Saturday, November 14, 2009

The very essence of caricature for the would be artist.

There is a great of ignorance and misinformation when it comes to the world of caricature because many people associate them with satire, whereby fun is poked at the physical features of the subject of the drawing whether this humour is intended cruelly or in good faith. People associate caricature with screaming cartoons that are extravagantly grandiose and bordering upon the utterly grotesque when in reality caricature can be applied to pictures as well as portraits. Whether the caricature will offend or please the subject really depends upon the nature and context of it....

Being a caricature artist is no easy task as the artist will have to closely study and analyse their subject in order to absorb every small aspect and facet of their face. Every personality trait, every distinguishing feature must be considered, carefully weighed and then a final decision made as to what proportion it will be used to. However, being a (successful) caricature drawer involves so much more than simply drawing the physical features of the subject, frankly, this is an activity that any talentless wannabe can do and with little difficulty. The mark of a true caricature is their ability to capture the very essence, vibrancy and personality of the subject, and a gifted caricaturist is often regarded with something bordering upon awe due to the fact that the portrait looks so amazingly life-like indeed.

Just like any other craftsman, the caricaturist must ensure that they have the proper equipment for the job and given that they will be making certain features of the subjects face more prominent than the rest some dark pencils are recommended. Thicker lines will naturally and automatically draw the eye to them, providing a sharp contrast with the remainder of the drawing.

Caricature pictures are actually easier in some regards than their vanilla counterparts in that there is no need to ensure that every single physical trait of the subject is rendered in precise or accurate detail. Broad strokes can be used for the hair to good effect. Effective caricature will be focus on and be achieved by effective use of contrast of shade between the different physical features of the face.

Remember, when you first begin caricature it is highly unlikely that you will get very far, i.e. your first attempts will be rather poor. Keep working at it and soon you will be able to draw with the best of them!

Tips for the aspiring caricature artist.

Many people struggle to come to terms with what is involved in the art of drawing caricature successfully and many people who have a degree of proficiency in creating portraits of people often struggle the most to come to grips with this particular skill. The problem is that whilst caricature is loosely based upon the principles of portrait drawing, the influence is merely a side dish rather than a main course and so many portrait artists end up over-complicating things.
Caricature is often regarded as a near impossible skill to develop and learn but in reality the reason for this apparent level of difficulty is that the caricaturist has not came to realise the most important aspect of the drawing process: that the human face is very geometric. What that means then that the face will conform to certain rules, measurements and ratios as well as shapes meaning that the artist who can learn these principles effectively will then be able to apply these to all of their drawings.
The easiest position to start drawing caricature sketches from is the side view (or if you want to give it its proper technical term: the profile) and is therefore a firm favourite among novice sketchers. Many novices feel that they are in some way “cheating” when they draw from the side, feeling that they are inadequate as drawers and artists.
There is a lot of controversy as to the best methods for novices to learn and this awkward position is not helped any thanks to the volume of conflicting information that is available. Some sources argue that drawing from the side (i.e. the profile drawing) is the best way to start, as it is the easiest and most direct way of learning the basics. Others argue that the aspiring artist should focus on a full frontal view of the face in order to ensure that they come to grips with all of the “facets” of the face.
One tip that the novice caricature artists should learn to adopt (and the sooner the better) is the value in varying their strokes. If the artist simply uses the same pen strokes with no attempt to vary or alter them then the end result is a painfully monotonous portrait which is flat, lifeless and dull in the extreme. By varying not only the pen strokes but their thickness and shade the drawer can then really bring the portrait to life.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Personalized Caricatures: An age old option for gifts!

The impeccable genius of the Caricature artists has brought the art to the forefront of fashion and though the art has survived over centuries, the art owes its popularity in the present times to the concept of gifts.

If you try to look back in the history and find the origin of the Caricatures, you may find yourself to be lost among buckets of debates. However, the Caricatures as a form of art have been popular since the old times. It is not simply an art but something where the artists load the pictures with meanings and successfully influence your point of view in a way that you perhaps never thought of.

While the artists are capable of creating a wide array of styles, you can choose to have a whimsical and simple Caricature or even you can wish to have something more exaggerated and wild. More interesting is the fact that these Caricatures can be digitally mastered to give them a new dimension. With the help of the modern technologies, the artists are capable of portraying them on virtually any object or article that you choose. It can be a cup, a plate, bedroom walls, pillow covers, calendar etc. This allows you to choose from a wide array of options and you can gift any of these to your loved ones.

