An American Artist in Prague
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| Published | EF Issue 2018.1 |
Publication date | Winter 2018 |
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| Pages | 25-26 |
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Article Transcript
Becoming a Caricature Artist
Once upon a time when I was 7 years old, there lay a book called “How to Draw Monsters.” I found the most wretched, terrifying face in that book, and wanted to draw it. My mother told me I couldn’t draw it. Rather than recognizing this as a command from a woman afraid of demon imagery, I took it as a challenge. My mother was horrified and impressed. A caricature artist was born.
Whilst earning my BFA, I quit a career in sales and started a hot dog business. “Nobody beats this meat!” was my slogan. You can see I kept it classy. I held an interest in psychology throughout this journey. I re-entered the studio upon graduation to work on casted busts/hands and found object sculpture. I took a job making orthotics and prosthetics which lent itself to what I was doing in my studio.
Looking back, I can see how my interest in entrepreneurship, psychology, portraiture, sculpture and a variety of people, culture and ideas led me into caricature art.
I Picked up The Mad Art of Caricature by Tom Richmond and practiced in my free time. Soon after, I got married and moved to Prague with my wife to teach English. I also wanted to build a puppet with the masters at a place called Puppets in Prague. So our journey began.
Living and Working in Central Europe
Once we settled in, I started to notice many musicians and performers busking. I knew I needed to gather my courage and hit the streets. I started drawing for tips at a local farmers market just to get out of my comfort zone. Next, I went to Wenceslas Square – the Times Square of Prague. So there I was with a cardboard sign, some crappy drawings, and two cheap fold-up chairs. The first day, I charged $5 a head and worked 8 hours non-stop. I made great money and people loved it! I was hooked.
One day, I was getting discouraged. I wanted to set up in Old Town Square, but it took guts. It was the “big time.” Thousands of people from around the world were gathered in the huge ancient square. It was buzzing with activity and tons of police. I bowed my head and asked for guidance. The moment I raised my head, a woman walked by with a glittering shirt that boldly said: “Take a Chance.“ That day, I moved to Old Town and doubled my money; but more importantly, I doubled my confidence.
The busking law says that you can create art on the street for tips. So I put out a hat and did my first drawing for free, and the paid drawings started to flow. This worked OK until one cop started to target me. It eventually lead me to try all kinds of things to get around the law (see sketch) and even to create an outdoor art market, (which ultimately failed.) I did other jobs, but I knew I wanted to continue with caricatures.
This experience gave me a lot of grit in dealing with the police. Sometimes they will come by and say “You can’t do this here.” But I stand my ground because I know the law. They can get crabby, but after double-checking, they find out indeed they were mistaken. Now I go anywhere in the city I like.
Nowadays, I make most of my income from drawing on the street. I do some commissions, weddings, corporate events, parties and such. I recently took on a student and I teach workshops from time to time. I am currently working on expanding more online and considering publishing a book.
Finding ISCA
Two years in, I had no direct contact with other caricature artists. I was lonely. I saw a YouTube video called “60 second caricatures with Adam Pate” I was stunned. I looked him up and called him. I said “Do you have time for a couple of questions?” His reply: “I got a minute.” He was very helpful and recommended that I join ISCA. This was a turning point for me. The ISCA community showed me that this is a legitimate career. I find it’s the perfect combination of all my skills, and there is unlimited potential for growth. I finally found my people!
You can find more of Sam’s work on his Facebook or Instagram under: KingDavis Caricatures.
See Also
External Links
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