Caricature Express

Still pretty Quick, but I was really enjoying practicing that Black/White stuff that so many people have been requesting recently. I guess it’s difficult economic times or something, but so many people have been asking more about ‘how many can we squeeze in per hour’ than about ‘how much Fun can we have at the Party’ - So many people have become focused on ‘What Things Can I Get?’ - instead of ‘Let’s take time off to Hang Loose, to Have Fun’.

So, in trying to accommodate them, I’ve been doing a lot of Black/White Parties. Obviously, it takes less time to draw a face than it takes to both draw a face And color a face. Still, even if the customer asks me to just get a paper to as many people as possible, I want to Enjoy the Art. I want to See and Experience each person. Here I was practicing to Both See well And draw quickly at the same time. The first three needed a predraw. But the last two were drawn directly with the marker:

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

I’ve arrived. First, fulfilling my childhood dream of making Coloring Books. Then, working for the Agent that seemed unattainable the first time I asked a Disney-Park Artist how she got her position. And now - Here’s a picture with an interesting story. I was drawing a Caricature. Sam Viviano, an editor of

MAD MAGAZINE!

walked by -
He stopped in his tracks - “I like that”, he said.
My heart aflutter - this time I remembered to, as silly as it is, but I swallowed my arrogance and asked him to write that onto my picture.

He did that. I, happily unfocused, then started Coloring the picture that he had just signed. Who would’ve thought I would have ruined it Then? But, distracted, excited, I totally Wrecked the picture that actually Had his approval written on it. An excellent picture when he saw it (line-work), I don’t believe he would have wanted his approval on the finished picture after I messed it up with the Colors. Yeow - what a weird situation:

Well, I went on and redrew the guy. What could I do?:

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

Upscale Corporate Holiday Party. I was glad I brought my lights. (It was very dark in there). Good set-up. Yes.

But I was needed to walk the floor - roaming Caricatures for some of the time. Roaming Caricatures in the Dark. Now, Roaming Caricatures are a little different than seated Caricatures - because I draw them while standing up and holding all my supplies. So they’re usually simpler black/white pictures.

Since this party needed constant ‘adjustment’, I sure am glad that I’ve had a lot of experience. So I was able to
go with the flow.

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

December - Party Party and Party. Everybody wants to be invited.
And we all had Fun.

I’m part of a big national campaign for Balvenie Scotch.
Did 3 gigs for them in less than 2 weeks.
While waiting for the first event to start, I played around with the bottle:

Whew - I’m busy. It’s all good. It’s all wonderful.
Like, like yesterday - First I did face-painting for a woman who’s hired me 5 times already. And while I was at her Little Chefs party, one of the guests asked if I remembered working at that guest’s party - You remember - Caricaturing on the balls…. “Yes! That was the only time anyone had ever asked me to Caricature on balls. I remember being outside by the swingset….” And other one of the guests asked if I remembered working at another guest’s party too…. Then, in the evening, working at a liquor store for Balvenie Scotch, one of the customers was excited to see me - “I still have that Caricature you drew of me at the party on Wall Street….” Me: “Yes! I remember that party - I was in the middle of the room - Really drawing wildly that day….” And another customer: “You drew at my party - Remember….
I touch so many lives
under such good circumstances.
I’m so happy.

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

i was just telling my Brother that he was going to get his Birthday gift late this year - because I had bought an adorable card that said: “I blame it on brainfreeze - Happy belated birthday”

Then we got to talking - Our Mother used to keep a box of cards - so they’d be available whenever needed. But there was one in the box that never got used - was she waiting for something Real Special? I had thought the card was just the best thing ever. I tried to scribble out what I remembered of it. Got the idea, but the original was even better.

Who could have drawn that card? Who drew the card I currently bought? Who are the unsung heroes who enrich our lives with such wonderful visions?

Thank you all. Thank you world. It’s a good life.

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