Caricature Express

I’ll frequently have people ask me - “Sooo, what you do is….
to take one feature and make it real big……”

“Yes, yes”, I mindlessly say ~ because I’m busy drawing and I can’t really interrupt my experience to start teaching and explaining ~ or else I wouldn’t be doing it anymore. I would be talking instead.

When I’m really in my game, when I’m really ‘in the zone’, I’m imitating the expression that I’m seeing with my own face. I’m feeling it. So I know what the different ‘parts’ are doing. I might be ‘dancing with the long curly hair’. Or scrunching up my nose. Or or puppy-dogging my eyes. Or nervously looking around (I don’t like when my subject does that ~ It doesn’t feel good for me to have to imitate it) ~ that sort of thing. And this is imposed upon the shapes that initially Wow me as the person approaches. My first impression of what the person looks like.

Here are some simple pictures that I drew at a child’s party. I’ll try to remember my main impression of what I saw:

It was the narrow triangle on the bottom of the face
which repeated the shape of the smiling mouth ~
……..
……………

Oooh ~ I felt scared to do this one ~
The girl’s mother told me how they’re both professional models
because she’s so pretty and all…….
………..
………..

Smooth sleek hair ~
‘Tut-tut-now’ lips
…………..
…………..

Aaaah ! that debonair glance ~ Those luscious lips …………..
…………

I wish I could touch that haircut
………….
………

wide-eyes, led around as a little girl ~
reminded me of myself when I was little and
didn’t have a clue as to what was going on
……………
………….

those teeeth.
not aware of that suggestive look in his young eyes.
Boys.
……………
…………..

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

Decisions ~ It’s always about making decisions.
I feel like Artwork helps me to exercise the ability to make decisions.
Especially when working at Parties ~ where there’s no time to 2nd guess myself, no time to think it over (which really means Not making a decision yet).

At Parties. In the Studio. And even in the Office. Like now.

Which photo to post ~
the one in which the subject is animated, but the photo is blurry?
Or the one in which the subject is posing, but the photo is clearer?

I usually choose the clear photo. Because I figure that Your eyes (my Dear Viewers) wouldn’t feel good if they just looked through pages and pages of blurry photos. I want you to feel good.

But this time……… to illustrate what I’ve learned about making decisions…………

People frequently pose and smile as soon as I take out the camera. I’m not a professional photographer ~ I feel like it’s much easier to put my reaction into a Drawing than a photograph,
but sometimes
I manage to capture personality in a photo too.

Decisions ~ How to make Decisions ~ How to Represent Yourself on Your Blog ~ What to emphasize in a Drawing ~ When to snap the Photo ~

Decisions ~ What to Draw first ~ How to interact with my subject ~ Which Marker to use ~ Which Color ~

Decisions ~ Where to send your Children to School ~ What to wear to the meeting ~
Decisions ~ Who to spend time with ~ How to spend your money ~ What to say ~

whattobelieve~howtospendyourtime~whattoeat~religioneconomymarriagelovedisdainpoliticsvotingdoesanythingmakeadifferenceanywaytakingcareofagingrelatives

ornotwhotoinvitewhichcartobuyhowtospendmytimeexerciseorcleanthehouseoreatorrelax orvisitorprepareforworkdrawthestudiocaricatureansweremailsbecomeanagenthowto displaysamplesshouldipaintmatsorgotothepostofficeineedanewphoneordontibutcameraand ipodshouldilistentomyownmusic????

Whew ~ I’m so glad I have to produce approximately 10 good pictures per hour. It’s excellent training.

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

Oh ~ You never know what to expect. Got to be ready for every contingency.
After last Saturday’s snow-storm, I was happy to remember this warm outdoor
event at a local school:

Last Saturday, October 29, 2011, I had an event up in Mount Kisco, NY.
I planned on getting there by 5:30 pm because I was supposed to draw
a big event for a big agent starting 6:30 pm.

Last minute job, so I was up til 4:30 a.m. putting the papers into the mats,
getting travel directions, stuff like that. So when to sleep, when to rest?
I slept for a few hours, but left Wantagh at 12:30 that afternoon.
Since mapquest said it would take less than 1 1/2 hours travel time,
I figured I would have time to sleep in the car just before going in -
so I’d be both rested And sure to be there on time.

But it
Snowed. Big.
After handling Hutchinson River Parkway Traffic (if you know what I mean), it was sloooow-going. When I got near Pleasantville, the highway was even Closed. My gps routed me onto a little highway that had one lane going in each direction. Winding road. Little hills. And

Traffic. Including one point where we all just put our cars into park. Only 10 minutes away from the venue, and I had to stay awake on the road with my car. Apparently, cars kept skidding as they tried to get up a hill. Including a Penske Truck. People were trying to move it. I was the 2nd car in line that was asked to Just Wait. Just being glad that we weren’t having accidents……

Traffic finally moved when some cars from way behind, who didn’t know what was happening, had the nerve to swing into the opposing-traffic-lane, drive up to our hard workers, and insist, like say, hey, what ….
Now they let us through when there was a little space to maneuver by.

Okay. Still time. Driving carefully. In the snow. I still think I’ll get a Little time to rest. But

But
2 miles from the venue, a yellow ribbon tied across the entrance to a deep snowy road.
I have a Lot of heavy supplies to bring. Including lights, and easel, and Lots of Paper. In Mats…..
I’m wearing Shoes - not boots. It’s still October. In New York.

My gps reroutes me to get back onto that closed parkway. It worked. It was right beyond the closure that had rerouted me so long ago. Gps brings me passed the venue and back down the other side. And I’m there! Actually in the Grand Prix parking lot at 5:25 pm. Perfectly on time for 5:30 arrival. And maybe I’d rather Stand at the easel than rest, anyway. I’d been sitting in the car for Five Hours!

Oh what a day.
Back at the Computer now ~ back in my Studio, and I see photos taken at a recent outdoor sunny weather event for a local school…..

AND I have a brand new shovel for the winter too! I had bought one at a CVS that I passed when I was rerouted to come back down to the venue. Figured that I’d need it if I might have to dig my car out of the parking lot after the event. So now I’m ready for the winter. Bring it on ~ Let’s Party!

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com

Corporate Events are fun. I feel like they’re a good idea for encouraging comeraderie at work ~ I’m sure that many of the Caricatures find their way onto Office walls. Even at the events themselves, it feels like the people who are working together want to be friends:

BTW, this happens to be a Sample of what I do when Black/White Caricatures are ordered. Unless the client is very strict about it, I prefer to use at least a Little bit of Color when necessary.

To Hire this Artist:
(516) 579-4706
optidust@gmail.com