Obsessive photo taking and selfie cartoon

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obsessive photo and selfie taking cartoon

Cartoon about obsessive photo and selfie taking

This cartoon is a comment on the culture of constantly taking photographs and selfies, especially when on holiday or vacation.
The photos are taken as a way to record the event, but in fact they often get in the way of the event, stopping the person engaging with it in a meaningful way.
The concept behind the cartoon is that the obsessive taking of photos actually hinders the experience.
A cartoon about holidays, vacations, experiences, photography, selfies, Instagram generation, social media, smartphones, engaging.

Drawn: June 2020
Cartoon reference: a810
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Salvador Dali surreal lobster telephone cartoon

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Salvador Dali surreal lobster telephone cartoon

Surrealism cartoon – Salvador Dali lobster telephone and shrimp cell phone

Cartoon showing Salvador Dali’s surrealist telephone, along with a mobile phone that he may have imagined if they had existed then.

Original cartoon drawn: 2010
This version drawn: 2019
Cartoon reference number: art013
This cartoon features in my book of cartoons about art.
See the book here.
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The etiquette of using a mobile phone in an art gallery

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The etiquette of using a cell phone in an art gallery cartoon

A cartoon about the etiquette of using a cell phone in an art gallery.

The cartoon shows a visitor to an art gallery talking on a mobile phone in the gallery.

The cartoon is about the tensions that can occur in public spaces concerning the inconsiderate use of mobile phones, especially if the user speaks in a load voice and seems oblivious to their surroundings.
Art galleries are usually quiet spaces (although there are some schools of thought that think that they should be more lively (and therefore more accessible to people who feel intimidated by the reverence normally afforded to art).
The other visitors to the gallery are looking very disapproving.

Cartoon drawn: 2019

Cartoon reference number: art015
This cartoon features in my book of cartoons about art.
See the book here.
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Cartoon – contemporary art aimed at the selfie taking Instagram generation

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Instagram-friendly art cartoon

Art aimed at the Instagram generation.

The cartoon shows artworks in an art gallery in which the works are in the form of speech bubbles with quotes in them.
The quotes are clichés poking fun at modern art and contemporary art: But is it art? and A child of six could do it!
Gallery visitors pose beneath the quotes and have selfies or photos taken of themselves.

Cartoon drawn: 2019
Cartoon reference number: art056
This cartoon features in my book of cartoons about art.
See the book here.
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Social media in contemporary art cartoon

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contemporary art cartoon emoji

Digital language enters contemporary art.

The cartoon shows a contemporary art painting that resembles a social media emoji.
The fact that the visitors to the art gallery think that the painting is capturing emotion and is expressing emotion is partly meant to show the emotional banality and superficiality of a lot of social media.

Cartoon drawn: 2019
Cartoon reference number: art048
This cartoon features in my book of cartoons about art.
See the book here.
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Cell phone dependency (or mobile phone dependency) cartoon

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Cartoon - cell phone dependency

Dependency on mobile phones – cartoon.

People are beginning to rely to an excessive extent on their mobile phone (cell phone) and on digital electronic technology.
This cartoon illustrates this by depicting tourists who are using the sat-nav function of their mobile phones to navigate to a hotel. The gps has stopped working and they don’t know how to find the hotel, even though it’s plainly in full view.

Cartoon reference number: a758

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The “post truth” society

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Cartoon about ignoring the truth in favour of prejudice

Post truth cartoon.
Truth and facts being ignored in favour of emotional or prejudiced viewpoints.

The concept of ignoring the facts when reaching a decision about something, and letting the heart rather than the head rule, seems to be a phenomenon that’s on the rise. It has recently been labelled ‘post truth’.
In the cartoon I’ve linked it to the phenomenon of conspiracy theories, which are frequently used as a way of justifying irrational or unproven ideas.
The rise of post truth tendencies is said to be linked to people’s increasing use of social media via phones and electronic media and the tendency for internet algorithms to send people only information that they already agree with – however the tendency has always been there in the way that people purchase newspapers that agree with their political and other views.
It may also be linked to the current mistrust of experts.

