This is a fun & informative caricature faq page about the online caricature business.
Hi, I'm Marty, I've
been doing quicksketch caricatures professionally since 1978. I occasionally get
people sending me e-mails
asking about tips on drawing, coloring and how to get started
(some are listed near the bottom of this page). I try to answer them back. Hopefully this page will keep growing. It will include online lessons
in cartooning, caricature and marketing yourself on the internet (notice my spelling of Characatures, be unique)
along with insightful stories covering many of the situations I've
run into over the past 35 years or so.
Below is a sampling of some
of the questions people send me, two
quick little cartooning lessons and the beginning of my videos. In art (and I guess almost
anything)
it pays to listen to as many points-of-view as possible. Some will
make more sense to you than others, The important thing is
that
something will strike
a chord and stick in your mind better than the others. So while
you may have read or spoken to other artists about how-to-tips, take
a
look
around my site, a good place to start is probably my blog "Caricature
Talk".
Here's a Link to the Top 21 Caricature Questions
I'm Frequently Asked while drawing at parties.
How often have you heard (or said) things like:
"I can't even draw a straight line" or "All I can draw are stick figures".
Well here are your first two lessons to get you to the next stage, have a pencil and paper handy.
Lesson 1: "Sketch Lightly"This is one of the most important things to learn.
Build up the idea, go darker over the parts you like,
you won't even notice the sketch lines if you start light enough.
Lesson 2: "Drawing Ice-Cream Stick Figures"
As far as cartooning, there are lots of little tricks to starting figures, the same thing goes for head shapes, and backgrounds. Here's a simple way to get started a big step past stick figures. Draw some ice-cream sticks, they can be different proportions, some short, some tall and they don't have to be perfect. You can lean one over or even curve some. Watch the ones I did below a few times then draw some of your own, see what you can come up with, I'll bet it's better than those classic old stick figures. Don't forget to add their feet.
(Above is an animated gif, wait for it.)
Below is a little quicky cartoon showing the light sketch lines, and building up the
ones you like with darker lines. Note, these are done in the above ice-cream stick style.
There are lots of little tricks like this you can learn for doing quick bodies and heads.
When I get more time I'll start putting up more in-depth art tutorials, so please check back.
Here's a quick video showing a woman's reaction when seeing her caricature!
You can see some of my other youtube videos here also (including an over my shoulder caricature drawn in actual time that someone shot and sent to me). I'm also thinking of making a series of caricature training, tips & tricks and marketing videos relating to the online caricature business.
I sometimes get caricature faq emails, from people around the world, people asking me if I give caricature lessons or for advice and tips, some letters are below:
Hello Marty,
My name is "CB", I am also an artist, but I am currently
teaching special education at a High School. My true passion is with
art, however, and I was wondering if you had any advice as to how to
get started. I have been commissioned to do work before, but I'm recently
out of school and have many bills to pay. If you have any words of wisdom
that you wouldn't mind sharing, I would be very grateful.
Hi Marty,
I am a graphic artist/sign writer in New Zealand (that's the small 2 main island country SE of Australia total pop 4 million).
I am currently teaching a couple of night classes in cartooning. My
students are progressing really well and have requested that I teach
them caricature techniques. The only caricatures I have done have been
for personal use for humorous gifts etc: The results are good but not
without a lot of brain strain and time involved.
Your web site has been enlightening. Would you be willing to share
a few tips that I can use to pass on to my students (a big ask I know)
or point me in the direction of purchasable literature that will show
me techniques so I can form them into a teaching package.
Your coloring techniques are impressive.
Thank you,
Regards
"RH"
The simple lessons above are for real beginners. If
your interested in art, cartooning, caricatures, my answers to
questions similar to the ones above, you might want to take an online
lesson or two (when they're available).
Right now I see these lessons dealing with cartooning, caricature and
marketing yourself on the web. They will also be filled with
entertaining and insightful stories from my own experiences over the
past 35 years of doing caricatures live. I consider caricatures as a "backdoor" to
entering the exciting and lucrative world of cartooning. If you haven't
come across my Caricature
Talk section yet,
take a look at it. It touches on some subjects and gives you a taste
of what your in for.
To My Caricature Home Page: www.quicksketch.com
See more samples and learn more about my work my "Caricature Talk" blog!
Yes, Caricatures Go Over Great At Weddings Too!
See my "Caricatures From Photos" section
Animatics, Character Animations, Assorted Flash Stuff
A Humorous Sci-fi website I'm doing some work on:
www.ufonies.com
Also for those of you who do google searchs for things like:
free caricature drawn online
or
get my caricature free
or
cheap caricatures
Check out Roz at UFOnies and say cheese
while my friend Roz draws you in her Black Mirror :)