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3 Questions With Sun Editorial Cartoonist Mike Smith

Posted on December 6, 2022   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Scott Dickensheets

Scott Dickensheets

A Mike Smit self-portrait depicting him wearing a green shirt

Why did Mike Smith wear a green shirt on picture day? (Mike Smith/Las Vegas Sun)

You’ve been doing this a long time; how do you keep it fresh?

✒️ "I've been doing this so long that I've forgotten how long I've been doing it. Keeping it fresh isn't too much of a challenge in our constant news cycle. New headlines are constantly being churned out which gives me ample subject matter."


How do you find material when there’s not much going on in politics?
✒️ "Thank goodness for Elon Musk. He's the gift that keeps on giving. I could probably justify a cartoon on him each week. There's never a shortage of topics that don't deal with politicians. I often find myself drawing about topics unrelated to politics simply because I don't want to draw five cartoons a week on Congress or the president. Considering that there is a war in Ukraine, turmoil in Iran, a pandemic, mass shootings, and economic challenges, it's easy to consider topics other than politics."


Who do you most like to draw?
✒️ "People with prominent physical characteristics are the easiest. Caricature is based on exaggeration, so whether it's Obama's ears or Trump's hair, I'm looking for aspects to exaggerate that will make a caricature recognizable. Of the presidents I have drawn, I would say Trump has been the easiest. Once you get the hair down, the rest falls into place. (There's really no secret to drawing Trump's hair. It's just a matter of trial and error in practice sketches until it works.) Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were also enjoyable to draw due to their hair. Obama is probably the hardest president I've had to draw. Other than the ears, there's just not a lot to work with."


More Mike Smith Cartoons
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