Caricature Express

“It’s my Parents’ Anniversary and…..”
This isn’t the first time I heard that. Here’s what I came up with (Client told me to leave off the glasses - she doesn’t always wear them):

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

What a surprise ~ A girl called me last week - could I draw a Studio Caricature for her for Valentine’s Day. She brought me the photos, delightful to work with, and I got to work.

When I was finished, I showed it to my friend. He recognized the girl ‘out of the air’. Who would have been thinking of the girl who does the Traffic Reporting for Channel 12 ~ But yes - he was right.

The Caricature - adorable, just as she is. It looks like they could become a box of Chocolates:

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

And here is the Bride and Groom that I drew at that Wedding in the Country
(He had been dressed more formally during the Ceremony, but he had changed
before I drew him):

We were all having fun at the Celebrations.
Pictures were flying.
Afterwards, I received a phone-call -
“Could I possibly make a Studio piece from the Wedding Caricature?”
“Okay - Can you send me the original to work from?”

Sort of a tracing, sort of a redrawing, I really wanted
to send this as the finished picture.
I think it’s beautiful:

I wouldn’t have had time to 2nd guess my picture at a Party,
but I have time to Think in the Studio. Having met these people,
I tried to figure out what they Wanted in the Studio Caricature.
So I continued drawing - I even added glitter to the Barn and the Flowers:

Apparently, I made the right decision. Because the Bride called
to tell me how happy she was with it. And to tell me how everyone
enjoyed showing their pictures around.

One is not better than the other - They’re just Different.
I’d say that the first one was really captured the moment.
The second one is Zhe-Ahrt.
And the third one is Happy and Understandable.
I just love seeing what pictures come out of me.

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

The Clown who ordered Coloring Pages a little while ago
hired me to Color them on the Computer. She wanted to
offer them as invitations that her clients could use..
It was 4 pages, and I enjoyed doing it.
Because I had my visions as I created
the original pictures.

We were both very pleased with this one
(Her rabbit’s name is Honey Bunny):

But she asked me to change the colors on the other three.
She told me exactly what colors she wanted, and I made the
revisions. But I didn’t tell her what I was really thinking -
because I could be wrong. Maybe I’m arrogant or something,
but I really thought that my choices were Much better
(except maybe the 2nd one - the one with the balloons -
I like the red mouth she chose).

I figure that I’ve studied this for many years, that I came up
with Colors that work. I figure that I already spent my time
trying different things to come up with just the right color.
But if this client thinks that ‘home-colors’ are better (Her
hair had to always be yellow. Her skin color had to always
be peach…), maybe other people feel that way too?

The first picture in each pair below
shows the colors that I chose.
The 2nd picture in each pair below
shows the changes that my client wanted:

In the last pair, in particular, I thought I was giving my client
something special. I thought it might encourage some clients
to hire her at night (Most of her work had been with children
in the daytime). But she could only see that her hair shouldn’t
be blue. And I think she thought that black might not be a
‘happy-child’ color.

Am I right? Am I wrong? I guess it’s just a matter of taste.
I think that, although people should respect the Artist to create the Artwork,
And they should respect the Plumber to do the Plumbing,
And they should respect the Doctor to do his job too,
that when it comes down to the bottom line, they bear the results of the Professional’s work. So they should take what
they need and leave the rest. I think I was guiding my client
in the right direction, but I respect that she’s the one who’s
ultimately in charge of her own career.

So I’m glad I was able to make the changes that pleased my
customer. Even though I cringed when I saw what her choices
looked like. I’m glad that I have a sense of self, but I’m also
glad that I’m not so attached to my current beliefs that feel
the need to be trying to run the world with them. One thing
I know for sure is that I’m still growing/changing, and there’s
no telling what I’ll like in the future.

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

I am so in sync with Coloring Books.
It’s like they became part of me when I was a child.

I stepped right into this project as though I was coming home.
Here are four Coloring Pages that a Clown recently ordered
to give out with her Contact Information on the bottom of
each page:

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