- Training Graphic Design
Press cartoonists don’t just use their pencils and their sharp minds to put the news into pictures.
The role of the press cartoonist
As any newspaper journalist will tell you, a good photo adds luster to a story. It’s the icing on the cake, and sometimes even the cake itself, although a good press photo is not necessarily a beautiful photo. It’s an image that must above all tell a story. The same goes for the press cartoonist, who tells stories through his publications and sketches.
Plantu, the late Cabu and Wolinski, to name but a few, represent the contemporary pantheon of the profession. As you may have noticed, the boundaries are not watertight: many of them have also published comic books.
How do you compete with, or illustrate, the pen with the pencil?
Whether the cartoonist is asked to illustrate an article or take a raw event as his starting point, his aim is to take a personal, educational or critical look at current affairs, with a sense of humour or off-beatness.
Skills and qualities
The career of a press cartoonist is that of an artist in the full sense of the term, an artist with a passion for drawing and a real know-how.
There are no formal requirements to enter this profession, apart from convincing an editor-in-chief (whatever the medium) to work with you, because he or she likes your “touch”, your style and your ability to gather information, synthesise it and pass it on to everyone.
Press cartoonists need to be open-minded and curious, with a keen interest in current affairs, a broad general knowledge, a sense of humour, the ability to react quickly and the ability to hit the nail on the head (if there’s a text) that will give their cartoon all the flavour it needs.
Artistic training is obviously essential before crossing the Rubicon and offering to work with us. ESMA offers a 3-year Illustrator (Concept Artist) course that can open the doors to press illustration and comic strips, thanks to its general and artistic courses supported by masterclasses and workshops.
Career and development opportunities
The salary of a press cartoonist varies widely, and the data is hardly reliable, since remuneration depends on the status of the cartoonist, the publication for which he or she works and, of course, his or her reputation. However, the average salary is around €2,600 net per month.
It is not unusual for press cartoonists to work on a freelance basis, or on commission, for several publications. They are then said to be “freelance” and paid per drawing. Some of the most sought-after artists are paid on a monthly basis by major regional or national dailies, such as Le Monde.
Press cartoonists can have full journalist status, provided they are recognised as “reporter-drawers” by the Press Card Commission. Furthermore, press cartoons do not really exist in the digital media, no doubt for reasons of legibility.
As with all creative professions, it’s hard to get a place in the sun. Press cartoonists have to be patient, open doors and rely on an extensive address book and absolute professionalism. They can expand their activities by devoting themselves to illustration, comic strips or computer graphics, for example.
