A SCOTTISH indy-supporting political cartoonist has said that Nicola Sturgeon has completely “altered the status of Scotland” in the time she has been drawing her.
Lorna Miller, known as Mistress Of Line, graduated in fine art, drawing and painting from the Glasgow School of Art in 1994.
She previously explained how Boris Johnson “made the job easy” after she released a book of cartoons which took aim at the former prime minister.
“When I started drawing Nicola Sturgeon she was barely acknowledged in London-based mainstream media”, she told The National.
“I was once told by a prominent newspaper, ‘this might be news in Scotland but it certainly isn’t down here’.
“It highlighted the contrast that existed between our countries. Since then, Nicola Sturgeon has completely altered the status of Scotland and its politics internationally.”
Miller has worked for a range of publications throughout her career, including online magazine Bella Caledonia and The Guardian.
She spoke about how difficult it was to depict Sturgeon at first and that many were not happy with her initial drawings of her.
She said: “It made me laugh the first time I attempted to do a cartoon that was favourable towards Nicola’s actions and it still caused a huge outcry, threats and insults.
“The funniest comment was something like, ‘someone has chosen to depict our dear leader as a woolly mammoth!’
“They were referring to my cross hatching inking technique. I had to admit, she looked like she had a beard. I took it on the chin and decided I was overdoing the inking and I simplified my approach.”
She continued: “Many people don’t realise that political cartoons existed before printed word journalism as a way of sharing information about the world we live in and the power struggles that have kept people subjugated.
“They appealed to the masses and brought the powerless together by confronting in a safe, humourous way the few who ruled ruthlessly.
“I feel very lucky to be part of this tradition during these incredible times. What a privilege.”
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