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Although a formal education is useful, plenty of artists never stepped foot in a classroom. Expand your drawing knowledge by looking for tips online or by getting manuals from the library or bookstore. Also, have fun spending time around other artists and their works. They've got a lot of tips and tricks to pass along. As a satirist, you can use exaggerations in your images to make an argument. Try drawing caricatures of people by expanding their notable features. These features might be large ears, cheap boots, or a jutting chin. Exaggerations show the subject's personality. For example, drawing Napoleon shorter than he was in reality made him seem weaker and more cartoonish, even giving rise to the term "Napoleon complex." Exaggeration shows that the work is satirical because it looks cartoonish, and that prevents the subject from claiming you're attacking their reputation. Each cartoonist develops their own identifiable style through practice and hard work. The only way you can do this is by drawing and experimenting to find out what works best for you. Some styles look simpler and less detailed while others are more colorful. For example, Matt Groening's characters on The Simpsons are identifiable by their large, simplified facial features. Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury comics feature characters with longer faces with larger noses and detailed hair. Disney cartoon characters are very colorful and have large, soft eyes. Satire comes out in the captions or words you place around drawings. It is humor that relies on irony, sarcasm, and exaggeration to criticize others. Research tips on satirical writing and attend any classes on the subject you can find, then practice captioning your drawings. An example of a satirical comment is someone saying "I'm still undecided" after they've voted in an important election. It takes practice to get the right subject matter and tone, since you need to be sharp and intelligent instead of mean-spirited or obscene. Balancing irreverent humor with political correctness or cultural sensitivity is a tough but meaningful goal in satire. Immerse yourself in the styles of modern cartoonists such as Gerald Scarfe and Garry Trudeau. Study their approach and humor, then use the parts you like to make your own work better. Pay attention to the reasons why controversial cartoons failed to find a receptive audience. Feel free to go back in time and check out satirists from a previous time period, such as Thomas Nast, James Gillray, and William Hogarth. Satire can be found in publications including The Onion, Mad, and National Lampoon. Satire exists in all artistic fields. For example, try reading Kurt Vonnegut or Alexander Pope novels. Watch shows like Saturday Night Live or The Colbert Report. about political and social events. The world is always changing, and it's your job to stay on top of it. Spend time everyday reading articles or watching the news. Current events are the fuel of cutting-edge satire. You can only strike a chord with an audience if you know the subject matter and how it impacts the lives of others. Where you get your information depends on your topic. If you plan on making political cartoons, news articles and programming are for you. Satire can focus on other topics though, such as popular culture or life struggles people face. All satirists run the risk of legal troubles. Make sure you know the laws in your district and country. Though they vary from place to place, they'll always prevent you from viciously attacking someone. Don't publish lies or claim you're writing facts. Stick to satirizing well-known people such as political and religious leaders. Ridiculing your neighbors isn't funny and will probably get you sued for defamation. For example, drawing Napoleon short isn't to mock his height. It's a metaphor for his political inadequacy. You will get backlash for your work, especially when you misjudge how the audience will react. Stay calm and disregard criticism that isn't constructive. Satirists step near the line of what's acceptable, and you'll learn where that line is by paying attention to your mistakes. In some countries, you can get away with satirizing visible and powerful people or subjects. In others, criticizing anyone in authority comes with terrible repercussions. For example, the Danish publication Jyllands-Posten and the French publication Charlie Hebdo made cartoons about Islam. Violent protests broke out when these were printed.
Continue studying drawing techniques. Exaggerate the physical features of your subjects. Develop your own style. Sharpen your satirical techniques. Read the works of other satirists. Stay well informed Memorize defamation laws in your country. Develop a thick skin.