Caricature Art. - Kathy Shell, Artist.

Caricature Art. 03/19/2010

Some subjects lend themselves to both caricature or traditional treatment by the artist.

An artist’s caricature usually refers to a portrait that exaggerates and distorts ways in which one person most differs from what is average looks as seen by the artist.

To explain how to caricature, take a look at my face, see where I vary from the Western ideal of the Grecian, goddess, Dianna, the symbol for western beauty and you will instantly see my face is rounder, my nose larger neck shorter and I am older and plumper, and I wear no makeup to enhance, my lips or eyes. So a caricaturist, might make the larger parts of me larger and the less pronounced parts of me, either smaller or more faintly drawn, and that is the simple key to how to caricature. You could also exaggerate the emotion of happiness and the size of my hat, as i usually wear one, you could make the hat, seem to be wearing me . This is the nature of the caricature. The intent is usually humour.

I am never comfortable doing that sort of work. I am far to sensitive as I feel t is insulting my model. I would like to 'get over', this hang up because not everyone sees caricature as offensive. How do you feel about it?

Legendary animator Walt Disney, equated his animation to caricature, saying the hardest thing to do was find the caricature of an animal that worked best as a human-like character.

Caricatures, can be done, with humor. The ‘Annie’, image of the little orphan with freckles is seen as adorable and amusing and if there was a model for the cartoon Annie, I am sure she loved her caricature.

I saw an artist at the Royal Melbourne Show, whose work was very popular as he exaggerates the beauty of his subjects. Most caricatures of political figures exaggerate a feature to the point where it is supposed to be humorous or insulting. As an artist I have never been comfortable distorting people’s features, while it is something I can do, I feel like I am offending them in doing this. At the same time, part of me would love to do more of this lighthearted style of artwork as I no longer have the time to do a lot of major realist work.

This may sound a strange request but I am looking for a cute model, with chin acne.

I am keen to try to do some attractive, humorous, caricature work, a pimply face or faces. I need someone who feels comfortable to be drawn with facial blemishes, freckles or pimples, etc, highlighted in a humorous painting. I would also love to hear some humorous quotes that would be great to go with the image. Nothing offensive or insulting though.

Let me know if you have a non-copyright photo of yourself, you would be prepared to give me permission to paint. If I use it, I will send you a copy of a print I have made of the image with the humorous quote, I use.

If you send me the humorous quote and I do use it in with an art print, I will send you a copy of the print too.