Party-style caricature commission

 My client had me do these two drawings for his girlfriend. Awwwwwww!

BW+One Color Caricature Commission, from Photos

One of my repeat clients recently had me do two groups of ladies for a presentation at an event...this is an example of my Party-Style BW+One Color Caricature. And the color was PINK! :-)

Client texted me after her presentation day: Morning! Everyone loved their picture!!!

Retirement caricature!

She can do it!!!

This is an example of my party-style caricature illustration. Client had the idea, and I ran with it!

Corporate gift caricatures!

This was another fun party-style commission, for some corporate gifts, received through Gigmasters. My client shared these two photos of the honorees with me:

I had to ask if the gentleman on the right started working for the company as a small child!! He hadn't, but almost! ;-)

Shown below is my process. I always do a pencil rough first, so the client can make any  requested changes then---but especially for my hand-drawn party-style caricatures. Unlike digital caricature, once it's inked traditionally, there can be no changes.

The rough usually shows a general likeness that gets sharper and sharper, the more I do to the art. 

Kind of like a Polaroid developing….I always used to love to see that!

Here's what my client had to say after their presentation:

THEY WERE ECSTATIC OVER IT!!! The crowd went crazy for both portraits! Thank you, thank you, thank you so many times for the beautiful job you did for us!!!    The honored guests were most appreciative of their gifts!!! I will promote you and your talents every chance I get!!!  

 Thank YOU for being such a great client and enjoying my artwork so much! :-)

Homecoming/Graduation party sign-in caricature

A recent, very-fun-to-do party-style commission! The subject recently returned from a stint in the Peace Corps and is going on to graduate school. Her family gave her a surprise party, which included this sign-in caricature:

This piece was done completely via email---instead of snail-mailing the original, I scanned it and sent it to her local FedEx Office, where it was to be printed on foam-core board. My client said:

"Thank you! Everyone loved it. I gave out your website to a lot of people!"

And today ( 7-27-14) she emailed me THIS:

They printed her BIG!!! It looks like 18' x 24". 

Thank you, again!!!!

Retirement Caricatures!

In June, there are always plenty of teacher and other school-district employee retirements. These two ladies will now be free to pursue a more leisurely life! :-)

These are examples of my  11 x 14 "Color Party-Style" caricatures done in my studio from photos. 

They start out as very rough sketches which I show the client for approval before finishing. 

I get a general likeness in the rough, but the specific likeness comes as I work on the final. After I get the approval, I transfer the drawing using a lightbox onto good paper, then ink and color away!

Party-style wedding caricature

This party-style studio caricature was unveiled at a wedding yesterday---in Tennessee. The client told me the couple "were crazy about the caricature!" :-)

Another retiring teacher commission

This is another one of my "party-style" studio caricatures. This lady has a lot of hobbies!!

 After I had sketched it out and inked it, I took a sip of my Earl Grey...and then sneezed!

Re-DRAW! ;-)

Retirement Caricature!

This is a party-style caricature done for a retiring teacher, who will be relaxing  a lot more now!

I have to admit, one of my favorite types of caricature background is the beach and the ocean!

Below: Here is how she looked as a line drawing. I usually submit it at this stage to the client for any input. After I add color, there can be no changes. 

Color adds a lot!!!!

A little luck o' the Irish for some politicians...

Everybody is Irish for a day on St. Patrick's day, but for these NJ politicians,, it came early (or late) in the form of a presentation from the local AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) in thanks for their support. Here is a link to the story on their website.

I venture to guess that ONE of them is an Irish-American----the red-headed, pink-cheeked one! ;-)

I did this one assembly-style...drew and colored the lady first, completely. Then I drew each of the gentlemen, and traced the background elements on my light box for each one--and finished by doing one color at a time for everybody. 

Here's a close up:

My client had this to say: 

 "You hit it out of the park and I can't thank you enough for helping making this event so successful.

Sincere thanks, Sean"

Thanks go to my friend Patrick Harnett, a fantastic photographer/artist, who referred me for this work.

Studio wedding caricature

Back in June, I drew at a wonderful wedding reception for a hockey-mad young couple. The caricatures were so well-received that they extended my time there....which meant I was pretty much able to draw everybody who wanted one. Two people who wanted one, but just couldn't sit--- they were too in demand with their guests---were the bride and groom! I told them I could do a party-style caricature from photos later...and here it is!

Client's response was: "Nailed it. Fantastic. Thx!"  :-)

Teacher retirement caricatures

This vocational school has a lot of teachers leaving for the good life this year ;-)

These commissions are representative of my studio party-style caricatures:

Hope you all enjoy yourselves!

Phils Phans commission

Awhile back, I did this party-style commission for the female half of this couple to present to the male half on their anniversary...and I drew them with a dear friend of every Phillies fan. ;-)

Retirement commission

Last week's rush-job party-style retirement caricature: ordered at 9 am, hand-delivered by 4 pm for his party that evening!