I Love Cartoons

One of the many reasons I’m so drawn (lol, drawn) to SVG art and animation on the web is I love cartoons. Anything from comics and graphic novels to major 3D animated movies.

Cartoons are a versatile medium that offers a range of stylistic possibilities. From the unique use of color and surreal settings to the different types of animation techniques used, cartoons can be a feast for the senses. They often feature talented voice actors, beautiful scores, and fun sound effects that enhance the viewing experience.

Whether telling engaging stories throughout a season or through simple one-off episodes, cartoons are enjoyable for people of all ages.

A few great shows

Bojack Horseman

Bojack Horseman is not only my favorite animated show, but one of my favorite shows of all time. For a show based on anthropomorphic animals, its ability to reflect on real human emotion is top-notch.

On the surface, there is great humor in the form of well-written dialogue, animal-based puns, and tongue twisters. Diving deeper you will find an incredible cast of characters voiced by talented actors and an overarching throughline of a deeply broken person (or horse, in this case). An exploration of depression and substance abuse and the effects on relationships.

The episode titled “The View from Halfway Down” from season 6 is my absolute favorite episode and also one I never want to watch again.

Bojack Horseman was created by Raphael Bob-Waksburg and can be watched on Netflix.

Arcane

As someone who has never once been interested in the MOBA game League of Legends, the show based on the game is very good.

Arcane has an incredible blend of 2D and 3D animation, with sequences reminiscent of Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse. The creators provide such an emotional depth, bringing life to each character.

I was not prepared to enjoy this show as much as I did and am eagerly awaiting the second season.

Arcane was produced by Riot Games with showrunners Christian Linke and Alex Yee. Arcane is available on Netflix.

Over the Garden Wall

Each year during fall, my wife and I have what we call a “Fall Day” where we get some soup, fall desserts, warm apple cider, and watch Over the Garden Wall.

The mini-series from Cartoon Network is ten 15-minute episodes with gorgeous set pieces, beautiful folksy music, and a touching story of two brothers lost in the Unknown.

Over the Garden Wall has an amazing cast of voice actors such as Elijah Woods as Wirt, Collin Dean as Gregory, Melanie Lynskey as Beatrice, and Christopher Lloyd as The Woodsman. There are also great cameos by John Cleese, Chris Isaak, Tim Curry, Shannyn Sossamon, Thomas Lennon and many more.

My favorite episode is “Welcome to Pottsville” which captures the feeling of the fall season in ways I’ve never seen before.

Over the Garden Wall was created by Patrick McHale and animated by Nick Cross and is available to watch on HBO Max.

The Owl House

The Owl House is something I never would have expected to see come out of Disney as its main themes are demons, witches, and inspiring examples of representation for the LGBTQ+ community.

The misunderstood Luz finds herself in the Demon Realm, where she meets up with Eda “The Owl Lady” and the demon, King. Luz is captivated by this new world and sets off on adventures to learn magic as a human, find friendship and love, and battle against an oppressive emperor in the process.

Although The Owl House was canceled prematurely, the crew behind the show still managed to create an excellent ending to the series.

The Owl House was created with lots of love from Dana Terrace and can be watched on Disney+.

Creative Takeaways

As a designer and developer, I feel that there are a lot of lessons to be learned from cartoons. I think cartoons can help you use your imagination to think a bit more creatively:

• Noticing smaller details in scenes teaches you how to make a more complete design.
• Observing how characters interact with their surroundings to understand real-world interactions.
• Appreciating the fluidity and movement in animation to inspire dynamic and expressive creativity.

Watch more cartoons!