Kathy Bailey's Caricature Sketch Blog

Caricature Cinema

2011-11-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

Caricature Cinema is where I work as manager on Fremont Street in Las Vegas. The Cinema itself is state-of-the-art with cameras filming the artists drawing and fed to our website LIVE. The design is a cutting-edge blend of techno and retro art - just like Vegas herself. And we are one of the very few year-round caricature concessions around.

We encourage artists to come and be our guest for as long as you stay in Vegas. We don't have room in the winter, however call or email me in the spring, we'd be happy to have you. Previous guest artists include Sam Gorrie, Sean Garner and Chris Chua.

Drawing in Vegas is always interesting, but drawing on FREMONT STREET? Well, that takes the cake. You'll never see a more motley collection of drooling drunks, camera-happy tourists, "desert" bums (as opposed to beach bums), kooky costumed characters, and non-plussed employees who just roll their eyes and say "that's Vegas for ya." It's FABULOUS for people watching!

So next time you're in Vegas, come join us down on Fremont Street in front of the four queens casino. There's a new zip line downtown which is cheaper if you go before 6PM, lots of food, bands, shopping, gambling, and FUN!

A few recent live sketches... and one corny cartoon :)

2011-11-03T15:53:00.006-05:00

I worked a gig last month at a greek-themed party.
They made me wear a toga.
It was cold.
It was see-through.
And I was wearing black underwear.

Needless to say, this was not one of my favorite gigs.

(Note to Agents: If you make the talent dress up
like trained monkeys, we will despise you.)

From the "toga party" I had to work a few weeks ago.
At least there were a lot of cool people
to draw.

From the "toga party"

the Victim

A waiter I drew at Macaroni Grill. The
Captions were hilarious at the time.
Now I cant read them or remember what they said.

this is one of my faves. I started using a 3/4 view to help me improve. Check out my blog www.caricaturebizguru.blogspot.com to see more tips on how to get better. This ONE THING improved my work TREMENDOUSLY. Hard to draw "canned" when you don't have a formula!

A drawing I did of my husband Buddy.
It looks just like him.
I think he hates it.

My husband actually YELLED at me for this drawing,
evi\dently because I made myself
"too goofy."

Pong, my co-worker

Sean Garner, who worked at out stand this summer.
I liked the drawing. He "forgot" it :(

Following are a few sketches I did over the Spring and Summer as I was tryign to learn to exaggerate more.

These (above) are so old I don't remember when I did them, I just happened to have a few pics. Nice to see how far I've come.

Jersey Shore.

I hate these people.

AN D... the promised corny cartoon :) You may need to enlarge...

Working on getting better: Part 2

2011-11-02T09:03:00.001-05:00

A few years ago I went through a spurt of doing everything within my power to get better. I know a lot of people recommend that you do exercises every single day, and I have small kids so I dont normally do that. But this summer and into the fall, I started up with the learning curve again. I set my sights on drawing one good piece a week. And I did a lot of other stuff you can check out at www.caricaturebizguru.blogspot.com.

So here are a few of the pieces: hope you "like!"

Brad Pitt. Captions read: "Brad Pitt: Millionaire Playboy by day.... Millionaire Playboy by Night", and in speech bubble "I may be useless, but at least I'm PURDY!"

Did I mention that I loathe Brad Pitt?

I did this as a study to emulate Ben Burgraff's style and see how he did certain things, like the glasses. Ben was my friend and coworker and he passed away this summer. Yes, I know it's not REALLY a caricature. But you know what? If it was OK for Ben, it's OK for me. Ben had a bigger following of the PUBLIC than any artist I've ever seen (not just other artists). Seriously, He was a Rock Star. There's a reason they have both the ACADEMY awards AND The People's choice Awards. Both kinds of art have their place.

Jodi Foster. Captions read: "President Obama is in the audience... No sign of John Hinkley, Jr.... Robert DeNiro's on location in Europe... THE COAST IS CLEAR. ..... I hope." Then, across the bottom, "Perils of the Rich and Famous."

