How do political cartoonists get their message across? Use this quick guide from the Library of Congress so you can start experimenting with how to share your ideas!

Career

Learn the techniques political cartoonists use.

Brainstorm 3 of the issues you care about most, then draw a political cartoon that focuses on one of these issues to show to your history or social studies teacher.

Make your own political cartoon!

Watch this tutorial on how author Jeff Kinney draws one of his most famous characters. Make some sketches and start developing your own series of cartoon characters!

Education

Draw like a cartoonist. 

Fine Artists

Create original artwork using any of a wide variety of media and techniques.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

First Interest High-Point

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Second Interest High-Point

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators

Artists and Related Workers

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Art and Design Workers

Use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.

Integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods.

Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.

Submit preliminary or finished artwork or project plans to clients for approval, incorporating changes as necessary.

Maintain portfolios of artistic work to demonstrate styles, interests, and abilities.

Create finished art work as decoration, or to elucidate or substitute for spoken or written messages.

Cut, bend, laminate, arrange, and fasten individual or mixed raw and manufactured materials and products to form works of art.

Monitor events, trends, and other circumstances, research specific subject areas, attend art exhibitions, and read art publications to develop ideas and keep current on art world activities.

Study different techniques to learn how to apply them to artistic endeavors.

Render drawings, illustrations, and sketches of buildings, manufactured products, or models, working from sketches, blueprints, memory, models, or reference materials.

Create sketches, profiles, or likenesses of posed subjects or photographs, using any combination of freehand drawing, mechanical assembly kits, and computer imaging.

Create sculptures, statues, and other three-dimensional artwork by using abrasives and tools to shape, carve, and fabricate materials such as clay, stone, wood, or metal.

Study styles, techniques, colors, textures, and materials used in works undergoing restoration to ensure consistency during the restoration process.

Develop project budgets for approval, estimating time lines and material costs.

Shade and fill in sketch outlines and backgrounds, using a variety of media such as water colors, markers, and transparent washes, labeling designated colors when necessary.

Collaborate with engineers, mechanics, and other technical experts as necessary to build and install creations.

Create and prepare sketches and model drawings of cartoon characters, providing details from memory, live models, manufactured products, or reference materials.

Examine and test paintings in need of restoration or cleaning to determine techniques and materials to be used.

Create graphics, illustrations, and three-dimensional models to be used in research or in teaching, such as in demonstrating anatomy, pathology, or surgical procedures.

Brush or spray protective or decorative finishes on completed background panels, informational legends, exhibit accessories, or finished paintings.

Trace drawings onto clear acetate for painting or coloring, or trace them with ink to make final copies.

Apply solvents and cleaning agents to clean surfaces of paintings, and to remove accretions, discolorations, and deteriorated varnish.

Model substances such as clay or wax, using fingers and small hand tools to form objects.

Collaborate with writers who create ideas, stories, or captions that are combined with artists' work.

Provide entertainment at special events by performing activities such as drawing cartoons.

Render sequential drawings that can be turned into animated films or advertisements.

Market artwork through brochures, mailings, or Web sites.

Photograph objects, places, or scenes for reference material.

Set up exhibitions of artwork for display or sale.

Frame and mat artwork for display or sale.

Teach artistic techniques to children or adults.

