I will take you through the process of drawing the body so you can see the level of thought and detail that goes into the production of these highly sought-after caricatures and portraits.
Remember that my work is not the quick sketch style of caricature but rather a detailed piece of artwork in full colour (or black and white) which is produced to an outstanding level of detail and with a likeness to the person being drawn that is rarely seen.
STAGE 1: THE ROUGH SKETCHThe rock star caricature started life as a hand drawn rough sketch using a pencil on paper as you can see from the image to the left.
The idea was to produce a fairly punk type of rock star / singer with a mix of gold chains, ripped jeans, big boots, studded wrist bands etc. A bit of a fusion of the different things many of us would associate with a rock star or modern day singer.
This is the stage where the body proportions are identified and concepts tested.
The next step in the production is to produce the clean line art. I use either Photoshop or Illustrator as my main tool.
Both programs are used extensively during the production process but it must be pointed out that, at no stage, are photo manipulations used. This work is all hand drawn and painted.
The finished line art is now ready for the colouring process.
STAGE 3: COLOURING
This process is where the caricature body begins to spring to life.
The addition of colour and shading adds depth to the image. Identifying source lighting, shading areas, highlights, hue, saturation, amongst others helps to give some character to the image.
I use Photoshop as my main colouring tool. Each individual area of the caricature body is treated separately so that colour change in the future is very easy to do. This means that a client can request a colour change to any part of the image e.g. changing the jeans to red or the shirt to blue.
STAGE 4: ADDING THE HEAD
Once the colouring has been completed it is time to add the head. See my previous post here for details on how I produce the head.
The head is placed in an appropriate position to match the body pose.
It is important that you send in a good photo when ordering your caricature. Identify a photo with a good expression. Ensure the photo is of a good size, is in focus and is lit well. A front facing photo will provide a much easier option when it comes to body choice...I can do much more with it.
When you place your order you can specify the background you would like to see in the caricature. This can be anything you wish.
Some customers opt for very busy backgrounds with lots of elements associated with the person. Other customers opt for a very clean background so that the emphasis is on the caricature body and face.
Think about what you would like in your caricature background. Feel free to ask questions if you are unsure.
STAGE 6: THE FINISHING TOUCHES
The final stage of the caricature production usually involves some final touches.
I add some shadows to the caricature and fix up any areas that need a few tweaks.
The caricature is now ready for printing.
STAGE 7: PRINTING
After final checks have been completed the caricature artwork is sent off to a professional print lab for printing and any mounting required. Framing options are also available with all frames coming from a professional framing shop which produces exhibition quality frames.
I do not produce prints in-house as I can't match the professional quality of the external print lab.
So, order your caricature now and get ready to receive your very own stunning piece of artwork.
Head on over to www.DrawMe.com.au to order your very own caricature, a stunning piece of artwork ready to grace any wall in your home.
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