This was done as a challenge online on face book, a group called "Wittyography, the caricature community." Each week the winner of the previous weeks challenge picks a new challenge. As usual, I missed the deadline.

But I did have fun.

I was trying my hand at making her look Zombie-like.

I was thinking about this poor woman and what she's been through in her life. I mean, a guy SHOT THE PRESIDENT because of her! Still, she's done pretty good for herself. I actually really like her, so I hope if she ever sees this she knows I was doing it for a challenge, not just to mess her up. I think she'd be the kind of gal I'd like as a friend. No-nonsense. I like that.

If you don't know who this is (above) I'm shooting myself.

I'd never tried to draw him before so I challenged myself. Every drawing I'd ever seen of him exaggerated the hair. I thought I'd go for the nose. And try to catch that expression.

This was for another challenge online. And of course.... I missed the deadline.

Anyway, this is Hugo Weaving. He's the guy who played Mr. Smith in The Matrix, and the elf king Elrond in Lord of the Rings. Interestingly, he also was the voice of V in V for Vendetta.

When I first read the challenge, all I could think of was when he played a drag queen in Priscilla the Queen of the Desert. Fabulous little movie. And I DO mean, FABULOUS!!!

I was pretty pleased with how this turned out. My best friend Ami Hardig, a portrait artist and badass five-foot Jodi Foster look-alike from Detroit, said she wants to hang this in her house. I'm glad, cuz I know my husband ain't havin' it.

A very young Marilyn. I inherited a book of Marilyn photos, many of which I'd never seen (and I'm a HUGE fan), so I did a LOT of Marilyn's over the summer. I won't bore you with all of them. This was the best. Again, a portrait, not a caricature. And :P if you don't like it.

I also was trying to switch it up any way I could, I used charcoal and charcoal pencil here.

Bogie, Iteration 2

(The first iteration made him look 20 lbs heavier.)

I was trying to do this like a graphic novel, with only three shades: black, white and a medium grey tone. This was done exclusively with Art Stix.

This is Biggie (I think. I don't much care for rap. To give you an idea of how much the opposite my taste in music is, my all-time favorite musicians are Van Morisson, Frank Sinatra and Enya.)

Anyway this was the last one in the series of trying to get better. I think it worked. Check out my other blog at www.caricaturebizguru.com for more tips on how to improve your art!

new post - how to get great art!

2011-11-02T02:40:00.002-05:00

I plan on updating this old blog regularly now. Since I've started blogging on my other new sites (about the psychology and business of caricature, and about visiting vegas with kids, since you asked), it just seems natural to want to blog more on my own art page. Duh! Plus workign in Las vegas is WAYyyyyyyyy more interesting than anyplace else I've ever drawn. This place has some SERIOUS weirdoes. Dontcha love it?

Here's some of my very favorite peices done of me over the years. I GOT almost ALL of this great art at the NCN conventioin! The NCN has morphed into an international organization known as the International Society of Caricature Artists. Their website, www.caricature.org, is what got me started on the path in life that I'm on now. I was a caricaturist before. Now I'm a fanatic. It's like, a religion. I mean, I eat, breathe, think and even SLEEP caricature. (Does anyone know a good therapist?)

Actually, more precisely, I eat breathe sleep and what-have-you the psychology of caricature. With a minor in improving my art ;)

Anyway, if you AREN'T a member and are a professional caricaturist, PLEASE JOIN! It changed my life. I met hundreds of like-minded artists. My craft improved exponentially from exposure to all of the other amazing artists that attend the conventions. I got lots of free art that'll be worth beaucoup bucks one day (I hope.), AND if that WASN'T enough, I met my husband at one of the conventions. Art, career, true love. You can't beat it.