Acrylic paintbrushes

Alcohol lamps

Angle grinders

Artists' fountain pens

Artists' palette knives

Artists' palettes

Ball mills

Bevel tools

Brazing tools

Bush hammers

Bust armatures

Camera lenses

Ceramic bead bars

Clay cutters

Clay mixers

Computer data input scanners

Detail carving tools

Die grinders

Digital calipers

Digital hydrometers

Digital pyrometers

Digital scales

Digital thermometers

Digital viscosometers

Dipping tongs

Drying cabinets

Dust masks

Edging tools

Electric kilns

Electric potters wheels

Electric saws

Encaustic scrapers

Encaustic spatulas

Enlarger timers

Extruder dies

Fettling knives

Figure armature systems

Gas kilns

Glass kilns

Graduated measuring cylinders

Hand chisels

Hand glaze mixers

Handheld clay extruders

Handlemaker tools

Head armatures

Heat resistant gloves

Kick wheels

Kiln carts

Kiln oxygen probes

Kiln ventilation hoods

Laptop computers

Lens filters

Linoleum cutters

Loop tools

Mat cutters

Metal inert gas MIG welders

Mold knives

Oil paintbrushes

Oxyacetylene torches

Paint spray guns

Personal computers

Photo enlargers

Photo quality computer printers

Photography tripods

Plasma cutters

Pneumatic chisels

Pot lifts

Potter's ribs

Pottery cleanup tools

Pottery duster brushes

Pottery kilns

Power sanders

Print squeegees

Printing tongs

Processing trays

Protective safety glasses

Pugmills

Raku kilns

Raku tongs

Remote firing flashes

Riffler rasps

Round hole punches

Saber saws

Sandblasting guns

Sculpting thumbs

Sgraffito tools

Shielded arc welders

Single lens reflex SLR cameras

Slab mats

Slab rollers

Square hole cutters

Stationary lighting systems

Steel rasps

Stone carving chisels

Stone carving knives

Stone saws

Strobe flashes

Sumi paintbrushes

Tablet computers

Political Cartoonist

♪♪ [Boston accent]  Harvard. car at Harvard. We all went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. graduated in May, one more year. this opportunity in a big, green motor home from all walks of life. within their fields, we admire. we're not exactly sure where we're gonna go. about where you were, were 20 something years old, those passions and ideas where you are today. I remember being at your stage. then went to law school, immediately thereafter. and a year of business school. and it dawned on me to the point where career decisions soon, to do that, 'cause I'd never school my whole life. make my career decisions some things. out of school... law school, business school, and a half years. about what I wanted to do, that time outdoors. Bound instructor, Bound for several years. wanted to do in my life: mountaineering, kayaking, like that. I'll probably never do it. for what they're best for: lots of things. adolescence, if you will. have a 40 year future to go back to school. MBA, and finally graduated of 29. you go after school? consulting firm here in Boston Consulting Group. almost seven years. Made a lot of money, country first-class, nice office, these big problems companies needed help on. after five or six years, is this what I want to do of my life? And that was a scary thought. this in 10 or 15 years, with how I've lived my life." what I really want. in my mid-30s. It was a great city. everything: history, education. except one thing: world-class city one little tile mosaic of Boston. of Boston Beer Company: good beer, that with other people. big booby prize. want to be rich. own company that is going to make me happy." scheme of things, be: happy or rich? rather be happy. and started a life's work to make me happy. obstacles initially, had to overcome this company? whole company was two people. Sam Adams in my kitchen, huge expectations. little, local company in Boston. way all the way to Hartford, up to Portland, Maine, we didn't have a phone. an answering service. meetings in bars. at a stationary store I'd keep one copy me, I'd throw it away, accounting system. lesson is that substitute for hard resources. were able to change American beer is familiar to everybody with nothing. you have for someone that climbers talk about, perceived risk and actual risk. the essential experience, in rappelling - what you've got to get faith in themselves walk off a cliff backwards. know that they're on a rope, probably hold a car... safe, solid and secure, Bound student, a cliff backwards. to start Boston Beer Company, the same situation. risk was high. the cliff backwards. beneath me. great office on the 33rd floor, Boston harbor. rode the elevator down, it all disappeared, a beer salesman. took a lot of risk." probably wasn't true. have been staying and wasting my life. something I really loved that's not a risk. He knew so much about beer, about hops, off about it. that is a little obsessive. a little obsessive. an artist. Within whatever field, whether it's beer bark manufacturing, not only for the country, that's something. achievement. [impressed] Oh, wow! this thing? Yeah, please wherever  you'd like. Cool. Thank you. I was going to  Arizona State University, of floundering. in graphic design, very serious about it. high school better than anyone else." into college to compete. I'd drop out, not in my background. to apply to an art school be serious about it, a big deal. for almost a year first year of art school very expensive. because I made a decision myself and go for a goal, apply myself realized it's only make of yourself. do it for you, realization hits you: if you with your life, and complain about that come your way control of your life. difference for me. confidence? field, there's a lot of the idea to go into it. place where you were like, I'm gonna go to art school. be what I do," you would do for fun another job. my parents had. dad that when I went to college major in journalism. absolutely nowhere. journalism class in college. in the early 80s. majoring in business. go to Wall Street. occurred to me, be doing that for a long time. doing something something I really wanted to do. continued on with it. you passionate about it? I mean, always. with the art that I did then was motion of drawing. that gets me going ability to draw opinion through the drawing. that really clicked for me. opinionated anyway, I actually do well - drawing - it's powerful. into this specifically, doing a freelance job at Walt Disney. events unfold on television powerful effect on me and did a editorial cartoon publishing it or anything. awakened it. hearings happened in '91 watching those political before that, industry for several years, and knowing it happens. hearings where sitting up there sexual harassment anymore, passed laws for that." series of editorial cartoons newspapers to get published, it started. look at other doors, doors open to me when I was a student. worked out really well. anything you want. when I was your age. being scared, out there... the unknown. you want, just try it. gonna do, fail? [laughs] lucky to be in this country available to you. advantage of it. have what you have. appreciate it. I wish I could go with you. Come on up. Yeah, how's it going, Gabriel? So how's the trip? Very good. I'm actually going to a junior college, arts major. that much into school. didn't enjoy many classes, video productions. I got to experience editing what I had shot. filmmaking in a sense. I want to pursue. someone like yourself career at our age, around 21, career in mind? than a career, interest in my life. later on in my life. my love and my passion was theater. many years ago, theater in Boston. very well in Boston. came to me and said, visual, so wonderful. special with your play. Latin America, it's so visual, understand it. to shoot that," I said, "Sure." on film - 16 mm. with the crew, experiencing it. fantastic!" direct actors, television or movies before. for the experience. work. I would like to help." I went to this TV station, in Boston. the station. offer me a job. continue directing theater, into television." for them. an Emmy for the station. "No you shouldn't do that." Yes, all the time. deal with them? to do this," people telling you, get a real job." I know you'll have to edit this piece, "(...) off." that we have to face, saying, "Don't do that." about yourself, be honest about what you want. conversation between friends, interview. deep in your heart, what you want. and try to see want to say. to say to the people?" to project?" with a message. something to say. of your legs, your arms, It's part of you. find and say it, of doing what you want, you have to do it. some coffee espresso. I'll take some coffee. A lot of people judge success by how much money is made, that's what I'm looking for, judges success, the answer in your question. judge success with money. that have nothing to do. be able to talk with people middle of an afternoon. and I believe in magic. of communication being happy. were going to spend a half hour, to work. afternoon with you, my work or anything. which is perhaps egoistic. give to the rest of my peers, me being happy. little bit today, no? This is the stuff  we're asking. Can you read that out loud to us? [speaks Spanish] protecting you. Good luck." Thank you. Tan pronto. Adios! I really liked this interview. he was speaking to me and meaningful, like, "Wow, it makes sense," it just hits you. to see that he I wanted to pursue. the interviews, to click in my head, wanna do film. interests me." biggest problem was, confident person. acted on my interest in film, "Well, what if I fail?" are giving me something inside you gotta start somewhere. If you really love it passion for it. not always right, they're older. I think it's trouble. the cat's meow and stuff. work that's in front of you. you right now? to you right now. To watch more interviews from the road and listen to the music www.roadtripnation.com more about the Movement into your classroom. 

