Brian Duffy, Editorial Cartoonist, presentation was arranged by Shane Goodman.
Brian spent the early part of his career in Milwaukee, where he studied the works of Bill Saunders and Tom Curtis, who were editorial cartoonists at that time in Milwaukee.
After a 25-year career as an award-winning cartoonist for the Des Moines Register until 2008, he is now currently the staff editorial cartoonist for KCCI TV, a CBS affiliate in Des Moines Iowa, as well as being the cartoonist for the alternative weekly newspaper, CityView.
Duffy’s cartoons continue to appear locally in Iowa media outlets and in newspapers and on websites nationwide through King Features Syndicate’s political cartoon package. At times his cartoons shift off the beaten paths of the headlines towards news that is often overlooked and subjects of deeper meaning to society and the world as a whole. Above all else, beyond the humor or outrage, the goal of his cartoons is to make us think.
Brian spent the half hour simultaneously presenting, answering questions, and drawing caricatures of several noteworthy people, including the famous Rotarian Shane Goodman, President Richard Nixon, Governor Terry Branstad, Coach Hayden Fry, and President Barack Obama.
Brian explained how he studies the specific features of a person’s face, and then exaggerates or accentuates the most noticeable features such as the Nose, Hair, Ears, Eyes, etc. He then uses humor and aspects of his experiences to present the political or other editorial message into the cartoon. It is critical that he is aware of the current political and societal issues that are top of mind for his audience.
Some other interesting topics include that he is color blind, but has been prescribed for a Red Contact Lens in his non-dominant eye that allows for better color recognition. He prefers not to personally meet the political figures that he uses for his work. There are currently a limited number of Editorial Cartoonists in the country, and it is becoming more difficult for new cartoonists to make a living. He prefers to use traditional pencil and paper for his drawings, and does not use any digital technology in the creative phase.