And the Convention is coming up! In LESS THAN A WEEK! SO go to www.caricature.org and sign UP, people! Oh and BTW you dont have to be a caricaturist to join, just an enthusiast :) its only 50$ a year and they'll prorate your membership. :) Happy sketching!

my old faves:

me by Adam Pate. I just love the simplicity of this

I think this was Gabe Hunts but I'm not positive. Feel free to correct me.

Me in anime. A little Japanese artist came up and asked my name at my first con, I regret I didn't know who it was. No signature.

Buddy did this as a sketch when we were sitting around tearing each other up one night. It's my favorite he's done of me :)

Ben Burgraffs. One of many. Don't know where it wound up when we moved back in July.

I think this was Dinos...

I WISH I knew who did this one. (above) Love it!!!

I pride myself on not getting offended by the most insulting of caricatures of myself, I mean, come ON... we can give it but we can't take it??? But I gotta admit, this one I actually got insulted by. LOLOL! I find that very funny now. The drawing too. It's now one of my faves :)

A bunch of guys (and me, bottom right) drawn by Grigor Eftomov at my first con. They raffled it off. I didn't win,

Me by Emily Anthony, another Philly filly. THanks sweetie! I do love it!

Me by Elgin BOllings, the infamous SUBWAYSURFER. He's evidently embroiled in some legal suit involving someone misquoting him. Ah, ELgin. He really helped me when I was just starting out. Which I kind of considerto be when I joined the NCN (Now the ISCA). DId I mention I was a caricaturist for nearly ten YEARS before I joined the NCN? This is why my work sucks lol.

I think this ties for first place for my very faves. I think is was Tankana that did it. THank you!!! It's BEAUTIFUL. I asked what the marble eye meant - he said "The third eye." Ho ho, so true. He must have a third eye as well.

My daughter gracie by Sam Gorrie. I don't know why but another one by her did'nt load properly. I'll put it in my next post.

Roger Hurtado, who still won't speak to me to this day. Ask him why.

Justin Galloway, who I think I never actually met.

Mituki

Adam Pate. I love this one. I DO have perennial bags under me eyes!

Amazing Anonymous

Sean Garner

Ed Steckley. He thought I didn't like it when he gave it to me. Truth is, I was speechless. Thanks Ed!

My all-time fave above (Bryan Oakes)

my new fave below (Ryan Belko)

If anyone knows the artists missing help me out!

2011-11-02T01:21:00.001-05:00

Havent posted in a LONG time. I've worked hard at getting better over this summer in particular but in general, that's what we do as caricaturists, isn't it? Here's a few of my more recent works. I like tothink I was inspired by Ben Burgraff, my friend and co-worker who passed away this summer. You were a good friend, Ben, and a great artist. We'll all miss you.

Kramer

(in case you couldnt tell)

Just one of the many I did these past few months when I challenged myself to draw one peice a week. I stopped doing it when I got my new Iphone. Pathetic, huh?

...more to come...

From the last few weeks at my stand in Peddler's Village

2009-08-23T21:05:00.002-05:00

one from Dr. Sketchy, Philadelphia

2009-08-23T21:03:00.003-05:00

This was drawn at Dr. Sketchy, Philly, last month. The theme of the sketchgroup was "Heroes and Villains", and the models dressed in awesome costumes. So much fun! This was the final pose of the evening, and they looked like bankrobbers to me, so I titled it "Badgirl and Robbin' " :)

2009-08-23T21:02:00.002-05:00

This one was done of a poor young guy whose girlfriend broke up with him due to an unfortunate incident in which he evidently got drunk, fell out of her car, didnt answer her calls, broke his cell phone, wandered the streets for hours, and then made her miss the Toby Keith concert which was the whole point of the evening! WOW what a night! Anyway, he gave her this caricature as part of his apology. Came back the next week to tell me - she accepted! LOL they are back together... and I helped ! Kewl, huh? :)

2009-08-23T20:29:00.003-05:00

A Few from the Village...

