Dump the Stamp and Capture Creativity
Article Transcript
The scenario is similar every time: You are all set up at a party, you have your best marker at the helm, and a guest sits down. This is the moment you want to make count, and make a name for yourself at this event. You say a few charming lines and create a crowd-pleasing caricature. Your line is growing, filled with eager guests. They all want a drawing from you. You continue creating the same style of drawing you started out with. You want to keep a good rhythm. One hour of drawing turns to three hours, and all of your drawings have felt uneventful, uninspired and you are already making a last call for another stamped caricature. You lie in bed at night thinking of how much better you could have done. These occurrences were the first three years of my caricature career. Then, it dawned on me. I needed to spice it up and pump up that energy! There is more to this craft than just capturing a likeness, or creating another safe-cute drawing. You can get expressive with your caricatures or just deform their faces worse than Quasimodo hung over from downing a bottle of tequila.
Diversifying your caricature approach outweighs sticking with your one-trick pony. It’s basic math. If you have more variety with your artistic abilities, you can please a greater amount of people. The more people you can entertain, the more money you can make, but before we start retiring and sipping on our Starbucks lattes for the rest of our days, let’s illustrate a few methods that help facilitate this transition.
You want to change your formula; you have to communicate to your guest, or as I like to call them, “victims.” This is easier for some than others; but the more you do it, the better you get at it. I remember trying to overly exaggerate a sketch and the clients were so offended they rejected the art. What I didn’t do was prep their expectations. Here are a couple of lines I have used that have liberated my art and prevented that outcome from recurring.
“How good is your sense of humor?” If they say “Good,” follow up with: “You just gave me permission to draw whatever I want,” and watch them laugh. If they say “Okay,” draw them cute.
“If you get upset, don’t blame me. Blame your parents. It’s genetic.” At times, this statement will shock a patron. If that occurs, apologize, tell them they are beautiful and draw them cute.
You should take every opportunity to talk about the artistic variety you can offer. If a guest prompts with, “How’s your day going?” Respond with:
“It’s been great, I’ve been drawing people stupid all day!” “It’s been awesome, I’ve drawn some cute-icatures, sex-icatures, and ready for a scare-icatures!”
Now and then, a friendly reminder goes a long way to increasing your success rate.
“Just to warn you, normal folks may view this as malicious, but it’s not. This is pure fun and art. Thank you for being rad and letting me create this!”
Remember, you’re in charge. You are the weatherman and your art is the weather. Tell them what the forecast is going to be, and it will work out. People go to a caricature artist for a good time. It should be our goal to deliver that expectation on a silver platter.
I simplify the different styles into three categories: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and in no way does it reflect my opinion on the quality of art.
The Good
This can be summed up as a cute, sexy, or standard theme park-esque looking caricature. Typically, this is where I fall (and occasionally lapse) into stamping mode.
(See examples on page 20, image link is on the right -Wiki Team)
The Bad
This section is mostly emotional, risqué, and even violent art. It’s also my favorite style.
Being a huge action film junky, I feel ultra violence makes the client my immediate “besty!”
(See examples on page 20, image link is on the right -Wiki Team)
The Ugly
Deform and exaggerate their faces with as much passion as humanly possible. If the “victims” see you having fun, chances are they will too.
(See examples on page 21, image link is on the right -Wiki Team)
Simply voicing the different style options will help increase the chances of you drawing differently. Your artistic abilities will be growing; you will be able to offer more than you could before. After a number of events, you may find your art gravitating toward one trend more (by choice this time). That becomes your brand. You have officially rewired your brain and are firing new synapses. Your energy and excitement will feel more genuine to your clients. If you are promoting a good time, your stock will go up, and you will sleep better than ever.
Dexter started his caricature career in 2001 at Kings Island, in Ohio. He settled down in Seattle due to his overzealous love for rain, coffee, and grunge music. He owns and operates Over the Line Art with his best bud, Nolan Harris. Currently, Dex is trying to create a caricature training manual for his 2 year old daughter, and his dog.
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