Cartoon reference number: a756

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How social media confirms your prejudiced – creating a ‘phoney’ world view

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phone filter bubble algorithm

How social media in phones filter information – giving the user a ‘phoney’ (or phony) world view

How social media etc via phones and other digital devices reinforce prejudices by filtering information so that the user only sees information that conforms to the user’s existing biases.

The ‘filter bubble’ of social media and other digital technology is similar to the ‘culture bubble’ of real-world travel and peer group opinions and attitudes.
Ref a745
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The phone filter bubble effect – creating a ‘phoney’ world view

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filter bubble computer algorithm

How algorithms in phones filter information, thus giving the user a ‘phoney’ (or phony) world view

How the use of phones and other digital devices reinforce prejudices by filtering information so that the user tends to see only information that conforms to the user’s biases.

The ‘filter bubble’ of social media and other digital technology is similar to the ‘culture bubble’ in which travellers and tourists surround themselves with their own culture when abroad.
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People immersed in their smart phones unaware of events in the real world

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people engrossed in their smart phones unaware of events in the real world

A problem of immersive technology – smart phone users oblivious to events round them

This cartoon is about the way that the use of smart phones encourages people to withdraw from the real world and to become totally immersed in their phones.

In the cartoon the two young people in the foreground are completely unaware that the city behind them is being destroyed by an alien invasion by flying saucers or ufos (and that this is the reason that their phones have lost their signal). The only thing that they notice is that the signal to their phones has gone.
The cartoon is an illustration of the potential dangers of immersive technology.
It was first published in Prospect magazine, April 2016.
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Cartoon of a person watching reality tv – infinite regression image

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reality tv cartoon - infinite regression of image in tv screen

Reality tv cartoon – showing a person watching reality tv watching a person watching reality tv – an infinite regression image

A cartoon about television reflecting life: about the way that people’s lives are seemlessly integrated with technology – to the point where people only exist in relation to technology

An illustration of people doing nothing but watching reality television, for whom nothing exists beyond the tv screen, the computer screen or the phone screen.

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Snooper drones cartoon

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private snooper drones

Personal spy drone cartoon
The use of drones for private detective work

A cartoon about one of the implications of the spread of drone technology in the future if drones become available to the public as personal drones or as civilian surveillance drones in general

The drone in the image is being used by a husband to spy on his wife
Advances in drone technology have implications for civil liberties, with the possibility of a Big Brother society

Click below for another cartoon about the possible use of personal drones Snooper drones

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Personal snooper drone cartoon – drones used for stalking

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personal drone used for stalking - cartoon

Personal spy drone cartoon
An idea about the implications of drone technology
The use of drones for stalking

A cartoon about one of the numerous possible misuses of drone technology in the future if drones become available to the public as personal drones

The drone in the image is being used by a stalker to stalk a woman.

Click below for another cartoon about the possible use of personal drones Snooper drones

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Illustration – people using mobile devices oblivious to their surroundings

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spring blossom ignored by phone users - cartoon

An illustration about the tunnel vision of cell phone users
People using mobile devices being oblivious to what’s around them

A cartoon showing people using mobile phones or other portable electronic devices, totally ignoring the world around them

The cartoon shows a spring blossom tree in full bloom, with people staring at their phones instead of at the tree.

This is a variation on the idea that mobile phone users bump into people and objects because they aren’t watching where they are going, as they are too engrossed in their phones

Ref a592
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Sat nav (GPS) error – car directed to the wrong destination.

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sat nav to Saturn's rings - cartoon

Sat nav (GPS) error cartoon – a car directed to the wrong destination by the sat-nav.
A car driving round the rings of Saturn as though they were a ring road

A cartoon about the way that people will follow their sat navs to the wrong destinations

The caption reads: I’ve got a feeling that the sat-nav’s taking us along the wrong ring road.
Cartoon reference number: a522

Sat-nav error cartoon. Guided to the wrong destination

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sat-nav error to M31 - cartoon

Sat-nav cartoon – a car guided by sat-nav taken to the wrong destination

The sat nav (GPS) has guided to car to the wrong M31 (the Andromeda galaxy instead of the M31 motorway).