2009-07-15T11:27:00.003-05:00

A few sketches from Peddler's Village in Lahaska PA

This first one is of a guy who I knew when he was FIVE YEARS OLD! I NEVER forget a face, and I knew he looked familiar... but his mother looked even more familiar! I used to date his older cousin, back when I was fifteen years old! Unbelievable. Dan, if you're reading this, it was a pleasure to draw you and see you again. Your girlfriend was a treasure - hold on to her!

I'm Baaaaaacccccckkkkkk!!!

2009-07-15T11:25:00.002-05:00

Haven't had much time to post things on here, what with the constant drama in my life and all. But here I am, finally posting some stuff I've done over the last six months. These are from my trip to Vegas in February...

2009-07-15T11:21:00.001-05:00

2009-07-15T11:20:00.000-05:00

Bar Owners

2009-07-15T11:14:00.001-05:00

these folks have a bar in their basement and wanted something to complement it...

Dr. Sketchy, Motor City

2007-08-24T15:18:00.000-05:00

Heres a few sketches from Dr. Sketchy last night. The swag faerie even awarded me with a goodie bag for one of my drawings... I will work on it a ittle more and post it later. For now, enjoy!

A fair is a veritable smorgasborg...

2007-07-30T14:34:00.001-05:00

A couple of drawings I did at the fair this week:

This was one of a ladyfriend of a fella I was working with at the fair. He wanted both the lady AND the horse... I think it turned out pretty good!

This guy was a CHARACTER. Look at his teeth! John, if you are looking at this, THANK YOU for letting me draw you! You are not only brave, but a lot of fun!!!

Here's part two of the couple that I couldnt download. I tried to caricature her entire body

Dr. Sketchy! At Long Last!!!

2007-07-27T00:34:00.000-05:00

I found out about Dr. Sketchy thru my friend, Sam, who attends it in Toronto. The full title of this sketchgroup is: "Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art school". Yup, that About sums it up.

This is a sketchgourp I have longed to attend for some months but haven't been able to up until now. They have life drawing with various models wearing interesting clothing or having distinguishing features - some are belly dancers and contortionists, burlesque dancers and strippers, little people, fairies, clowns, and other assorted strange and wonderful people.

The couple I drew tonight was AMAZING! First of all, I think they really WERE a couple. Secondly, they arrived in matching costumes from Cabaret! They changed costumes FOUR TIMES. THey were FABULOUS!!! For my first life drawing in over ten years, I did pretty good. I was really happy. Oh, and my buddy Frances from the zoo was there. Everyone was raving about his sketchbook - as usual! He deserves it. Anyway, here they are:

5 minute pose

10 min pose (wish we'd had more time on this one!)

20 min pose

20 min pose

a couple?

2007-07-27T00:28:00.000-05:00

I think this was their second date... maybe their first. I gave them the originals, something I learned from my friend Sam (samgorrie.blogspot.com). They really liked them!

For some reason, photobucket is giving me probs downloading the girl, whcih I liked most of all! I will post it when I can figure it all out

A cutie

2007-07-27T00:27:00.000-05:00

Scarycatures

2007-07-27T00:24:00.000-05:00

A few of my coworkers on my last day at the zoo. Let the looker beware!

Just so's you know... caricaturists thrive on making each other as UGLY as possible. I DO NOT, EVER, Under ANY circumstances, make my customers look like this! LOL and BTW, the girls LOVED them :)

2007-07-19T23:23:00.000-05:00

A few coffe shoppe sketches...

2007-07-16T01:51:00.000-05:00

I didnt get much done tonight... I met a couple of guys who talked me into doing some sketches of them though! It was while I was drawing this poor guy...

I also ate at BD's and got a nice sketch out of it. Thanks again Frances... his drawings definitely have been an influence!

Recent park work

2007-07-16T01:24:00.001-05:00

From the Detroit zoo:

This kid was a real monkey!

I let him have it! But he was pleased. Actually, this is pretty tame, but its the best I can do...

