Another colleague...

This caricaturist lives in London, England, and I've actually met him at an NCN convention.
Congrats on the new baby, JP!

Caricaturist colleagues in pen & ink

On the NCN forum there is a thread, called the Firing Squad, where members can post photos and be caricatured by colleagues around the world. I have been drawn by various artists, and I have been meaning to draw them in return! Here are the first two gentlemen (one is from Belgium, the other from Florida)...done using Faber Castell's Pitt brush pens in various shades of gray. The 'Vanity Fair' title is there because the paper is left over from a long-ago gig!

Fair photos taken by roving photographer!

Oftentimes at events, we caricaturists are the subjects of the photographer's lenses. Just as often, we never see the results, even when business cards are exchanged. Well, that's changed, as roving photographer Jeff Chapman sent us the fruits of his labors from a night at the fair last week:


Hi Marlo and Emily,
It was fun meeting you Thursday night at the fair. Thank you for allowing me to intrude on your space to take photos. I had several to pick from but narrowed it down to one of each of you. I had a real tough time with Emily because I never managed to catch her face in the light and she was being flooded by a green light from behind us. I found black and white worked best. Please enjoy the two attached web resolution images.
Jeff
Thanks Jeff! Now we need a photo of you to reciprocate.
Here is a link to Jeff's online gallery, hope it stirs some interest in his work!

Fair Finale!

The last day of my fair was filled with light-hearted happenings...


My first faces (above) were this adorable family sitting for their first caricature...
Then, a repeat customer and his rather enlarged family (below) arrived for a drawing. I had caricatured them several years ago when there were only three... He certainly had the best eyebrows of the day! Cheerio and merci beaucoup!!

Once again Marlo joined me, and drew her special brand of caricatures:



These two little munchkins (above) had cute choppers! The mom told me the older one was thrilled to have lost her baby teeth, so it was fitting that I showed that lack in the caricature. (And the little one was thrilled I included her beloved duck!)

This little redhead's mom requested a pirate theme, which was enormous fun to draw, plus I don't think I ever did that for a baby girl! (Marlo contributed the tattoos!)

Speaking of tattoos, these siblings are emblazoned on their dad--literally! I've drawn both kids in past years and he has had my actual caricatures tattooed on him!! !! !!
His son is on his arm as a toddler. His new one, which I hadn't seen, of his daughter, is on his chest, proudly displayed here-- along with the real-life kids and this year's version by me.

As I was drawing this baby girl, I kept thinking she reminded me of someone or something...Marlo commented that my version of her was very Chuck Jones-ish, (whose work I loooove) and I think she's right. Boy, my job is just too much fun!!!
Lastly, this young man waited in the long line that lasted most of the evening, just to get his caricature, and told me he was an artist too. I told him to draw every day, that's the key!

Many fair-goers were asking what other festivals/fairs I work, and I told them this particular fair is actually the only one I still do, now that my focus is on corporate/private events and commissions...hopefully the many business cards handed out and drawings completed this week will bring in more faces and fun! :-)

Friday night fair frenzy!

Marlo and I drew some more!

Here are a few of mine:

And here are a few peeks at hers:

Another night at the fair!

There was a neat-o surprise waiting for me tonight when I arrived at my fair... it was a young lady I've drawn every year here since 2001 (when she was eleven). Julia and her family are from Boston, but they visit Grandmom who lives in Kimberton every July during Fair week. This year she gathered up ALL her caricatures and brought them down with her to show me so I could get a photo!!! It was like looking at time-lapse photography, both in how she AND my caricature skills have grown up since then.
Thank you so much Julia!!!

There's the 2008 version, and below are eight years worth of Julias!

Here's a photo taken by my caricature co-conspirator Marlo, who came along with me tonight to draw, of a bouncy baby boy as he was posing:

Originally it was just going to be Mom and baby pictured, but I talked Dad into making it a family portrait. They were just too cute not to all be in it!

The flame haired artist at work:

Finally, another repeat customer whose mom told me I have been drawing her for years! :-)

Rain, rain, go away...

and come back again some other day-- when I'm not trying to draw caricatures outdoors!

A short while after taking this picture, a vicious thunderstorm descended on the area, so I gave up hope and did the fastest pack-up job ever between lightning flashes! ( I actually take the canopy down and take everything with me when I leave.)

2nd night of country fair...

I got a photo and a video of my booth tonight, with my awesome vinyl banner on display:


And here are some happy faces I drew; first photo is the first people of the night, and last photo is the last...




This couple told me they were engaged after I took the photo, so I wrote "THIS is our engagement photo" on it!

1st night at the country fair...

Surprisingly busy for Monday night this year; I guess people are sampling delights closer to home...

Boiling in Baltimore

Sunday afternoon, O's vs. Tigers:
Game time temperature: 94 degrees!
And people still sat for caricatures...





People-watching is always a favorite diversion for caricature artists especially, and here's a sight I don't believe I have ever seen at a major league baseball game--if ever...

Yes, that man is wearing a kilt!!!

First birthday party!

This afternoon, I headed to a community center where my caricatures were the entertainment/party favors at a very special first birthday party. This little guy made it through some pretty severe health problems as an infant and his family wanted to celebrate! When I asked his mom what theme she might like for his caricature, thinking she'd say Elmo (he made an appearance, too) instead she asked for her son to be drawn as a warrior!

His whole extended family sat for me!
Grandparents:

Great-Grandmother:

Cousins:

Friends:

This man told me people were always mistaking him for Martin Sheen, so I wrote that in tiny letters next to him, then crossed it out and put "Dad."

It all went over well enough that the hostess extended my stay by an hour. I am always pleased to keep going, unless I have an immediately-following gig, but today I didn't. What a nice family!

Six-year-old's birthday party!

Last night I drew for a young Star Wars fan. His party was held in my favorite pizza restaurant! :-) It was a small gathering, only 14 kids, so I was able to give them super-deluxe, full-body, full-color caricatures in two hours.




This last one cracked me up, he was the ONLY child who wanted to BE Darth Vader!
(I did have a Star Wars reference sheet to work from!)
There were also a few who didn't want science fiction...




Update: The agent through whom I got this gig forwarded this email from the client:
I just wanted to let you know that we were totally impressed with Emily last night. She was professional and great with the kids. She worked
hard the entire two hours and got all the kids done in color caricatures. You are lucky to have her as part of your company. I will definitely recommend her in the future.

Thanks to both my agent and client! :-)
I am so happy that I am in the right profession for me...