The impeccable genius of the Caricature artists has brought the art to the forefront of fashion and though the art has survived over centuries, the art owes its popularity in the present times to the concept of gifts. However, the basic essence of the art has not been destroyed and is used still today. Make use of the Caricature gifts and make a difference to the lives of those whom you love by adding fun to their lives and meaning to their presence!


Do the Caricatures make a perfect gift?

Not all gifts are suitable for every occasion but the Caricatures can serve the purpose successfully. Be it a wedding or retirement or birthday, the Caricatures are always custom made to ensure that the purpose of the portrait is not defeated in any situation.

According to Sam Viviano, the Caricatures are not fabrications of cartoon characters but in reality, they are nothing more than the depiction of people with flesh and blood. Thus, if you try to look deep into the meaning of the Caricatures, you will find that the embellished portraits have a very deep meaning attached to them. Certain characteristics of the person or thing are depicted with a few master strokes from the pencil of the Caricature artist. Those characteristics of the person or thing in question are focused, which are hardly noticed in our regular interaction with them.

The goal of the artist not simply to distort the portrait but to add as much meaning as possible and thus they (Caricature artists) demand much more attention, which a general painter or a photographer may not call for. The most important thing is that the artists make sure that they paint the Caricatures in a way you want. To put it in other words, every single Caricature is custom drawn as per the inspiration and description given by you. This simply explains that no other gift can come close to the Caricatures in terms of customization.

More importantly, not all gifts are suitable for every occasion but the Caricatures can serve the purpose successfully. Be it a wedding or retirement or birthday, the Caricatures are always custom made to ensure that the purpose of the portrait is not defeated in any situation. They can also be gifted in occasions like promotions, anniversaries and many more. They are indeed on the most perfect and meaningful gifts that you can give to them whom you love.


Celebrity Caricatures: A gift for those who love the celebrities!

A simple, whimsical and complementary Caricature of a celebrity of a modest size when gifted to your near and dear ones would no doubt bring appreciation for you and also make them think that you respect their thoughts and support their ideas. These gifts are indeed a great way to show that you care.

Is your brother sister or friend a great fan of celebrities who appear every now and then either on magazine covers or television shows? Do they dream of those characters? Do they have posters of those popular people or are they a member on any celebrity fan club? If yes then you have every reason to gift a celebrity Caricature to them and bring a smile on their faces.

It is certain that they look at those celebrities from every aspect and weigh them as per their character, looks and other attractions and characteristics. A Caricature artist can draw a celebrity caricature without rendering the true features of the person but still pulling out those aspects, which at times go unrecognized and unnoticed. A simple, whimsical and complementary Caricature of a celebrity of a modest size when gifted to your near and dear ones would no doubt bring appreciation for you and also make them think that you respect their thoughts and support their ideas. These gifts are indeed a great way to show that you care.

What do you need to do? Since Caricatures are nothing but the distorted portraits of humans or other objects, you need to send a picture of the celebrity, whom your loved ones like, to the artist and he or she will sketch a Caricature of the person in a way you want. Further, if you want to further customize the Caricature by engraving the image on any object like a coffee mug or a pillow cover, the artist can also do that with the help of the modern technologies.

Gift your loved ones with what they like and express your own love through this wonderful art!



Caricatures: A Sense of Humor?

We as individuals can always look outside political periphery and use the Caricatures, which are nothing but the distorted portraits of human beings or non living things, for brightening up our everyday lives and add some flavor of humor to the undeniable monotony ruling our lives.

What are Caricatures? Why did they evolve? A million reasons can be attached but perhaps a crispy sense of humor or a deep hatred for rules and willingness to break those regulations define the evolution of the Caricatures. Whatever is reason, whether it is the appraised sense of humor or the urge to embellish or distort the strict lines, Caricatures, which are nothing but a distorted portrait of anything or a person with a visual likeness that can be easily identified, can be used for a wide range of purposes.

An artist can distort the reality by over simplification of certain characteristics of a thing or a person and exaggeration of the others. It is up to the artist whether the portrait is for entertainment or for a political use. Irrespective of the purpose, a Caricature can be insulting or even complementary. This nature probably defines the use of these portraits.

