🖍️ What Is a Cartoon?

A cartoon is a form of visual art that depicts a person an event or a situation in an exaggerated humorous and thought-provoking way.

Its purpose is not only to make people laugh but also to make them think!

What Is a Cartoon? (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

😊 Why Is It Funny?

Cartoons typically make people laugh through exaggerated drawings such as large noses huge eyes and tiny bodies combined with funny dialogue or unusual situations.

Why Is a Cartoon Funny? (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

💭 What Does It Convey?

Cartoons are not drawn only to make people laugh;

They are drawn to expose injustice

To draw attention to a social issue

To offer a different perspective on everyday events.

In short: A cartoon is a thought expressed through drawing!

What Does a Cartoon Convey? (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

✏️ How Is It Drawn?

A cartoonist:

Observes.

Thinks.

Adds humor.

Draws with a pencil or digital tools.

The drawings may be simple but the messages they convey are often profound.

Cartoon Illustration (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

📚 Where Are Cartoons Seen?

In newspapers

In magazines

In books

On social media

In cartoon museums!

There are also special cartoon series and competitions created for children. 🎨

Cartoon Illustration (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

📜 A Brief History of Cartoons

🏺 Were There Cartoons in Ancient Times?

Yes! Wall paintings in Egyptian pyramids even show people drawn in comical ways.

In ancient Greece theatrical masks exaggerated facial expressions which can be considered early forms of cartoons.

🖌️ What Were Cartoons Like in the Middle Ages?

👑 Criticisms of kings and nobles were drawn as humorous figures in the margins of books.

People could not speak openly but used cartoon-like images to express their ideas.

🗞️ When Did the First Humor Magazines Appear?

In the 18th century in England James Gillray and George Cruikshank began drawing cartoons that criticized political events.

The magazine Punch launched in 1841 helped spread cartoons around the world.

This magazine demonstrated how powerful funny yet thought-provoking images could be.

Türkiye’s Cartoon History

The first Turkish-language cartoon was published in 1867.

In the 20th century many cartoonists emerged who popularized cartoons among the public and established them as both an art form and a tool for social critique.

Cartoon Illustration (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

🌟 Why Is It Important?

It teaches criticism but in a respectful way

It encourages thinking but in an entertaining way

It teaches laughter but also understanding.

A cartoon is both an art form and a means of expression.

Cartoon Illustration (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

📚 References

TÜBİTAK Bilim Genç. “Bilim Çizgi.” TÜBİTAK Bilim Genç. Accessed 14 May 2025. https://bilimgenc.tubitak.gov.tr/bilim-cizgi

TÜBİTAK Encyclopedia. “Cartoon.” TÜBİTAK Encyclopedia. Accessed 14 May 2025. https://ansiklopedi.tubitak.gov.tr/ansiklopedi/karikatur

NTV. “What Does Cartoon Mean?” NTV Ne Demek. Accessed 14 May 2025. https://www.ntv.com.tr/ne-demek/karikatur-ne-demek-36625