Country Club Grand Opening

My Sunday afternoon was spent poolside. Not swimming, but drawing (which I love just as much...)!
The first little face waited patiently while I set up. There were enough chairs to use as a line, so the kids could sit and watch until it was their turn.






Summer's here!

8-year-old's birthday party

Spent a pleasant afternoon yesterday at a High-School-Musical-themed birthday party/family bbq!
Drew the birthday girl (did color caricatures at this one!) as a singer:



Afterwards, the hosts fed me some delicious ribs-- and as the kids hadn't kicked their keg of ROOT BEER, I got to have some of that too! :-)

Internet Catch-22

Recently, I donated this original digital caricature of our U.S. Vice President to a charitable cause, the American Lung Association, to be auctioned off at a gala fundraiser (where I was hired to draw the guests, btw). This was accomplished, and it felt great to know that my contribution helped a little-bitty-bit. A copy was actually sent by the ALA to Joe Biden himself to sign, but hey--what with being second in charge after Obama, he's a busy guy. Maybe someday...
So I figured that was the end of the story, but my blog has led to another chapter.
A fellow member of ISCA and friend, Bob East, somehow found that my image was being used on a Balkan political cartoon website... and without my permission. This is the catch-22 of posting any original images/content on the internet...it is there for anyone to use however they want, despite the fact that all my posted art consists of small, lo-res images, and most are clearly marked with my website address. (That's another can of worms--the "Orphan Works Act"). This website's creator, to his credit, did not remove my website address from the painting and actually attributed it to me. And perhaps he would have sought my permission, but doesn't speak English.....so there is not really anything I can do. I've known of far worse instances of colleagues being ripped off; their work attributed to someone else, their work being used for someone else's financial gain, even used on foreign stamps, etc.
My blog serves a huge purpose in that it and my website generate interest in my work. Although I am passionate about caricature, I am also pragmatic about making a living from my passion. That means marketing and not hiding my lamp under a bushel.
So I will go on posting my work, but perhaps at smaller sizes.
Some artists feel it's a compliment when their work is used without permission, because someone likes the work enough to want it. I feel that, if someone likes it enough to use it for their own purposes, the artist should be compensated.

Another after-prom

A nearby high school held a low-key after-prom in their gym early this morning. Along with the ubiquitous moon-bounces, the other entertainments were a green-screen karaoke to DVD set-up, and Rick Wright's and my caricatures...




The prom organizer even sat down for her caricature at the very end!

Digital Caricature--Notorious B.I.G.

Today's celebrity birthday belongs to this late rapper.
Click here: Notorious BIG by Jan Opdebeeck to see his hilarious version!

Digital Caricature-Cher!

Happy 62nd birthday to Cher! or is it Octomom??
Another two-hour exercise in Photoshop.

Nurse Graduation Digital Caricatures!

As a result of my own daughter's graduation from nursing school last year, and the resultant post on my blog, several commissions came my way this spring. One client really liked the style I used for my daughter--sexy nurse outfit, blood and all, while other wanted a yoga-loving, dean's list nursing graduate with a more meditative background. These were both LOTS of fun to work on! You really can't beat a caricature for a truly personalized gift. I believe both of these were/are to be used as sign-in boards at their respective graduation parties. Congratulations, ladies!

Pete Townshend digital caricature...

Jan Opdebeeck has been faithfully moderating the daily 'celebrity birthday caricature' thread on our ISCA forum. I haven't had much time to contribute, but a recent chosen face belonged to Pete Townshend of the Who. Thankfully, he hasn't died before he got old, but I decided to draw the young version...
To see a fellow artist's OLD version, click here: Vin Altamore
This took me about two hours, painted in Photoshop.

"Hollywood" After-Prom

It was a night of stars and Hollywood glamour at the after-prom I did this early morning!

The 'paparazzi' lined the entrance hallway...


My friend and fellow caricaturist Chad Straka drew with me. The school was wonderfully decorated to the hilt; we were situated in a hallway... ...next to a gallery of wax-celebrities: Oh, yeah: I drew LOTS of high-schoolers! (Five hours worth!)

Funnily enough, it turned out that the crazy balloon comedian from my Friday night gig, John Cassidy, was also at this one!!! He was in the gym, so again I didn't get a pic--but I sure hope to do so at the next gig of mine he turns up at! :-) When I got home after this one, the sun was up and the birds were tweeting. I love my job!

Post-prom

In the early, early hours of Sunday morning, after getting lost and being helped to my destination by no less than three far-flung friends on cell phones, I drew seniors at a post-prom. This school's prom is actually my longest-running prom gig; started doing it in 2002, I believe. This year, they changed the location of the event to a new fitness/wellness center, and my GPS and Mapquest both were waaaaay off. Sometimes directions to/in corporate parks are dicey! When I realized that, I called my lifelines in CA and Vegas, (it was after midnight here!) whose Iphones, Crackberries and Internet all helped somewhat. It ended up being the other artist at the event, who got me there only a few minutes late. Whew!!! Thanks, John Sprague!!
So after arriving and calming down, I got busy:






My fiance suggested checking unfamiliar locations with the Mapquest or Google satellite view....smart idea. Thanks goodness tonight's post-prom is already known to me!