We as individuals can always look outside political periphery and use these portraits for brightening up our everyday lives and add some flavor of humor to the undeniable monotony ruling our lives. Since, the Caricatures are not any cartoon fabrication but loaded portraits of real-life people, presenting a complementary Caricature to our loved ones and not only bring a smile to them but also brighten up their day with some light moments-maybe from the past! It is up to the artist what he or she tries to depict but a Caricature based on a past funny incident or a simple funny picture can evoke the sense of humor in us!


Caricatures: A gifted art

The job of the Caricature artists is to create a distorted image from the picture of a person or a thing supplied to them and loads the portrait with as much meaning as possible. And all this is to be done in a few master strokes of the pencil- something, which greatly differs from the general art form.

Fine arts or may be simply arts is something that cannot be taught completely. It is something that requires the power of imagination and the impeccable genius of visualizing a figure from different aspects and giving them a shape. The art of Caricatures is nothing different in terms of the overall requirements of arts as a discipline. But still a couple of differences linger and these are the features, which differentiate the art form from the others and render a unique form to this art. The major difference is that the Caricatures art call for embellishment of the real world and giving them a meaning.

The job of the Caricature artists is to create a distorted image from the picture of a person or a thing supplied to them and loads the portrait with as much meaning as possible. And all this is to be done in a few master strokes of the pencil- something, which greatly differs from the general art form. The creations of the artists can be simple or wild and may be insulting or complementary. Whatever be the case, the most important thing that needs to be kept in mind is that the final creation- the embellished portraits need to have the element of visual likeness. If this factor is not present, the Caricatures cannot be used as gifts for any given occasion.

The Caricatures when given away as gifts can bring in a marked difference in the relations as these portraits from the blessed artists can be a nice way to show that you care!


Caricatures in history and the present scenario.

Caricatures as an art have a long history, the roots of which are deeply embedded in a time, which we left behind centuries ago. During that time, painters like Leonardo da Vinci used this form of the art.

A portrait where the very essence of a person or anything is embellished is known as a Caricature. In this form of the art, certain characteristics of the person or the thing are either exaggerated or simplified by the artist to give a deep meaning to the image. While on one hand, the Caricatures can be simple and whimsical, on the other hand they can also be exaggerated and wild. As a matter of fact, yet another attribute that can be attached to a Caricature is the sense of complement or that of an insult. The magic really lies in the master strokes of the artists.

Caricatures as an art have a long history, the roots of which are deeply embedded in a time, which we left behind centuries ago. During that time, painters like Leonardo da Vinci used this form of the art. Yet another artist to use the art was Gian Lonrenzo Bernini. There were many other many other renowned Caricature artists in the following times. However, there is another opinion about the evolution of this art form, which states that Caricatures evolved from the Italian word ‘Caricare’, which means ‘to load’. It therefore essentially means that the duty of a Caricature artist is to load the embellished images with as much meaning as possible.

The art in recent times has earned popularity due to the evolution of the business market of gifts where the Caricatures form the most meaningful gift among t he odds and can be a lifetime treasure for the person receiving the gift. Thanks to the blend of new technology with the old art!


Caricatures: Memories after Retirement!

Gift your colleague, who is about to retire with a funny retirement Caricature. Though an caricature artist’s depiction would be nothing more than a cartoon- a deformed reality but, behind the funny image, lays the memories of the lost days, which perhaps will not fade away with the wrinkled skins.

Spending days, weeks, months and years in an office with colleagues build up an unsaid and unexplained relation among the people earning their bread under the same roof. Office is not only about the angry faces of bosses or tit, tat, tap and click of computers and tremendous work load. It is also a place where you share your sorrows and happiness and spend some light moments and crack jokes as well. Over years, a bond of friendship is developed, which can last for the life time. But, when one such colleague retires an undefined emptiness is created, something that strikes like a pin.

Gift your colleague, who is about to retire with a funny retirement Caricature. It acts as a token of love and a priceless piece of memory for those moments, which brought some smile and fun in your life. Though an artist’s depiction would be nothing more than a cartoon- a deformed reality but, behind the funny image, lays the memories of the lost days, which perhaps will not fade away with the wrinkled skins. Supply a photo of your colleague to a Caricature artist and pent up the mast moments in a frame. Nothing would be more valuable to a person who spent a major part of his or her life with people whom he or she hardly knew.

