Cartoons are successful in large part because of their ability to create an emotional connection between viewers and cartoon characters. The personalities, flaws and quirks that these cartoons weave into their characters make these characters captivating and engaging.
In the hands of a skilled animator, even machines, animals and household objects become characters that viewers can connect with. There are many reasons why cartoons are so effective at bringing characters to life. Below are some of those reasons.
Cartoons visually portray personalities
In non-animated productions, the realism and appeal of the characters depend mainly on the dialogue and the actors' ability to capture the personalities described in the script. In cartoons, the cartoon studio often creates this realism and appeal through the appearance of the characters.
In other words, the studio uses the characters' appearance and the details of the scenes around them to express the characters' personalities and weaknesses. For example, in some cases, soft, curved lines can be used to represent the kindness (or even weakness) of a character.
Background details can give clues about the character's personality. Other details, such as the character's body shape or the type of clothing he wears, can provide more information about his personality. With these physical cues in place, the character comes to life before they even speak a word or take a step on the screen.
Cartoons create an emotional connection with the viewer
Productions often create human or near-human characters that appeal to the audience because they look like the audience. However, cartoons also often bring non-human characters to life (consider Simba from The Lion King and the candlestick Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast).
The reason cartoons are such an effective medium for bringing characters of all types to life is that they have a unique ability to highlight the qualities these characters have in common with the viewer.
The character designs underlying these creations make them so believable that viewers connect on an emotional level with the cartoons.
One reason for this emotional connection is the cartoon studio's ability to express the characters' humanity through their appearance and actions. Sometimes this means imbuing a character (even a non-human one) with certain human characteristics.
In addition, drawings often have facial expressions that convey human emotions. Take, for example, Simba in The Lion King.
He is carefully crafted to reveal malice, surprise, sadness and anger, all expertly written across his lion-like features. The result is a character who displays human qualities and emotions that resonate with audiences.
Can handle adult themes
Another way in which cartoons bring characters to life is by transcending exclusively child-focused themes in order to encompass the entire realm of thought and action experienced by the adult viewer.
Of course, some cartoons are aimed at children and therefore have these appearances and deal with themes that are suitable for their young audience.
However, many other cartoons skillfully incorporate violence, use adult humor (like The Simpsons), or address modern issues (like South Park).
In addition, these types of cartoons can present characters that accurately represent the wide variety of personalities present in the real world.
This ability to embrace adult themes and create diverse characters increases the lifelikeness of the cartoon characters because it increases their credibility. A viewer is very likely to engage with a cartoon that accurately captures human emotion and personality.
When the viewer sees an animated production dealing with themes and issues that they recognize, they feel closer to the characters and are likely to be convinced of the characters' realism and message.
This ability of cartoons to capture a variety of personalities, emotions, and themes also allows the cartoon animation partner to tailor the project to the needs of the target audience.
By doing this, the animator allows the cartoon to resonate with viewers in a way that increases its realism and power. Whether the goal is to reach potential customers, entertain executives or create educational animation.
Cartoons use exaggerated actions and expressions
Finally, cartoons bring characters to life through the use of exaggeration. Realism and exaggeration must be carefully balanced by the cartoon studio. On the one hand, each character's characteristics and emotions must be realistic enough to connect with the viewer.
On the other hand, they must be exaggerated enough to provide the entertainment factor that makes cartoons such a popular medium for everything. From feature films to advertising animation.
One area where exaggeration is used well in cartoons is in the characters' actions and facial expressions.
These exaggerations, when done correctly, accurately capture the appearance of the body when actions and feelings are being recorded in a real person, while exaggerating these appearances to the extreme.
For example, a look of surprise includes huge eyes and a grossly dropped chin, rather than the more subtle appearances that actually occur in real life.
Cartoons are a rich and fun way to bring characters to life. Through their ability to convey the humanity of characters, connect emotionally with the viewer, deal with adult themes, and skillfully use exaggeration, they provide a way to connect with almost any audience.
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