Has anyone else experienced this?

[lifedoesntimitate]

First of all, let me just say to everyone that remembers me : I am so sorry that I haven't been posting for so long. I have been here almost every day, but I just haven't been having enough time to really draw or even post a contribution to a non-drawing thread. I've had work and recently auditions, and lots of other things but just not time. I'm sorry again. My intention is to dedicate a certain section of if not my day, definately my week to drawing and posting. I can't guarantee I'll hold to it, but I'll try. I truly love this forum, and have missed interacting with the people on it.

Now, onto my question.

Recently, my mom asked me to draw a horse for a gift she wanted to make for my cousin. When I finally found the time to draw it and was very pleased with the result, I sent it to my mom via e-mail.

I'll take some time out right now to let you all know that I do caricature. That's pretty much it. I'm more or less self-taught, and I don't really do other kinds of art. In my experience, a major difference between caricature and many other kinds of art is that with caricature, you don't so much draw what you see, but rather what you feel. More like impressions than actuality. And then you exaggerate that. Now, even if many of you didn't know that I only do caricature, my mom certainly does.

Back to the story.

I ended up helping my mom open her e-mail, and when we found the horse drawing(s) (same horse; several color variations), she had about as much of a response as Kim Bassinger did when seeing the Batcave for the first time and learning Batman's true identity. In other words, no response. Not negative; not positive.

Finally, she tells me that she wasn't expecting a cartoon horse. All the pictures she showed me, she claimed, were of real horses and she was just surprised that I sent her a cartoon.

So, my question is, have any of you experienced something similar? Like maybe someone knows that you sketch, and they ask you to do a detailed landscape. Or you only do portraiture, and they assume that means you're artistic, which means you can do... whatever. I think in my mom's head, since she knew I do caricature, she just assumed it meant I could draw anything.

Just curious. Sorry about the long post, but I haven't been here in a while; I figure I'm entitled.

Thanks all.

-- Eric

[toonMom]

I try to avoid that situation. I always warn people ahead of time about what I am capable of doing. I can do a good portrait from time to time, but when someone asks me to do one, I always tell them I can't promise it will turn out as good as some of my better work. I just get lucky sometimes. Of course, I don't try selling my work because I feel I am still learning.

I guess to answer your question, no. This hasn't happened to me. Good story though!

[Frank Zieglar]

My sister once asked me at the last minute to make a sign for and handed me some Marks-A-Lot's and a poster board.

I made it real quick - nothing fancy just the lettering she needed BIG and BOLD so it would be readable.

She looked at it and said unhappily, "I could have done that. I thought you would make it nicer."

So I turned it over and made the lettering a little fanicer and draw some little cartoon on it - she was happy.


But when it comes to drawing I always warn people that I am a cartoonist - I DON'T DRAW REALISTIC PICTURES - if they don't seem to get it, then I turn it down.


><> Frank Zieglar <><
-- Good intentions are like seed pods that blow away in the wind, but good acts are like the seed planted in fertile soil.

[corky]

Yes, lifedoesntimitate, I've had that happen. For some reason, people feel entitled to make critical judgments of art that they would never do with anything else. I don't hear people saying to an athlete, "I thought you could play real sports." (jc might have encountered that kind of attitude...any stories to tell, jc?).
I do love to draw realistically, but I'm more fond of abstract and modern art. When I worked in an art gallery, people would ask all the time, "where's the real art?" It was frustrating. I think Toonmom has a good point-you need to be direct with people and tell them what you can or won't do. And when it's something you are drawing freely, people can get ...difficult. At least when it's a paying client, you can sign a contract and explain the expectations. It must have been disappointing for you that your mom didn't respond. I did an anniversary portrait for a friend of mine, for his parents, and when he picked it up, he said absolutely nothing, except hello and goodbye. No expression on his face, nothing to tell me he was unhappy or happy. I never found out whether the parents liked it or not. At least if someone says they don't like it, you can ask why, or explain your thoughts.
One important piece of advice I can give you; try to limit your "freebies"...your work is too valuable for people to take advantage of it, like that. I was asked, just last week, to draw an on-the-spot caricature for a young girl who I'd met twice, because we happened to have a birthday on the same day. I refused. I give my art to people I'm close to, and I treasure the ability to give something unique.
And I've talked too long, and I still have homework to do!