cartoon characters picture

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

A friend and I were discussing classic cartoon characters, such as Tom and Jerry and Woody Woodpecker, around the water cooler. We discussed why many cartoons from the golden age of animation were more adult than childish. We also discussed why characters like Woody Woodpecker changed from crazy to responsible adult throughout the years. There are many reasons why the pre-World War II characters and cartoons changed over the years.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Most people are aware that cartoons in the 1930s, 40s, and even 50s were more adult in nature. Characters drank, smoked, and worried about taxes. For example, I remember a Woody Woodpecker cartoon in which Buzz Buzzard was determined to sign Woody up for a life insurance policy. But, Buzz was going to make himself the beneficiary, knock Woody off and keep the insurance money. Pretty heavy stuff. Let's dive into why cartoons were more adult like in this example.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

First off, cartoons were more adult back in the golden age of animation because cartoons used to be shown before theatrical movies. Many of us Generation Xers and those who have come after us are used to seeing cartoons on television. (Who doesn't remember the classic Looney Tunes opening used in the 1980s in which all the famous Looney Tunes characters paraded across the stage?) But, before cartoons were on television, they were in the movie theaters. For example, Tom and Jerry cartoons were shown before MGM movies. Woody Woodpecker and friends were shown before Universal movies. Of course, Looney Tunes cartoons preceded Warner Bros. movies.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Now, as for why the pre-World War II characters like Woody Woodpecker acted in insane ways is because the animators and creators were young men feeling their oats. It makes perfect sense that early Woody Woodpecker, for example, was wild and crazy. Later on, as the creators began settling down and raising families, characters like Woody became more domesticated. Woody started caring for his nephew and niece, Knothead and Splinter. Meanwhile, over at Looney Tunes, Sylvester the Cat began raising his son. Even Foghorn Leghorn became a father figure to Miss Prissy's son, Egghead, Jr.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Yes, the post-World War II cartoon characters were different from how they were before the war and for good reason. Part of the reason is because of the fact cartoons were shown in theaters before adult audiences. Also, animators' real-life personalities seeped into the characters and the characters changed as the creators' lives changed. And, of course, the fact cartoons started being shown on television meant characters needed to be tamed down a little. But, we'll get into cartoons being edited for television in another article.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

The wonderful thing is all the classic cartoon characters, such as Wood Woodpecker, Andy Panda and Daffy Duck, live on in television reruns and DVD sets. I thoroughly enjoy watching the adventures of old-school characters, such as Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig, whether we are talking about their early cartoons or later episodes. That's all folks...for now.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

I am an owner of Halloween Hill, an online store that sells haunted house props, as well as Halloween decorations. I am also a comic book collector and have been for more than 25 years!

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Learning how to draw a cartoon character is both, a very simple as well as a tricky job. You need to observe the faces of people around you and use your creativity to give the desired personality to your cartoon character.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

How to Draw a Cartoon Character - Method 1. This is a fundamental way of drawing a cartoon character, especially suitable for the beginners.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Geometrical Shapes. Start drawing a cartoon character with the basic geometrical shapes such as squares, circles, and ovals for the head of your caricature. You need not be great at drawing for sketching these shapes. Think how each shape could represent the different personalities of people. Square-headed character looks stubborn and old, while a round head looks happy and smiling. Similarly, a lens shaped face can represent a feminine character.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Free Sketch. Take a blank page. Draw one of the basic geometrical shapes and try to imagine a face inside it. Keep your hand as much free as possible while drawing. Of course, continue infusing your imagination all the while, you are raiding the paper.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Body Drawing. Now let us go ahead with the rest of the body of the cartoon character you are drawing. Again, you begin with the basic geometrical shapes for this. Think about the cartoon characters that you are familiar with such as Simpson, Poppeye, and Tarzan. Observe their body shapes. If you still find it complicated, try to imagine simpler shapes that make up the body of the cartoon character.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

Simplicity. The secret behind learning how to draw cartoon characters is not that you have to be a fantastic artist. The secret lies in being able to separate complex arrangements and designs into simple shapes that anyone can draw. The magic of caricature drawing is to use your brain to imagine each part of the cartoon and then rearrange all to give your cartoon a meaningful personality.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

How to Draw a Cartoon Character - Method 2. This is a professional approach to draw a cartoon character. The method emphasizes on drawing a basic pencil outline of human characters by Sticks Method. This method helps in drawing a cartoon character in particular poses. The use of sticks to represent bones makes a cartoon more natural and expressive. We break the cartoon character down to show various joints of its body. With the help of this, any kind of pose can be reflected.

cartoon characters

cartoon characters

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