Tomorrow I'll be drawing Caricatures for the Staff of a local Bar. So for tonight's drawing, I decided to dream up some idea I Might use tomorrow. Even though I don't usually do Sideview caricatures, I decided to do limited exaggeration to see how that might work with the optical illusion of the Chalise between two Sideview faces. This was my first pass at it. Tired now, but I feel confident that it will be more facile the next time I try it. And again. And again. That's the purpose of practicing in my time off. So I'll end up real smooth by the time I feel ready to use an idea at an Event. Maybe tomorrow's event ~ Maybe some other event down the path ~ The Artist's Path

Caricature. Isn't the name of the game Exaggeration? Isn't that what Caricature means??

Well, not really. The name of the game ~ when I have a Job ~ is to give the Buyer what he wants. Or rather ~ what he thinks he wants to have ~ and therefore what he orders.

My next Client told me to 'draw a little less exaggerated this time'. So that's what I will do. Even though I know that my Exaggerated Caricatures are super appreciated. Even though I know that the Party gets more lively when I'm drawing Exaggerated pictures. Super exaggerated. The more exaggerated, the better. And the Artwork is so much better when an Artist can really exaggerate. Shows so much more than eyes, nose, mouth. Shows more emotion, more feeling.

To prepare, I tried it out on a picture that I chose at random from elsewhere on this blog.

Oh, this is too good. I decided to draw an Exaggerated picture first. This is great! Then, I reined myself in. Filled in the 'face' blanks, and drew a 'less exaggerated' picture like I will try to do at my next gig. I guess it looks okay. And my client, not knowing what I can Really do, would probably think that this tamer picture Is exaggerated.

Ick. I've worked so long to be able to make the More Exaggerated picture. That's much more evolved. Much more Advanced. I hope that 3 Hours of the simpler pictures won't ruin me. I hope I won't feel too sad while I'm drawing them. I hope I will be able to bounce back after the party.

I will try to have a good attitude about this. Like it's just one more experiment. To see how people really respond, and how it really feels, to work like this.

Here's an example of what happens when your Party Artist has to deal with Backlighting ~ that's when she's told to Set Up in front of a Window.

I always accommodate my Clients ~ I always manage in the Space they provide for Their Party Entertainment. But I don't feel like they're getting the Best Possible Experience if they want the Artist to Set Up in front of a Window. I don't feel like they're getting the Best Possible Artwork if they tell the Artist to Set Up in front of a Window. The Artist really cannot see the Guests features.

The Artist Could turn around, so the Light is coming from behind her, and onto the Guests' faces while the Guests look out the Window, but I prefer to Set Up the other way ~ so the Whole Party can glance over at any time to see what's being drawn (Entertainment) and the person who is being drawn would be looking In Towards the Party ~ so s/he remembers that s/he is At Your Party.

The problem with Backlighting ~ the problem with having the Guest standing in front of a Window ~ is that the Guests' Faces are COMPLETELY IN SHADOW ~ because the Light is coming from Behind their heads. I feel like I can still do a good job, but it is stressful. So it slows down the Artwork and it affects my Vibe. It affects my ability to quickly draw what I see because I'm Not quickly Seeing the Faces. It affects the Artwork And it affects the Guest's Experiences.