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Jon Kudelka

Updated June 01, 2010 12:16:00

Tasmanian political news cartoonist Jon Kudelka discusses his life and work.

Source: 7.30 Tasmania | Duration: 5min 10sec

Topics: journalism, arts-and-entertainment, comedy-humour, tas


AIRLIE WARD, PRESENTER: Tasmania's natural landscape is well known as an aesthetic aphrodisiac but one of the state's most prolific sketchers is not so interested in what's going on outside.

Jon Kudelka is inspired by the news of the day. His award winning cartoons are seen in newspapers and magazines around the country.

His deadline is usually two hours ago but Kudelka wouldn't have it any other way.

He gave Barbara Cox a look inside his new home studio.

JON KUDELKA, CARTOONIST: I started drawing cartoons when my best friend in grade three was praised by the teacher for being a really good cartoonist. And I couldn't stand him being better than me at something, so I immediately started drawing and ah deciding I would be good at it too.

I had my first cartoon published about a week after that, by my mother in Parent Magazine cause she was the editor. And they paid me five bucks for it I think which was a huge amount of money in those days.

So I actually got the bug then, it was when you realise you can get paid for your cartoon that, that things kicked off.

BARBARA COX, REPORTER: Jon Kudelka has a biochemistry degree but it hasn't been much use.

He's one of a rare breed of freelancers making a living from drawing.

JON KUDELKA: I got the job on The Mercury actually, a guy, the guy who was the chief of staff, Mike Moore, was watching a game of hockey I was playing in and when I came off, you know I was a bit knackered, had a shocking game we got thrashed I think. And he said "You're a, you're a cartoonist aren't you Jon?" I said "Yeah", he said "Oh well Kev Bailey's going on holidays do you want to fill in?" I said "Absolutely!"

So that was um, that was how it happened, it was just pure luck.

BARBARA COX: Since that break, he's picked up daily commissions from a national broadsheet and spread into magazines, animation and TV commercials.

His doodling also graces the offices of those he lampoons.

JON KUDELKA: Political cartooning is, is, for newspapers has always been the, its always been the thing I love doing most. It's a, I mean a political cartoon is just one of the most evolved forms of getting an idea across that you can have, it's so simple and yet so effective.

BARBARA COX: Political cartooning is Kudelka's bread and butter. But he also has an eye for charcoal nudes and likes to paint with acrylics.

Over the years, his style has morphed into distinctive, playful lines.

JON KUDELKA: Originally I actually wanted to be an artist, you know to do art for, to be put on a wall. And I worked out very quickly that. that was a tough way to earn a living.

So my original, my early stuff was fairly worked up and quite meticulous and I decided with The Mercury I wanted to go on holidays, but I couldn't afford to just take a holiday so I actually took my fax, my fax machine in my backpack and faxed my cartoon to The Mercury from you know various locations, wherever I was.

And so naturally with the fax in those days you had to do a very chunky, loose style or all the little lines got dropped out. So I got a very pared down style which is really handy cause its, means you can do it a lot quicker too.

BARBARA COX: Though he prefers the feel and flow of ink on paper, it's thanks to technology that Kudelka and his young family can live in his home town of Hobart.

JON KUDELKA: I haven't actually worked in the building at the newspaper for about eight or so years I think. I fax, I used to fax then I email. I used to scan them in, now I actually draw it directly on the screen, which um, on a thing called a Cintiq which is a wonderful bit of gear.

BARBARA COX: Like most in the media, Kudelka is caffeine fuelled and enjoys a deadline.

He usually gets just a few hours to come up with a front page cartoon, encapsulating his unique take on the story of the day.

JON KUDELKA: It can be as, as little as, you know, a five word brief sometimes. Cause basically with a page one the journos are still writing it, right up to the death as well. You know, sometimes they'll email me the whole story which is just, you know, gold, cause you can actually, you know, have some sort of idea of what you're working with.

BARBARA COX: Kudelka also finds inspiration on the internet.

JON KUDELKA: Facebook and Twitter are becoming a remarkably useful way of picking the zeitgeist as well. But the problem with that is that usually everyone's used every gag that's available. So you suddenly realise that there's nothing new under the sun, so you gotta try and spin it a bit further.

BARBARA COX: Kudelka says he's never been stumped but has his favourites.

JON KUDELKA: My favourite politican to draw is Barnaby Joyce, he's, he's got these lovely big kind sad eyes, big liquid sad eyes. And um you can always draw him in a you know the big, the country hat and he's always saying something funny. He's got these lovely big lips too which makes it, he's just, he's fun to draw, he's a pleasure.

My least favourite to draw is Julia Gillard cause she keeps changing her hairstyle all the time and Julia please stop, stop changing your hair please!