Witches aren't just for October. Think about it. From the second we're old enough to hold a crayon, the cartoon of a witch becomes one of the first things we learn to draw. It's the silhouette that matters. You've got the pointy hat, the crooked nose, and that rickety broomstick. But where did this specific look come from? It wasn't just born in a vacuum or some Disney boardroom. It’s actually a weird, messy blend of folklore, historical propaganda, and a whole lot of 20th-century animation magic that turned a symbol of fear into something we actually find... kinda charming.
Honestly, the way we see a cartoon of a witch today is worlds apart from how people viewed them five hundred years ago. Back then, it wasn't about cute green skin or funny sidekicks. It was about genuine, deep-seated terror.
The Evolution of the Animated Hag
If you look at early woodcuts from the 16th century, the imagery is brutal. It’s dark. But as soon as animation hit the scene, everything changed. Take Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). That movie gave us the blueprint. The Evil Queen’s transformation into the Old Hag is arguably the most influential cartoon of a witch ever created. Joe Grant, the character designer, supposedly based her look on a neighbor he didn't particularly like. That’s a real human touch. You can see the heavy eyelids, the single tooth, and the claw-like hands. It set a standard for "scary" that every animator after him had to either follow or subvert.
But then the 1960s happened.
Suddenly, the "scary" witch was out, and the "suburban" witch was in. Bewitched used animation in its opening credits to show Samantha Stephens as a cute, nose-twitching doodle. This was a massive pivot. We went from hags brewing poison to a housewife who just wanted to get dinner on the table without using her powers. This shift reflects a lot about how society was changing its view on female power—it was becoming something to laugh with, rather than run from.
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Why Green Skin Became the Standard
People always ask: why is she green? It’s basically all Margaret Hamilton’s fault—or credit, really. Before the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, witches weren't specifically green in the popular imagination. But because that movie was one of the first big showcases for Technicolor, the producers wanted something that would pop on screen. They chose a vivid, sickly green for the Wicked Witch of the West. Because that film became a staple of television broadcasts for decades, that specific shade of green became the "official" color for any cartoon of a witch.
It’s a perfect example of how one single creative choice can permanently alter global folklore. Now, if a kid draws a witch and doesn't use a green marker, it almost feels like they missed a step.
Beyond the Broomstick: Nuance in Modern Animation
Animation today is way more sophisticated. We aren't stuck with just "evil hag" or "pretty housewife." Look at The Owl House. Eda Clawthorne is a "witch," but she’s also a mentor, a rebel, and deeply flawed. She doesn't look like a classic cartoon of a witch in the traditional sense, but she carries the spirit of the archetype.
Then you have Studio Ghibli. Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service is probably the most wholesome version of this trope. Kiki is just a girl starting a business. Her witch-ness is just a part of her identity, like being a baker or a student. There’s no poison apple. There’s just a cat named Jiji and the struggle of growing up. This is where the genre is going. We’re moving toward "humanizing" the supernatural.
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It’s interesting to note that in many European traditions, the witch wasn't always a solo act. They had "familiars." In a cartoon of a witch, this is almost always a black cat. But why? Historically, during the witch trials, any small animal—a toad, a rat, or a cat—found near an accused woman was seen as a demon in disguise. Animators took that dark history and turned it into a marketing goldmine. Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch isn't a demon; he’s a quip-machine with a cynical attitude. We’ve effectively declawed the monster.
The Power of the Silhouette
Designers talk about "readability." If you black out a character, can you still tell who it is? The witch is the queen of the silhouette.
- The Hat: That conical shape is iconic. Some historians think it mimics the "judenhat" or hats worn by alewives (women who brewed beer) in the Middle Ages.
- The Broom: Originally a symbol of domesticity, it was "reclaimed" by folklore as a vehicle for flight.
- The Nose: A more controversial element, often rooted in historical antisemitic caricatures, which modern animators are finally starting to move away from.
Why the "Scary" Witch Still Works
Even with all the cute versions, the scary cartoon of a witch still has a grip on us. There is something primal about it. The idea of a figure living on the edge of the woods, outside of society's rules, is fascinating. It represents total freedom, even if that freedom is "evil."
When you see a character like Mother Gothel in Tangled, she’s a modern riff on the witch archetype. She isn't green, and she doesn't fly on a broom, but she uses magic to stay young and manipulates those around her. She’s a "witch" in spirit. The animation allows for expressions that a live actor just can't reach—the way her face can shift from "loving mother" to "terrifying crone" in a single frame.
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Actionable Tips for Drawing or Designing Your Own
If you're looking to create your own cartoon of a witch, don't just stick to the 1930s tropes.
- Vary the proportions. Give her a huge hat and a tiny body, or vice versa. Break the "crooked nose" rule.
- Think about color theory. Green is classic, but what about a deep violet or a burnt orange?
- Give her a unique familiar. A black cat is easy, but what if she has a hyperactive squirrel or a very lazy owl?
- Focus on the "why." Is she a witch because she studied, or was she born with it? Her outfit should reflect that. A "scholar" witch might have ink stains on her robes and glasses perched on that iconic nose.
The most important thing is to remember that these characters are vessels for our own fears and desires. Whether they are casting a curse or just trying to fly a broom without crashing into a tree, the cartoon of a witch remains one of the most versatile tools in a storyteller's kit. It’s a design that has survived centuries and will likely be around for centuries more, evolving alongside us.
To dive deeper into this world, start by sketching silhouettes rather than details. Focus on the sharp angles of the hat and the flow of the robes. Once you master the shape, the personality follows naturally. Look at the work of Mary Blair for inspiration on how to use color to evoke "witchy" moods without relying on the standard "spooky" palette.