Moments of departure can be really difficult but still they can be enjoyed with a Caricature in place. The customized design can make you and others remember those days of fun, which you enjoyed together and left behind just to come back in a form, which has been termed as memories by the human race!


Caricatures as Gifts!

A funny Caricature (which they always are) can get you busy with comparisons and illusions with a sudden burst of laughter with funny jokes! Who doesn’t love to smile or giggle? This mere fact makes Caricatures the perfect gift for any event.

There are times when gifts replace words! You can find a gift for any occasion or perhaps, I may say, there are gifts for every emotion! But the irony is that certain material gifts lack expression. For instance, if you are looking for a gift that can make someone remember the past moments of fun and laughter, you can rarely get one. However, it is undeniable that there are some gifts, which can serve the purpose and can bring a smile to the face of the person concerned whenever he or she looks at it. Yes, they are nothing other than Caricatures. A Caricature is nothing but an artist’s depiction of a person on a material thing by deforming the reality either in an insulting way or in a complementary way.

Barely necessary to say that a complementary Caricature by an artist can pull out some humor and also at the same time take you for a ride in a different world where your daily work cannot haunt you. A funny Caricature (which they always are) can get you busy with comparisons and illusions with a sudden burst of laughter with funny jokes! Who doesn’t love to smile or giggle? All that are required to get a Caricature is a picture of person or a thing and an artist who can deform the reality with simplification and exaggeration of certain characteristics of the person or the thing in the picture. Present an everlasting smile to your loved ones with a Caricature and capture the moments of happiness forever!


Caricatures and kids

True is the fact that the children cannot be impressed easily with something because of their wild imagination as they build their own paradise. Since Caricatures are nothing but distorted reality, the children like to have them as their collection.

Caricatures are not limited to a particular age group. Since the distorted portraits are used for creating a visual likeness, which can be identified easily, they can become a favorite gift for anyone. More importantly, the Caricature artists with their blessed genius of art and imagination can create Caricatures, which can easily impress anyone.

True is the fact that the children cannot be impressed easily with something because of their wild imagination as they build their own paradise. It is because of the fact that they exaggerate the real world with their wild imaginations, the real world truths do not seem to impress them. However, the most notable thing about the Caricatures is that they are also the outcome of imagination and distortion of the reality. The fine bridge is built!

The distorted portraits (targeting the kids) drawn by professional Caricature artists are capable of creating visual likeness among the children merely because of the fact that the Caricatures somewhat resemble the cartoon fabrications and it is a well know fact across the globe that cartoons have always attracted the kids. This is because if of the fact that the cartoons are not only funny in terms of visual likeness but at the same time, they are also capable of transporting the kids in the world of fantasy.

A caricature artist can paint distorted portraits of the kids and at the same time load the picture with effects, which resemble fantasy and wild thought associated with the kids’ psychology. It therefore makes sense to present the children with Caricature gifts and bring smile to their face-probably the most innocent thing that you can ever see.



Caricature Artists: People blessed with impeccable genius

Caricature artists very often come to our sight in various events like birthdays, weddings, picnics and other functions like awards ceremony and others. As a matter of fact, the organizers are found to be replacing the photographers with the Caricature artists.Caricature is a form of art, the history of which can be traced back centuries ago but still today, the exact origin of this form of the art is debatable. But, unlike many other art forms, this art has not only survived but also has earned popularity in the recent times and the Caricature artists very often come to our sight in various events like birthdays, weddings, picnics and other functions like awards ceremony and others. As a matter of fact, the organizers are found to be replacing the photographers with the Caricature artists.

As the artists with their impeccable qualities can add a different level of weight and meaning to the deformed reality by masterful commands over their pencils and pens, the embellished portraits with few master strokes can turn out to be a great gift for the guest in a gathering of any kind. Not to mention that you can also keep these Caricatures as a remembrance.

These artists are capable of drawing 12-20 Caricatures on an average in a span of one hour and customize the portraits in a way you want. The rate for such Caricature drawing lay between $125 per hour to $175 per hour, which means that a single piece of such art costs around $7, which is quite reasonable. They will emphasize on certain characteristics and eliminate the others and distort the image in a way so that the image can emphasize on certain peculiar characteristics, which can barely be noticed in a photograph shot by a photographer!