The dad in a very fun family.

Here's da man himself. I really loved this. Frances has an elastic face. This is the best exaggeration I've done in a LONG time. Thanks for being my guinea pig Frances!

What a cutie!

From my caricature stand at Peddler's Village, Lahaska PA:

DE-triot Zoo

2007-06-26T01:23:00.001-05:00

Mom and son

A very handsome hockey player... evidently he's a pro, so this is my first real celebrity! I didnt even care, he was so good-looking I was sitting there sweating! Never had THAT happen before. Now I know how the men who do this must feel!!! I can say that though because he was going back to Poland or someplace far far away the day after he got the drawing. Whew!

this guy practicaly peed his pants when he saw his drawing!

Oh, and a peice I did a while ago for the firing squad on the NCN forum that I finally just posted... I really liked this one! I think I caught his insanity heh heh

It's all Happening at the ZOO

2007-06-26T00:46:00.000-05:00

OK here we GO!

These two were a trip! Father and daughter. He regaled me with tales of how he shaved his beard - ONCE - when the cops were looking for him! She was a dead-ringer for Jodie foster. I thought they were a couple for the 1st half of the drawing! She sat on his lap and called him "daddy!"

I hate drawing hats. This one didnt turn out too badly.

Little boy with Downs who I drew. My little girl has Downs too. She lives with her daddy. Sam "gave" him to me. What cutie! I just had to give him hugs and kisses :)

My friend and cohort, the undaunted Sam Gorrie (I would say inimitable, but I used that one in another post elsewhere :D )

A visitor from Canada

2007-06-26T00:12:00.000-05:00

Sam Gorrie came to visit for 10 days. I had a LOT of fun with her. We have a lot in common - and we are both CRAZY... as you will see...

Sam did this to me!!!

Sam playing with gracie, my daughter

hanging with our friend and friendly neighborhood face painter, Karen (she hates kids but loves her job. Go figure)

Some Zoo shots:

We caught the lions - er - gettin it ON. I kid you NOT. This big leo walked back into the back room and we heard the whole thing!!! pretty damn funny.

me drawing in TOledo

my take on sam

me and my boss, the inimitable Robert Bauer

Cool shot... captures sams personality so perfectly

At the Detroit zoo, there is a room where you walk through a tunnel of water. Sea lions and polar bears (if youre lucky) swim overhead. Its the highlight of the entire zoo. We stayed for an hour just watching th sea lion frolic (yes, i siad frolic)

Artwork in next post!!!

Strawberry festival

2007-06-26T00:05:00.001-05:00

After California, I went straight home to draw at the strawbetrry festival.
And now few drawings from there...

Just starting to learn how to do hair this way. Getting a little better.

way too portraity

new posts at last!

2007-06-25T23:58:00.001-05:00

I've been realy, really busy.... lots of catching up to do! You'll see how busy I've been!

1st, I went to California for the C4 convention (cartoon and caricature)

This was the ONLY caricature I drew in California, but I was really proud of it. This is Beau Hufford. Heh – I told him he looked like Brent Spiner (data from STTNG) and he cussed me out! LOL This caricature was based on a cartoon showed at the convention, which sang the praises of George Washington – “He saved children, but not the British Children” Made me LAUGH And Beau was SO appropriate for it. I think he really liked it too!

Me and Joann, who was kind enough to let me stay with her. She is a cartoonist and a horse/animal lover. We had a lot of fun! Thanks again Joanne!

Me at the beach at La Jolla

coloring book

2007-04-25T22:07:00.001-05:00

Been busy all this week working on my first coloring book. One I really liked:

new cartoon

2007-04-22T21:48:00.000-05:00

I literally spent ALL DAY on this sucker. Got the drawing done early but spent all day playing around with effects in Painter and Photoshop. Now if I could only figure out what to DO with it!

digital selfie

2007-04-21T16:14:00.000-05:00

About 8 hours in painter. I think I'm in love... with Painter! In painter, you just paint right over the sketch! How conVEEEENient! :)

Also I re-did the SuperGirl - better, I think. Still learning about the brushes, etc.

