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Post by toonMom on Feb 4, 2004 13:39:40 GMT -5
From the time I started learning to draw caricatures (Jully 02) until now, I have noticed a sort of pattern or proccess involved. I was wondering if anyone else noticed something like this. For me it went like this.
Stage 1: slight likeness, no caricature quality
Stage 2: good likeness, slight caricature quality
At this point I tried to punch up the caricature quality a bit
Stage 3: poor - slight likeness, ok caricature quality
stage 4: good likeness, ok cq
This is when I decided to throw exaggeration into the mix
Stage 5: slight-good likeness, good cq
This is where I am today. These stages apply to the majority of my work, not all of it. Meaning, when I was at stage 2, most of my work fell into this range, some better some worse, but most were here.
The way I look at it there are 3 parts to a caricature: likeness, exaggeration and caricature quality (this is what I call the cartoony look). Everytime I try to improve or push an area, the others suffer a bit. I think this is the normal proccess and with practice will be over-come.
Let us know what you have experienced through your journey of learning to draw caricatures. I think it will help those that are just starting out feel like they are on the right track.
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Post by tooned on Feb 4, 2004 14:48:09 GMT -5
Toonmom i have gone to having no confidence at all with caricatures.To where i am now,all in about 6 months.I just really did not think i could do them.Now i think i am always improving.I am still a long way to what i want to be with them.But now i think to myself that i can indeed do a half decent caricature.
And it all thanks to Mauri and the Loop board,and also this board for giving me a chance to practice and share.
Cheers Grant
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Post by corky on Feb 4, 2004 15:05:38 GMT -5
i agree with tooned...this board has really helped. just practising is the most important thing. i found when i was doing mauri's lessons, it gave me a whole new look at caricatures. that's what i needed. i have noticed a progression in my work...i've become more exaggerated. i still work toward that extreme exaggeration, such as mauri's or sebastian kruger's work. i was very shy at first, not sure if my work was any good. but i've always loved caricatures. when i was a kid, i would copy mad magazine....mort drucker was my favourite.
the biggest improvement in my work has come with talking to other artists, and comparing notes, as it were. my first caricatures were not that great...i'm planning to post some then and now stuff pretty soon...so you can see the difference.
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Post by toonMom on Feb 4, 2004 15:18:17 GMT -5
Have either of you noticed that sort of give and take I described? Where your exaggeration got better, but your likeness suffered for it or something similar.
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Post by corky on Feb 4, 2004 15:32:16 GMT -5
that happens a lot with my drawings. that's when i'll go look at how another artist has drawn that person, and see what they're picking up on that i'm missing. i drew my own caricature several times...just couldn't make it look like me. when i exaggerated it, it looked like my mom. so then i submitted a photo to jan opdebeeck, after entering his contest, and he drew me. then i knew what i was missing...he exaggerated my teeth and lips, which i'd been playing it safe and that's why it didn't look like me.
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Post by Mauri on Feb 4, 2004 16:59:17 GMT -5
Toonmom, What a great questions!!!!
When I worked at Universal Studios we(the artists) use to think about some of your questions a lot! Yes! There are stages that 99.9 percent of people go through. The first- Your just trying to draw something that looks human. The second- you can now draw something that looks like a person however now your consumed with making it look like the subject. This is the portraite stage. The thrid- Your starting to get a likeness you feel like you can capture most subjects but you tell yourself "it doen't look like a Caricature" so now you start experimenting with squashing and streching the face. At this point some of your drawings will be exaggerated and some will be portraite looking. You will have to go through this process for a while However each time you venture away from the portraite you will get more exaggerated. In essence you are learning to "see." The fourth- you can now do a caricature (cartoony drawing) at this stage you are still working on exaggeration however it would be extreme
exaggeration. You are now becoming articulate with your drawings. This is when you start to really explore the expressions of your subjects face. You can look at your subject from a front view but draw them 3 quarter.
I believe it is a never ending journey. These 4 stages are MY experiences from drawing, teaching and learning caricatures. Don't get to hard on yourself! I know caricatures are deceptively simple. If you have fun you'll stay inspired if you are inspired you will draw if you draw you WILL get better!! ;D
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Post by jadachris on Feb 5, 2004 8:44:34 GMT -5
cool, all of the things you all said were great, i was starting to get wound up, because all of your pics are professional, but mine are rubbish! so now ill keep drawing, cause maybe ill get better!  |
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Post by corky on Feb 5, 2004 10:44:01 GMT -5
jadachris, don't get intimidated by other artists. you're doing great. i'm sure mauri, tooned, toonmom, and others would agree with me that it's not about who's better or not, it's about inspiration and love of drawing. everyone has their own style, and yours is definitely coming thru. when i teach kids at the gallery, i'm so disappointed that some of them think if it doesn't look perfect, they won't do it at all...and they lose the joy of creating. most kids by the age of 13 or so have been told that their drawings don't look right, so they stop. and that's unfortunate. but i'm impressed with your stuff, jadachris...kudos to you for posting your pics and constantly looking for different ways to try things!
mauri, how about some advice on how to do a live gig? got any tips to share?
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Post by Mauri on Feb 5, 2004 10:52:33 GMT -5
Great advice Toontoons!
When I was a kid I never drew because I thought I had to get it right. I think it's more important to have fun! I will post some tips on gigs. I think I'll put it where I drew the cheekbone tips in the drawing room is this OK toonmom? ;D
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Post by toonMom on Feb 5, 2004 11:27:05 GMT -5
Perfect Mauri, that's where they should go. I want to keep the caricature stuff seperate from the other art stuff.
jadachris - please, don't give up. You are the reason I started this discussion. Your work reminds me of my own when I first started. I could get a pretty good likeness, but I didn't like the way it looked. They never looked like a caricature. There were a few times I thought about quiting. I'm glad I kept going! I still have a long way to go, but I am getting there.
Never compare your work to someone elses, compare it to your own previous work. (If you feel the need to compare) Look at others work as inspiration and motivation, nothing more.
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Post by jadachris on Feb 5, 2004 12:23:57 GMT -5
ok, thank you for your advice, u lot are too nice!! lol ill keep trying...im gonna go to college and do art in the summer, do you think thats a good idea?  |
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