Battle Lines highlights the efforts of editorial cartoonists as they communicate their views of the war in Iraq. We are inviting cartoonists from around the world to answer three questions about the creative process. If you have a suggestion for a cartoon or a cartoonist, please let us know by adding your comments to our forum. Or send an e-mail to cartoonists@poynter.org.

Deb Milbrath

"How did your idea begin? What was the genesis of the way you chose to approach your drawing? What sparked the idea?"

The war was beginning and I was energized by an anti-war vigil I attended the weekend before. The realization that the war was going to happen lead me to the image of a deteriorating peace sign.

BATTLE LINES

A project in conjunction with the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and the Professional Cartoonist Index * For more cartoons, visit Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonist Index on MSN's Slate or the AAEC site.

Did the original concept change as you developed it? If so, how did it evolve?

The original concept was pure from the beginning and the drawing just got better as I proceeded. The feeling of an hour glass just developed as the drawing was refined. At this particular instance I just knew when to stop ---- sometimes I find the drawing goes too far and the effect suffers. I played with the idea of adding a headline at the top of the illustration. I'm glad I didn't.

From your point of view, what works best about this cartoon and what, if anything, would you change?

I wouldn't change a thing. The simplicity was key. The heavy dark effect works best for me. This cartoon got some great response. Less was definitely more in this instance.

About the creator:
Name: Deb Milbrath
Publication: Freelance
Brief bio information: Occasionally seen in the NY Daily News Sunday Sketchbook and the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Regularly seen on CNN Headline News.
Link to personal website: www.milbrathdraws.com

Why we are doing this:
Being an editorial cartoonist is not much different than being an editorial columnist. In fact, you can make the argument, as it has been made to me, that the process is the same. You have a view that you want to share with your audience; you develop your ideas and decide how best to communicate your thoughts. You do a draft, which is sometimes tinkered with by an editor. Finally, you complete the work and hope that your readers understand the point you were trying to share. Unlike a columnist -- who has a column of text with which to convey his or her thoughts -- the cartoonist tries to communicate with a few words and a visual image.