Caricature Express

I want to remember this little girl -
not just because I enjoyed drawing a
Beautiful Caricature for her,
but also because of her self-control.
Here’s what happened:

The Girl’s Mother asked me to create the drawing.
I told her where to sit, and I started the Artwork.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary - If I’d've
thought about it, though, I would have noticed
how calm and easy it was to draw her. That’s a
pleasure, but not all that unusual for girls of
this age.

But then, near the end of the experience,
the Mother asked me if it would be all right
if the Girl ate some of her ices.

“Sure,” I said. “As long as I can see her
face at the times when I look up from my drawing,
it’s no problem at all.”

“Good,” the Mother said. “Because I know she’s
dying to have some of her treat.”

“Really?” I said. “You mean she’s been sitting
here all this time, just holding her treat, and
not eating it because she thought it would interfere
with the Artwork?”

Yes - that was what was happening.
I had no idea that she hadn’t been
eating demurely whenever she wanted.
This little girl, what, 6, maybe 7 years old?
This little girl had the self-control to
sit so beautifully and wait. Not only for her
picture, but even for the sweets that she was
holding right in her hand.

Wow - Her fine features, her fine hair,
and she might have been one of the finest
people I’ve ever met.

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

Art is supposed to be Fun.

The game is different in each setting.
It’s different to draw at a Party than
it is to draw in my private time.
It’s different to draw in a restaurant
than it is to draw in the studio.

Here are 2 quick fun sketches that I drew in the car today.
Quickly.

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

I’m upset by my ramblings of last night.
I think that we’re affected by the media
that we experienced when we were very young.
That’s why one expression reads ’sxy’, another reads
’scared’, and another reads ’smug’.

There used to be a beautiful sign in my Pediatrician’s
office that said:

“Happiness is not always measured in smiles.”

It resonated with me because I recognized it’s truth.

And No. You cannot read a person’s personality based
on his/her face. Or else, how would people be
fooled by Con-Men?

So what’s to draw? What’s my job?

I ask this as I prepare for today’s Corporate event -
where I will be extrapolating expressions from
the changing-people who sit in front of me.
The same way I usually do. I guess.
Hopefully, understanding will come to me as I
carry on.

As usual, my pen was moving while I was chatting.
Today I was thinking of making ’sxy’ girls -
sometimes the people I draw ask me for that.
A sxy face, um, here’s what I came up with today:

These would work. But I look at them, and it makes me
wonder. What makes these so called ’sxy’ faces? They
both have big eyes. One has big hair and the
other has big lips. Is big ’sxy’? If so,
then the second one, with the small lips would not be
considered ’sxy’, but it is.

So is it personality? Attitude? The first one looks
smug. And the second one looks scared…

Seems like any features can be ’sxy’. And any attitude
can be ’sxy’. So what is it that people
are asking for when they ask for ’sxy’?

BTW, what makes the picture look ’scared’?
And what makes the picture look ’smug’?
But that’s another question.

Of course, I felt special when the woman in the restaurant recognized me. “You were the one from the Communion….” “Such Talent…” all that sort of stuff. This time the woman’s name was Elaine. And she was an absolute doll:

But I had noticed Elaine before she spoke to me. I thought she was a stranger as I had passed Elaine as I walked up a ramp to get in to the diner. She had been helping a man in a wheelchair (with a breathing tank). While I ate my dinner, Elaine barely had a bite. She was busy relating to the man she was with. Encouraging him, reading the newspaper to him….Just being delightful.

Since I had made a comment about being famous when Elaine recognized me, watching her made me think about all the Unsung Heroes in this world. The people who uplift others, who tell a stranger how special she is, who kindly help people who are in their lives. People who seem to exist just to admire and appreciate others. I’m so impressed with the Elaines of this world.

BTW, here’s a picture of another boy I had drawn in the diner that day. A stranger. I liked his confident attitude. He too might have been one of the strengths of this world. Who knows? I just love people:

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