reading glossy magazines in a bathrobe
  • A motion picture using animation techniques to photograph a sequence of drawings rather than real people or objects
  • A full-size drawing made by an artist as a preliminary design for a painting or other work of art.


    caricature
  • A picture, description, or imitation of a person or thing in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect
  • The art or style of such exaggerated representation
    • there are elements of caricature in the portrayal of the hero
  • A ludicrous or grotesque version of someone or something
    • he looked like a caricature of his normal self

What does cartoon and caricature mean for ECC Cartoonbooks Club? 

The 'core business' of our blog does not include comic strip or comics and animated cartoons nor books about these subjects. Other blogs and websites will inform you about this matter.

To keep it simple, this is what we understand under 'cartoon' and 'caricature':

  • cartoon
    A (simple) drawing showing the features of its subjects in a humorously (exaggerated) way.
    • caricature
  • A picture, description, or imitation of a person or thing in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.



Sunday, October 17, 2010

Cartoon newsletters (for free)

One of the ways to stay informed about what lives in the cartoon world is to subscribe to some free cartoon related newsletters.



I have subscribed to the newsletters listed below. If you know of some other interesting qualitative cartoon newsletters, let me know.

ECC newsletter 




Editor: European Cartoon Center Kruishoutem, Belgium

Language(s): Dutch  (for English mailto: info@ecc-kruishoutem.be)

Frequency: monthly (in Dutch), quarterly (in English)

Comment: various news, exhibtions, etc.

Subscribe link: http://ymlp.com/signup.php?id=guyqbbygmge


The Bloghorn 


Editor: Professional Cartoonist's Organisation (UK)

Language(s): English

Frequency: almost daily

Comment: discover talented cartoonists


Toonpool daily cartoon 


Editor: Toonpool (Germany)

Language(s): English

Frequency: daily


Glénat BD (comic strip, sometimes new cartoon books)


Editor: Glénat editor (France)

Language(s): French

Frequency: almost monthly

Comment: different newsletters available


ACA 


Editor: Australian Cartoonist's Association

Language(s): English

Frequency: irregular

Comment: Australian cartoon news






Saturday, October 9, 2010

Najlepszy belgijski Norbert Van Yperzeele

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Don't look at the right, but at the top left corner of this Polish newspaper cover.
Sielanka erotyczna? ("erotic idyll"?), no: Najlepszy belgijski ! ("Best Belgian").
I got this newspaper from mrs. Van Yperzeele. Belgian cartoonist Norbert Van Yperzeele was in Poland to perform a cartoon drawing session and the local newspaper honoured  Norbert with an article.

A cartoon on the frontpage of a newspaper, that's how we, cartoon lovers, like it... and it's a collector's item, even for cartoon book collectors.

cartoons by Norbert Van Yperzeele

Norbert Van Yperzeele (Belgium)

Norbert Van Yperzeele (Belgium)

Some more cartoons by Norbert Van Yperzeele:
http://ecc-cartoonbooksclub.blogspot.com/2009/04/eurokartoonale-kruishoutem-2009-sand.html
or click here for some Google images results.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Atila Özer

For the first time in Belgium , there is an exposition of the Turkish cartoonist Atila Özer. Yesterday I attended the opening at the ECC. Here are some impressions.


professor and cartoonist Atila Özer


Rudy Gheysens, Ro Burms, Atila Özer


This cartoon drawn by Atila Özer is published in the catalogue of the 4th International Bursa Cemal Nadir Güler Cartoon Competition (2006).


Learn more:
You can check more about the artist and his cartoons on Atila Özer's website.