How to draw a caricature

We look at faces every day yet when it comes to drawing them there are few people who can do it well.

When I am hand painting a caricature I follow some simple steps.

In this blog post I walk you through the steps involved when drawing a caricature.

STEP 1 - the outline of the face. This is probably one of the most important steps as it will define the actual likeness to the person being drawn. The caricature does not have to be extorted in any way...my caricatures are not the extreme type. I spend quite a lot of time on this stage, ensuring I get a really good shape for the face. I keep referencing the photo sent to me as I need the caricature to look like the person...after all, that is what I am renowned for!

STEP 2 - base shading. This is what gives the caricature its shape. A solid base colour is applied followed by some lighter and darker shades to define the shape of the face.

STEP 3 - the eyes. The eyes of a caricature or portrait are extremely important. The hardest thing for me is telling what colour the eyes are from the photo as few people actually list this in their description...despite my requests!

STEP 4 - the mouth. Actually a difficult part of drawing a caricature as there is so much to include. The lips, teeth, inside of the mouth, subtle highlights etc all define a person's mouth. I often get asked to add a smile to the caricature but this can be difficult as everyone smiles differently.

STEP 5 - the hair. Almost finished now and just the hair to do. Hand painting hair on a caricature is relatively easy. For my portrait work I actually hand paint every strand of hair which is extremely time consuming. However, the results are worth it. If the person has a beard or stubble then I also complete that at this stage.

STEP 6 - finishing touches. I now add some more highlights and shading to further define the face of the caricature.

Once the caricature face has been drawn it is time to complete the body and background. It is at this stage that the whole piece comes to life.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.