![John Leech (1817–1864) Blue pencil.svg wikidata:Q1374807 s:en:Author:John Leech Public domain This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer.](https://artworkis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SubstanceandShadow.jpg)
car·toon
(kär-to͞on′)
![A cartoon shows a bearded man with a red bow tie holding numerous items. He holds the hat from Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat" and balances a fishbowl on his left index finger.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Dr._Seuss_WikiWorld.png/300px-Dr._Seuss_WikiWorld.png)
A cartoon is a type of illustration that is typically drawn, sometimes animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images intended for satire, caricature, or humor; or a motion picture that relies on a sequence of illustrations for its animation. Someone who creates cartoons in the first sense is called a cartoonist,[1] and in the second sense they are usually called an animator.
The concept originated in the Middle Ages, and first described a preparatory drawing for a piece of art, such as a painting, fresco, tapestry, or stained glass window. In the 19th century, beginning in Punch magazine in 1843, cartoon came to refer – ironically at first – to humorous illustrations in magazines and newspapers. Then it also was used for political cartoons and comic strips. When the medium developed, in the early 20th century, it began to refer to animated films which resembled print cartoons.[2]