Cartoons have a long history. But first of all let’s make it clear what we mean when
we’re talking about cartoons. The word “cartoon” wasn’t actually in use until
the nineteenth century when it referred to a drawing made by artists as the
first stage of a painting or tapestry. This rough sketch was done on thick
card and that’s what gave us the word “cartoon” which comes from the Italian
“kartone” and the Dutch “karton ” both meaning heavy paper or
board. Some of these original “cartoons” done by famous artists have been sold
for thousands of dollars.