Sketchgroup a la mode :)

2007-04-20T17:29:00.001-05:00

I love sketchgroup! I have a lot of fun and get a lot done...

Some warm-ups

Working on expressions.

A few celebrities…

Kate Hepburn. I couldn’t get the Hirschfeld image out of my mind, I think it’s too reminiscent.

Satchmo (‘pops’) - a new thing for me to work with ink & a brush for a large portion of the drawing like this. I think it would have been more successful if It had not had as much detail/wrinkles in the face.

Owen Wilson

A couple of cartoons! Woo hoo!

I 'll re-do the lettering leter.

And finally, a sketch for the Face Off contest at the NCN. The assignment: Find someone who’s been dead at least 30 years, and depict their AWFUL SECRET (it can be fictional.) I chose Mark Twain. This is a sketch of him (the religious skeptic that he was) singing in a church choir with the dove, a hymnal, and a halo. Can't forget the stogie! :)

FINALLY...

2007-04-19T02:53:00.000-05:00

Lots, oh lots, of sketching and fun stuff to post! Oh, boy! Not like anyone is looking at a thing I put up here but I hope that will soon change :) Always the optimist...

Here are a few sketches from the past week...

I am drawing in pencil so often now I wondered if I forgot how to draw live with no pre-drawing. But here's one(from a distance at a restaurant, yet!), I didn’t do too bad…

And last but not least, a few new CARTOONS! YAY! Actually, I like making these more than I like doing just about anything else. I wish I could just make cartoons all day long.

These are for a site where they post a topic and you draw it.

Red Riding Hood… I Will color it digitally when I get a chance

Wil be posting soon...

2007-04-17T21:44:00.000-05:00

I was moving this past weekend and my laptop got SMASHED. The screen is half obliterated but it still is limping along, so now that I am all settled in my new place (I atually have a STUDIO for once!) I will be psting some new stuff soon. Like, maybe tomorrow. Or, as soon as this god-awful earache goes away. Hope I can sleep tonight. Ugh.

My first digital painting!

2007-04-13T22:42:00.001-05:00

My first digital painting! WOO HOO!

I really thought I just sucked at digital painting. Turns out I was just using the wrong softwear! I can work on getting beter :) This is in Painter2. I did this in about 6 hours.

Here it is!

And the photo I drew it from:

Sketchclub

2007-04-12T23:56:00.000-05:00

Sketchclub tonight! Hooray, hooray!

…this one turned out nice… putting it in my online portfolio (www.makingfacesportfolio.com)

The barista

A guy who looked so much like hirschfeld I just HAD to draw him!
Al hirschfeld is my hero. My favorite caricaturist will always be The Line King.

The captions reads:

HIRSCHFELD IS ALIVE AND WELL...

... AND APPARENTLY, HE EATS AT OUTBACK.

THe Firing Squad

2007-04-11T20:42:00.000-05:00

A coupla NCN firing squad pics from today.

Angie

Kev

brain dead

2007-04-11T00:41:00.000-05:00

This guy, Pag, from the NCN, went and aired some of my dirty laundry with a funny drawing that had me laughing all day long. SO I had to find a way to get him back. Just because I'm female doesn't mean I have to be ANY nicer than the boys. Ha ha!!

And the Einstein I worked on all day yesterday:

YES, his eyes are supposed to be off-kilter.

Easter Sunday at the Coffee Shoppe

2007-04-09T00:49:00.001-05:00

I've found I do some of my best sketching at Starbucks. I'm REALLY enjoying these pen and ink drawings! :)

warmup

a cartoony elvis

Tom Richmond

NCNer Joey Judkins

a few new ones

2007-04-06T00:47:00.000-05:00

Here are a few I worked on tonight at sketchgroup. Thanks, Ritchie, for letting me make you into yet another cartoon! One of these days I'll really GETCHA. So watch out!!!

