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Cartoonists


Overview

Cartoonists

Introduction

Cartoonists are artists who draw still pictures to amuse, entertain, educate, and persuade people. Cartoonists draw illustrations used in marketing and advertising, newspapers and magazines, comic books, graphic novels, greeting cards, video game packaging, and more.

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$48,960

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Employment Prospects

Poor

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Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma
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Experience

Any experience creating story ideas and illustrating them will be
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Skills

Drawing/Design
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Personality Traits

Artistic
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Earnings

Freelance cartoonists may earn anywhere from $100 to $1,200 or more per drawing, but top dollar generally goes only for big, full-color projects such as magazine cover illustrations. Although the U.S. Department of Labor does not give specific information regarding cartoonists' earnings, it does note that the median annual earnings for salaried craft and fine artists, which includes cartoonists...

Work Environment

Most cartoonists work in big cities where employers such as magazine publishers and advertising agencies are located. They generally work in comfortable environments, at drafting tables or drawing boards with good light or on the computer with Macromedia Flash or GIF animation software to create their cartoons. Staff cartoonists work a regular 40-hour workweek but may occasionally be expected t...

Outlook

Employment for craft and fine artists is expected to show little or no change through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The decline of traditional print publications will have a negative impact on illustrators and cartoonists in publishing, specifically. However, electronic magazines and Internet-based publications are expected to create new opportunities. Because so many creativ...