<p>In Boston, the Northern route team interview Jim Koch, founder of Samuel Adams and take a tour of the brewery. En route to Washington, DC, the Southern route team meets with Ann Tenales, Pulitzer Prize- winning political cartoonist. In DC, the Central route team sits down with Gabriel Garcia, independent filmmaker.</p>

Boston - Washington, D.C.

But I really didn't apply myself until I finally realized that, you it's all up to you if you wanna about all the hard knocks that come your take control of your life. 

Choices

Take Control Of Your Life

I was going to Arizona State University and I was floundering too. I wasn't being very serious about it. you can usually say, you actually start to compete. background and I just said, because I needed to be serious about it. almost a year to make enough money for cuz it's very expensive. going to apply myself and go for a goal. until I finally realized that no one else can do it for you. it's all up to you, something with your life. about all the hard knocks that come your take control of your life. in any artistic field, not practical to go into it. >> How did you reach the place where you in it or I'm gonna go to art school and >> Yeah, for fun while you worked another job. had and I made a deal with my dad that in art and major in journalism. that went absolutely nowhere, a journalism class in college. when everyone was majoring in business, really knew that you're gonna be doing see myself doing something that wasn't something that I really wanted to do. just continued on with it. makes you passionate about it? I mean always. with the type of art I did I just liked the actual motion of drawing. gets me going because it takes express an opinion through the drawing. that really clicked for me. but to be able to take something I stick it together, it's powerful. a freelance job while I was working Square events unfold on television. me that I dropped everything and no intent of publishing it or hearings happened in 91, I was so hadn't been political before that. industry for several years and knowing it happens, guys are sitting up there saying, there's because we already passed laws for that. a series of editorial cartoons and send it published and that's how it started. never thought about when I was a student it worked out really well. I didn't believe that when I was your age. being frightened about what's out there, you can do anything you want. to be in this country and to have really should take advantage of it. I wish I could go with you. 

Confidence

Failure

Fear

Honesty

Instincts

Passion

Transitions

Interview

What got you into this specifically? a freelance job while I was working I watched the Tiananmen Square it had such a powerful effect on did a editorial cartoon all on my own. hearings happened political before that but industry for several years and knowing it happens to watch senate up there saying, well, there's no because we already pass laws for that. draw a series of editor cartoons and to get publish, and that’s how it started. 

Getting Political

Just be ready to look at other doors, never thought about when I was a student. I mean, yeah, I think its about what's out there, the unknown. lucky to be in this country and >> It's a good time to get married. 

Opportunity

You Can Do Anything You Want

Where did you got the confidence? in any artistic field, practical [LAUGH] To go into it, you were like you know what? gonna go to art school and not just yeah, and fun while you work another job. parents had and I sort of made a deal with minor in art and major in Journalism. went absolutely nowhere, a Journalism class in college. 80's, that's when everyone was majoring in gonna go to Wall Street. really knew that you're gonna be doing something that wasn't a passion, just continued on with it. makes you passionate about it? I mean always. of art I did then was I just liked to notion of drawing. gets me going because it takes express an opinion through the drawing, that really clicked for me. but to be able to take something I stick it together, it's powerful. 

Follow Your Passion

I was going to Arizona State University, floundering too. majoring in graphic design-- serious about it. You know, when you're say, "Oh I can draw better you get into college, So I made a decision that I something, you know, And I decided I was going because I needed to be And uh, it was a big deal. a year to make enough money of art school 'cause it's That was quite a year for me that I was going to apply myself No one else can do it for you. realization hits you that, if you wanna do something you can either sit around hard knocks that come your way, control of your life. difference for me. 

Ann Telnaes

Political Cartoonist

Videos

Ann Telnaes

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Art

Politics

Communicating / Sharing Stories

Interviewed By

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