Ritchie

Ritchie took one look at this and said I made him look like a communist. I'm still not sure what that means.

Beautiful Batsam and her hew haircut. I just can't seem to caricature pretty women, they end up as cartoons instead. This is about as close as I can get.

I'm very pleased with this one...
Parsnip

Parsnips was the first NCNer to day he liked my work.It's really nice to hear something nice, maby I'm improving! Now, instead of SUCKING, maybe I only SEMI - suck LOL!!!

From Ye Olde Coffee Shoppe

2007-04-04T20:12:00.000-05:00

I went to Barnes and Noble last nite to sketch, wound up standing at a table and reading for about 10 or 15 minutes. When I finally put the book down, I looked up - there was a guy sketching ME! LOL I shoulda asked to see it, but I was too amused to think of it :)

This girl and her lab partner were studing biology. I think she wanted to study biology, all right... She definitely had the hots for him! Did I catch that in the drawing? ;)

This fella caught me sketching him (the tables were really close together) and wanted the original. I compromised. I’m emailing him a high-res scan of it.

Can you smell the ink?

2007-04-04T19:20:00.000-05:00

Here are a few new ones... I REALLY love the Nicole Ritchie! I'm in the process of trying my first real digital painting, and she is the subject! Yahoo!

Drew Barrymore

NCNer Beau Hufford

NCNer Alison Gelbman

Nicole Ritchie

Self Portrait

My first decent inkings!

2007-04-01T15:54:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Tom Richmond!!! His site has some gret tutorails about inking. These are the results(except the aniston, which is done with a brush pen) Hooray!

Arnold

Don Knotts

Jennifer Aniston

Brad Pitt

(drawn a while ago, inked recently. I think you can tell I drew it a while ago!)

Reese Witherspoon

on being a nerd

2007-03-31T16:37:00.001-05:00

http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html

I didn't write this, but I thought it was fitting. I am a nerd. Always have been one. Too smart for my own good. I remember moving when I was 13 - I remember the exact moment when I was branded a nerd. I was in French class. I happen to come from French lineage, I have a little knowledge of the language. The teacher asked a question - I remmeber the answer was "apostrophe," so I raised my hand and in my best accent, answered, "L'apostrophe". All heads, every single one, swiveled to look at me. And that was it. I was branded. Life was pure torture after that.

-KD

Sketch Group

2007-03-31T01:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome, Alaina! :)

Scott and Ritchie

Alaina

Sketch Sniper

2007-03-31T00:59:00.000-05:00

Some new Sketch Sniper drawings

A few new sketches and a cartoon or two

2007-03-29T17:14:00.001-05:00

Here are a few I drew today at a playground. My friend told me one mom was staring at me suspiciously. Yeah, lady, I'm drawing your kid because I want to sell the drawing and make a million dollars. Sheesh!

AND, last but not least, a new CARTOON! I gotta start using real ink, not marker, on these. I found Tom Richmond’s excellent tutorial on inking and coloring (http://www.tomrichmond.com/blog/?p=181) It's helped a LOT.

Star Trek Cartoon

2007-03-27T23:35:00.000-05:00

I THINK it's finished.

Any C&C would be appreciated!

more restaurant surfing

2007-03-25T11:57:00.000-05:00

This lady couldn’t stop talking long enough to eat…. Blah, blah,blah

little cartoons

2007-03-25T11:56:00.000-05:00

I have been drawing cartoons since I was a kid. Here are a few recent ones:

This lady is me, and I only have ONE kid…

I have a thing for grumpy Santas.

This is based loosely on my daughter, who refuses to do a thing I say, even if she WANTS to do it, such as eating ice cream.

more restaurant sketches

2007-03-25T11:52:00.000-05:00

More sketches at restaurants and other places…

About 17 – young to already be a redneck, if you ask me!

