NZ Herald editorial cartoonist Rod Emmerson. Photo / Doug Sherring
NZ Herald editorial cartoonist Rod Emmerson. Photo / Doug Sherring
Cartoonist Rod Emmerson didn't get to the top of his game by tiptoeing around the edges of the big issues.
It's his job, he says, to distil thousands of words written by the Herald's journalists down to an image and maybe a word or two that "deliver a message ...and stimulate debate".
"Good cartoonists underline the hypocrisies and foibles of social and political discourse. We're often seen as the canaries in the coal mine. When the cartoonists are chirping, it's for good reason."
Niceness is not part of the job description. But, says Rod, neither is gratuitous offensiveness.
NZ Herald editorial cartoonist Rod Emmerson. Photo / Doug Sherring
"I'm not there to humiliate anybody - they do that by themselves. The skill of a good cartoonist is knowing what line to stop at."
It's also knowing what line to start at. Rod allows around six hours for each cartoon - from idea to finished product - and he often doesn't put pen to paper for hours.
"Ninety per cent of it is walking around trying to create something in my head. I don't draw the first thing that comes into my mind. I could do it 24 hours a day and I still wouldn't be satisfied."
Rod's been the NZ Herald's editorial cartoonist since 2003, and worked for Australia's leading newspapers before that. His focus is on editorial work, but he's also an accomplished pocket cartoonist, caricaturist and illustrator.
The page in his CV that lists his various awards, certificates and associated accolades has very small type because that's the only way to fit them all in.
We think Rod's got one of the most interesting jobs in the world, so we asked him to take 90 minutes out of his busy Thursday schedule to chat with NZ Herald Premium subscribers.
• Ask your question in the comments section below from 10.30am - you'll need to be logged in to your NZ Herald Premium account first. Questions will be moderated before publication - the usual House Rules apply. Rod will join the chat from about 11.30am to 1pm. Thanks for taking part.
