How to draw cartoon strips• Features of comic strips• Character and perspective• Cartoon strips as stories• Types of cartoon strips• Punchlines• Facial expressions and cartoons• Steps in doing cartoon strips

Features of a comic stripSequence of drawings arranged in

interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative

Some characteristics include:1. Serialization. E.g. 1,2,3,42. Text in balloons3. Captions

Understanding cartoon strips: Character and perspectives

Temenggong and Tengku Hussein

San Mao by Zheng Lipeng in 1935

StoriesMain characteristics of history-based comic strips includeBackground: E.g. Piracy in the Caribbean. Attack

shipMain Character: E.g. BlackbeardProblem: E.g. Blackbeard worked at being bad.Resolution: E.g. Give example of him being bad.Closure: E.g. Cut off fingers of someone for

psychological impact. Play mind games with victims Perspective of cartoonist: (E.g. First person or

3rd person narrative): E.g. Historian telling story from 3rd person.

Pick out an interesting snippet of history that you find interesting

Types of cartoon stripsHumorous with punchlineInformation giving/ Story line

Source: http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/0/40/3379622-mad+magazine+524+zingersw.jpg

Other Segments: The Runaway; The Stowaway; The Prize fighter and Entertainer; The Legionnaire

Source: http://www.redrosestudio.com/Cat%2020%20This%20wks%20ref.html

Thinking of punchlinesKinds of punchlines:1. The Hidden Element: The reader can see what the

character can’t. (San Mao cartoon)2. The Reversal: Character says something unexpected.

(The Beetle Bailey cartoon)3. The Understatement or Underreaction (The

Zingers/Snoopy cartoon)4. The Exaggeration or Overreaction (The Blackbeard

cartoon)5. Misunderstandings of words and intentions6. Illogical consequences (Reader or character did not

expect something to happen) or the logical consequence

Source: http://ersby.blogspot.sg/2013/01/a-list-of-punchlines.html

Thinking of cartoon facial expressions and actionsHappiness: Smile with

wide eyesSadness: Frown with

small eyesAnger: Frown with

slanted eyes and red face

Mischief: Grin and slanted eyes

Shock: Gaping mouth, wide eyes and several lines near characters’ forehead

Steps in doing a comic strip

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Simple-Comic-Strip

Step 1: Realize that you are focused on dialogue. Draw as little as possible to create your setting. Go for jokes or words in the characters’ speech

Step 2: Design and name your characters. Do you have your own style of drawing? Stick figures or using online platforms are ok if you just want to go for the joke and not bother with the pictures. Give your character names. You can use electronic cartoons from www.toondo.com

Step 3: Come up with a setting. Your goal is to produce quick laughs in as little time as possible, so for example if you want to draw a living room, just draw the necessary furniture like a sofa and a TV. The important thing is you like the look of it.

Step 4: Come up with a plot. Set up a plot as early as possible and do it quickly. It is the characters’ reactions that make the comics memorable, not the plot. You may take a snippet from the event or person’s life. E.g. Signing of the Treaty of Singapore in Feb 1819.

Step 5: Write a verbal response to what has happened. This response could be even more out of the ordinary than your set-up. For example if two people are fighting with swords and one person’s arm is cut off, he could exclaim, “Ha! I’m left handed!” rather than react in pain.