The M31 motorway doesn’t actually exist by the way – it was planned but never completed.
The cartoon is about the way that car drivers will blindly and slavishly follow the instructions of their sat-navs even when they are completely wrong, sometimes going to the wrong destination of the same name
It says something about the way that the human race can follow the wrong path without realising the potential consequences
This is an astronomy cartoon

Cartoon reference number: a496

Drowning in digital technology – cartoon

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drowning in immersive technology cartoon

A cartoon about drowning in the overwhelming tide of progress in modern digital technology which makes it hard to keep up and sometimes gives a sense of powerlessness or impotence.
It can also be seen as a cartoon about drowning in immersive technology, where the digital world ‘becomes’ real and overwhelms the user in a different way.

A cartoon about virtual reality, the digital-physical interface, electronic worlds, technological overload, information overload

Immersive technology is digital or electronic technology that affects the senses to such an extent that it is hard to define the line between the real physical world and the artificial digital or simulated world, creating a sense of immersion
Cartoon reference number: a431
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Twitter abuse cartoon. A cartoon about social media trolls and malicious messaging

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twitter cartoon

Twitter troll cartoon
A cartoon about malicious tweeting

Twitter attacks illustrated by the Twitter logo pooping on a person (who is being attacked by Twitter

People who send anonymous abusive, bullying, offensive or otherwise malicious messages via social media are known as trolls.
Cartoons about cyber bullying and internet harassment, shitter twitter, tweets, tweeting
Cartoon reference number: a429
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Going viral – a cartoon about popular culture and YouTube videos

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youtube viewing cartoon

A cartoon about the most popular YouTube videos and the inanity of popular culture.
“Gangnam Style” tops YouTube viewing figures

A comic comment on popular culture in the internet age

This cartoon was inspired by the fact that the song and video “Gangnam Style” was the most popular YouTube video today.

I’ve got nothing against “Gangnam Style” (in fact I quite like it), but it’s a shame that the most popular areas of popular culture are usually the most inane/mildly amusing/superficial.
The man in this image is implying that he’d like to see something a bit more intelligent topping the internet viewing figures.
The cartoon is about internet trending, going viral, cultural inanity, popular culture.

Cartoon reference number: a428

Social media bullying or Twitter abuse cartoon badge/label

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twitter shitter badge

Cyber troll or twitter Troll cartoon
On-line abuse cartoon

A person who indulges in Twitter bullying and tweeting abusive tweets may be called aTwitter shitter
The cartoon shows a bird similar to the Twitter logo shitting on a person, as a metaphor for social media abuse or internet bullying

An illustration designed as a badge or label to campaign against the use of Twitter for sending malicious tweets.
I’d never heard of the phrase ‘Twitter shitter’ previously, however a quick internet search has thrown up a number of examples, all of which seem, surprisingly, to relate to actually going to the toilet. My own use refers to posting unpleasant tweets similar to the activities of internet trolls and suchlike.

Cartoon reference number: a476
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Conkers cartoon – the computer game

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Conkers computer game

A cartoon about the traditional children’s game, conkers, conkers, as a computer game

The cartoon is about the way that traditional children’s games are being usurped by computer games and other forms of digital entertainment

Conkers is played with the seed of the horse chestnut tree on the end of a piece of string. Competing children take turns to hit each other’s conker until one of them is broken and falls off the string it’s threaded onto.

Cartoon reference number: a399

Cartoon – Apple logo with teeth

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Apple logo with teeth - cartoon

Apple logo cartoon.
Menacing Apple logo with teeth

Editorial cartoon showing the Apple logo transformed into a ‘monster’ with teeth

The concept of the cartoon is that Apple corp is getting too big and is turning into a bit of a monster, with all of the consequent problems, such as market monopoly, corporate greed, imbalance of competition.

