caricature artists

[caricatureguy]

Hi, I'm the FNG. Are there any caricature artists here or am I the only one? I have been busking for about 15 years. I used to do it in Pittsburgh, PA now I am in Cleveland. Me and my buddy took a "caricature tour" to 16 different cities in a month and did caricatures all over the east coast. Lots of fun. I hope to be on the boardwalk in OC this summer if I can get permission from the Third. I have lots of friends that busk in Pittsburgh and Cleveland. By the way I wouldn't recommend either city but they actually pay you to busk! Anyways, (Jim) I enjoy the site! Great idea! Later-

[subwaysurfere605]

Im Noo here from Noo Yawk City, and Im Koo Koo for caricature. I love live entertainment and this is how I make my living. At a party, on the street or on the web! check me out at www.subwaysurfer.com.

[Rachel Peters]

Re: caricature artists

Originally posted by caricatureguy
Are there any caricature artists here or am I the only one?

Pablo's a Pnetter (and by that I mean a member on "pnet"... I'm not calling him a bad name) --> http://my.execpc.com/~merklein/

[pablo]

Thanks but no thanks.

I can handle my own introductions, thank you very much.

[caricatureguy]

HI ELGIN!!! Good to see a fellow NCNer here!

[Rachel Peters]

Re: Thanks but no thanks.

Originally posted by pablo
I can handle my own introductions, thank you very much.

aw. I'm sorry. I ruined your moment. ...I just got over-excited.

[subwaysurfere605]

Originally posted by caricatureguy
HI ELGIN!!! Good to see a fellow NCNer here!

Im not Elgin dammitt!! I'm subwaysurfer!!! sheesh! I guy cant be a superhero anymore these days without getting his cover blown!!

[caricatureguy]

Didn't realize you were undercover, brother. I won't tell anyone.

PS, Hi Alison.

[Rachel Peters]

Know what? I have huge amount of respect for caricature artists.
It's something I could never do. I mean, I can draw it, but that kind of pressure and demand + speed totally cracks me. I like secretly drawing people on subways and stuff, and I don't care if other people watch me do it, but the fear of the subject being drawn saying, "that doesn't look like me", or the fear of possibly not being able to make someone cute and insulting them by drawing them how they actually look freaks me out.
For a while, when people would ask for caricatures, I found myself (semi) sub-consciously making them just a touch grotesque, just to get them to eventually stop asking.
In college our animation dept would have caricature drawing fund-raisers (I mean, of all artists, we're pretty much bread for this -- Cartoon + speed + drawing in front of anyone at a moment's notice). Those days scared the ever-lovin' beans out of me.

All this to say, I respectfully tip my cap to all y'all. It's a great skill, and I admire it.

-rp

[caricatureguy]

Thanks Rachel. It's nice to hear! It's a fun job, but somebody's got to do it. Do you do them/did you do them?

[Rachel Peters]

yes, and yes. But not as performance, only as surprises/gifts/if I really feel like it/or part of a job. but, when it's part of a job, I have time to go back and revise and tweek ask for critique... not like the pressure you guys have of instantly having to hand it over. I enjoy drawing them... but not under that instant pressure.

funny thing -- for some reason I'm in a totally different frame of mind when I'm doing speedy figure drawings. I could care less if the model or anyone else doesn't like the way I drew them in my 5 minute pose.
..there's something different about caricatures.

[caricatureguy]

I see. That's why you like doing them without them knowing. There are a couple of interesting threads on the NCN forum right now about this. (Both started by Mr. Incognito there...) One is for posting drawings of people taken stealthily in coffee shops, bars, etc... and the other is (one of) for drawing on buses and subways. There is this guy who draws a LOT on subways in NYC (who could it be?). There are lots of characters and over the past year or so he has gotten really good at nailing them with his style. Some times people see him and laugh other times they want to fight : ) . Thing is, he's cramming all of this life drawing/cartoons/caricatures into a few minutes and getting great results because he's not real worried about wether the person sees or not. He's just an observer who can communicate what he sees via pen and paper.

If you want to learn to draw really good, I highly recommend it. Once you have the ability to exaggerate confidently, it gets much easier to show people what you can do. It helps when you have an audience of people saying how good it is too! Does wonders for your self esteem.

Post some of your work. I'd love to see it!

[Rachel Peters]

yeah. drawing on subways/busses/coffee shops was almost like part of our life drawing cariculum during school. I really should get back into it. I've been slacking. ...when I don't do some observational drawing every day I hear the disappointment of Gerry Zeldin in my head (third year life drawing prof and uncle figure I never want to disappoint). I see his head sadly shaking in disapproval.

check out my site: www.rachelpeters.net (or dot-com. same site. I'm just greedy with the domains.) It's like my extensive portfolio.

...so, it's not that I'm lacking in confidence about my draftsmanship. I just think the performance that you do takes a special gift which I don't have.

-rp

[caricatureguy]

Very nice work Ms. Peters. I'm impressed. Your stuff reminds me a bit of a freind of mine named Sam Gorrie. I have sent you a PM about her.

Your caricatures are fantastic. You shouldn't be worried a bit! Did you do your own website?

[Rachel Peters]

her name sounds familiar.

http://www.imaginismstudios.com << check out Bobby Chiu. Another Toronto artist. I Went to school with him and envied his skill/talent severely. He started up a big subway sketching group, which I think is still going on. His books are beautiful. ...well, everything on that site is beautiful.

thanks for the compliment.

Oh, and yeah. I made the site... it's a little screwy, on account of I don't know how to build good sites. things that are supposed to appear in certain places... don't (depending on your brouser/moniter size). But I hope to have someone rebuild/design for me later in the year.