I was very pleased with this. He reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite.

NCN sketches

2007-03-25T11:51:00.000-05:00

The NCN stands for the National Caricaturists Network. It was founded some 15 years ago and is a network of caricaturists from around the world (yes, we need to rename it!).

NCNer Sam Gorrie

Dave

Sketchgroup

2007-03-25T11:50:00.000-05:00

Started going to a Thursday evening sketchgroup. We meet at Starbucks. Mostly it’s people from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. It’s good to get together with other artists once in a while. Thanks, Scott, for inviting me. And I hope you had luck with the interview!

Mike

A girl I drew

Chris

Went on a Sketchcrawl last week, 3/17/07. St Patty’s day! This was the only good drawing that came of it:

You can check out the resuts of the 13th sketchcrawl at: http://www.sketchcrawl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2060

blue restaurant sketches

2007-03-25T11:47:00.000-05:00

I have a friend named Elgin who is a caricaturist and a wonderful cartoonist. He has a tutorial on his blog, www.subwaysurfer.com , that tells how he does his sketching on subways - he works in blue marker, then inks over the image in black, scans it into photoshop, and erases the blue lines. Unfortunately, I can't erase the blue because I only have Photoshop Elements, but I didn't know that when I started these sketches. I'm actually glad - I had to get over wanting to erase everything and muddying it all up. Here are some results:

This guy cracked me up. He was sitting at the playground, watching his kids. Slightly incongruous with his “look”, huh? People are funny!

Unfortunately for this lady, this looks just like her!

This older gent reminded me of Ernest Borgnine

This woman was eating at Cheeseburger in Paradise. I love eating there, and sketching there too. Here in Detroit, it gets so cold and dark in the winter. Cheeseburger is my little oasis. Once, a few months ago, the owner came out and thanked me for my business. Then, he proceeded to pay for my meal! He got himself a customer for life!

Trip to Florida

2007-03-25T11:43:00.000-05:00

Trip to Florida

I went to Florida at the last minute, needed some sunshine. I just drove and drove, straight across the Florida panhandle.

The waitress who took this couldn’t believe I was vacationing alone!

I drew these twin 5 year-olds at a stop along the beach. They loved their drawings, then proceeded to draw ME. They crawled all over me, begging for pencils and paper.

A swamp I stopped and went hiking in. I think I walked about 10 miles each day along the beach.

The ocean and her many moods.

Marilyn

2007-03-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

My Marilyn. Still needs a little work.

Reference pic:

first posts

2007-03-25T09:19:00.000-05:00

First Post -

I started this Blog some time ago on myspace but found out I can post pics here! Yay! so I am repositng all of my old posts. This one Is from last year, December I think.
__________________________________________________________

So here I am, and here's my first post. Why do I feel like such a LOSER??

My art SUCKS. I should have gotten the blogspor, myartsucks.com

HA!

If you're an artist, then you know what I'm talking about. Because one minute I think whatever I'm working on is pretty good. Not great, but good. Then I go online and see more incredible work than I could ever do and I despair.

Then I try to give myself a pep talk - you know, Vincent Van Gogh taught hmself to draw, you can see it in his early work (he's my hero, except for the whole cut-off-his-own-ear-and-mail-it-to-his-ex thing). Everyone had to start somewhere, right?

The problem is, I DID start somewhere, about 15 years ago. Problem was, I got lost somewhere along the way. I got stuck in a rut and started making drawings people would like, instead of making them for myself. I got so stuck I began hating drawing.

Then I went to the NCN convention and everything changed overnight. Anyway, I am teaching myself to exaggerate. This is something I literally never learned how to do, even though I've been a "caricaturist" since 1999.

And Now I've got to learn how to draw all over again. ARGH.

Anyway, if you are like me and you are jsut learning, I hope this blog helps you in some way. And if you are readng this and have any help to offer, it would be GREATLY appreciated!

C&C ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

-KD