This cartoon is about rapacious corporate gigantism, and not necessarily about Apple’s products – I’ve drawn almost all of my cartoons since 1985 on Macs, and have hardly touched a PC in my life.
A cartoon about corporate success, expansion, mobile phones, 3G, 4G, computers, computer companies, phone companies.

WARNING. This cartoon can not be used for commercial purposes unless it is as editorial content.

Cartoon reference number: a386
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Apple are getting so big they may be turning into a monster

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apple logo monster - cartoon

Apple logo cartoon.
Apple are getting so big they are turning into a monster

Editorial cartoon showing the Apple logo transformed into a ‘monster’ with teeth, devouring a cell phone that represents the other phone manufacturers.

The concept is that Apple corp is getting too big and is creating an imbalance in the telecommunications industry.

This cartoon is about rapacious corporate gigantism, and not necessarily about Apple’s products – I’ve drawn almost all of my cartoons since 1985 on Macs, and have hardly touched a PC in my life, so I’m a big Apple fan.

WARNING. This cartoon can not be used for commercial purposes unless it is as editorial content.

Cartoon reference number: a385

Optician cartoon. A cartoon about people’s worlds being limited to their phone

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eye test phone cartoon

Cartoon about people’s lives being limited to their cell phones or mobile phones

A cartoon about people’s over-reliance on phones and obsession with phones

Cartoon showing someone having their eyes tested at an opticians.
The person is looking at an eye chart and is saying “Why would I need to be able to see something so far away from my phone?”

A cartoon about people’s worlds being limited to their phones, opticians, eye tests, optometry cartoon, optometrist cartoon, ophthalmic opticians, ophthalmology, mobile phones, iPhones, tunnel vision, eyesight, shortsightedness, phone addiction, soart phones.

Cartoon reference number: a374
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How to stop a baby crying – give it the phone

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baby comforter phone cartoon

Cartoon showing how to stop a baby crying – give it the phone

A comment on the hypnotic fascination with phones of young people.
The cartoon is also about the way that children are socialised into dependence on technology and gadgets.
The baby is ignoring the soft toys that are dangling in the baby buggy and is focussing completely on a cell phone (mobile phone).

Cartoon reference number: a357

Gender specific reactions to mobile phone apps – cartoon

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Women men differences mobile phone - cartoon

A cartoon about gender differences and mobile phone apps.

Differing male and female attitudes to technology

Gender specific differences are shown here in the way that young men like gadgets, while young women prefer to talk (shown in this cartoon by a man who is more interested in the phone apps that he can add to his phone than in the fact that he can use it to talk to his friends).

Cartoon reference number: a352

Tiananmen Square protester cartoon – photographing conflicts

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tiananmen square tanks protester cartoon

Tiananmen Square protester cartoon – taking a photo of the tanks

Cartoon about the phenomenon of civil unrest, conflicts and protests being photographed and filmed by civilians using their mobile phones and digital cameras

At the time of the Tiananmen Square protest the technology to record the protest digitally did not exist.
It is now not uncommon for riots, battles and massacres to be filmed or recorded and to be posted on web sites such as Youtube
This cartoon first appeared in BBC Knowledge magazine.

Cartoon reference number: a335
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You’re never alone when you’ve got a phone – cartoon

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You're never alone when you've got a phone - cartoon

Mobile phone cartoon. Cell phone cartoon.
You’re never alone when you’ve got a phone – cartoon

A cartoon showing a person sitting alone with a mobile phone on the table.

The cartoon is an observation about people who place their phones on the table when they are on their own, to signal to other people that they have friends
A cartoon about mobile phones, cell phones,social media,loneliness,solitary people,communication.

Cartoon reference number: a324
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Moon cartoon – following sat-nav to the moon

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Sat-nav gps lost on moon - cartoon

From my selection of moon cartoons
Following sat-nav on the moon

A cartoon about following a sat-nav to the wrong destination – a car has been following the directions given by its sat nav system and has ended up on the moon.
This is a joke about the way that people can reach the wrong destination by unthinkingly following the directions given by their sat-navs (or any other imparter of false knowledge).

Cartoon reference number: a322