Facial Expression

FACIAL EXPRESSION IS THE KEY
TO A REALLY GREAT CARICATURE

When sending in your photos to have your caricature produced by www.Drawme.com.au it is important to think about the background theme and the facial expression required as this will add impact to the finished caricature.

The caricature on the left shows how the facial expression can really make a caricature come to life.  Imagine if the couple were not as expressive...perhaps not even smiling!  Do you think the caricature would look the same?

The photos that the customer sent in originally did not show these expressions so I advised him to think about the facial expressions they would have if they were on a roller-coaster.  He came back with new photos...ones which added that impact and made for a much more fun caricature.

It is also important that your photos are in-focus, of a good size, well-lit, and actually look like the person to be drawn.  You would be amazed at the number of photos I receive where 2 photos of the same person look totally different!

When you take your photo remember that I need an image taken of the subject facing the camera.  Side shots of the face do not make for great caricatures.

Likewise, do not take the photo from above (make the nose seem big) or from below (gives a double chin!).

Once you have taken your photo then send it to me at full size i.e. do NOT resize for sending the photo via email.

Over the past couple of years I have noticed an increase in the customers trying to use images taken from Facebook profiles.  These are usually far too small to work from.

If you want the caricature to have the best resemblance then a digital camera image is usually the best option.

If you have any questions then feel free to contact me via my website at www.Drawme.com.au.

Rock Star Caricature

The rock star caricature is one of the most recent additions to the standard caricature bodies completed.  It joins a whole host of bodies and backgrounds available over at www.DrawMe.com.au.

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 SKETCH
The 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.

STAGE 2: THE LINE ART
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.

STAGE 5: THE BACKGROUND
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.

Unique Christmas Gift

Looking for a unique Christmas gift?

When it comes to the gift of giving it seems that everyone wants to give a unique gift and show that at least some thought has gone into it.

However, the yearly handkerchiefs, sweaters, socks, perfumes .... can all stink (pun intended) of desperation.

A caricature is a unique gift that requires some thought on your part.  You decide on what you would like in the background and have an opportunity to come up with something really unusual that will be the talk of the Christmas parties and family get-togethers.

All you need to supply is a photo of the person to be painted and a description of what you would like in the background.

In order to make the caricature really 'pop' you should include various references to special items, words, places that are commonly associated with the person being featured.

Does the person wear any particular clothing (or lack of clothing!)?

Do they have a favourite colour?

What job do they do?

What are their hobbies?

Have they been involved in any funny situations or accidents?

Have a really good think about the things you would like to see in the caricature and help make it a really personal and unique gift.

I will then begin the production of your unique caricature using your references.

Once the caricature artwork has been completed it can be printed, mounted, framed, or even put onto canvas...the decision is yours.

Order your caricature today at www.DrawMe.com.au.

Speed Painting Avril Lavigne

I have just uploaded an updated (faster) video of my speed painting of Avril Lavigne.

You can view it now via this link: Speed Painting Avril Lavigne

Although the painting process took a couple of hours the video only last a couple of minutes.  So, you get to see the complete painting process in super-fast time!

This speed painting is only a quick painting of Avril Lavigne and is not to the level of detail I would produce my high definition portraits.  Indeed, there would be quite a lot of work still left to do on this portrait to get it to what I usually class as a decent level of likeness.

I have only created this quick portrait in black and white and have not gone for a full colour due to time constraints.  I have not added any texturing to the face or any smaller details.  This is, in effect, a very quick painting!

If you would like to order your own portrait then visit www.DrawMe.com.au for more details or contact me.

I am always looking for 'models' to have their portraits drawn for free so please feel free to get in touch.  Basically I need a good photo of ANYONE who is willing to be painted and feature in an educational video.  I only need your photo...no other posing or commitment required.

Brad and Angelina Caricatures

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie caricatures...probably one of the most recognisable Hollywood couples around today and definite Hollywood A-listers.

Celebrity gossip suggests that the couple will be travelling the world this Christmas...along with their six children.

The couple only have a couple of weeks to squeeze in their tour and that not the only thing they may be squeezing in.

Rumour around Hollywood circles is that the couple will be saying 'I do' somewhere along the way.  That's right, Brad and Angelina may be getting married.

Good luck to the couple if they do get hitched.

If you are looking for your very own exaggerated caricatures for your own wedding couple then head on over to www.DrawMe.com.au.

You can specify anything you want in the background so let your imagination run riot.

All I require in order to produce your caricatures is a good quality head shot of each person to be painted.

So, don't delay...order your unique gift now at www.DrawMe.com.au and know that your wedding gift will be the talk of the town.

The Girl Who Has Everything

It is quite easy to come up with something a little amusing but not too offensive when producing my extremely popular caricatures.  

It's usually that little gem of a sentence in the description that sparks the creative juices and helps develop a theme. 

This one was created for the typical girl who has everything.

She was about to embark on a camping / hiking trip and, for a girl like this, it is important to bring along those essential items: shoes, clothes, makeup.  I am sure that everyone knows a girl just like this!

However, a girl such as this should never be expected to carry her own bag...or in this case...9 bags.  She's only bringing the essentials after all!  I do worry about those white shoes in all that mud though.

So she has some 'volunteers' to help her.  They look happy, don't they!

If you are after a caricature for someone such as this then I can definitely come up with something suitable.  It's easy to get your message across in a fun way.

The caricatures are hand drawn from a photo you email in.  It is important to send in a photo that captures the expression you want in the final caricature.  As you can see from this example the girl looks very happy.  And why wouldn't she be...after all, she has the guys doing all the work.

Once you send in your photo and description work will begin on producing your caricature.  You can request anything you want in the background and the more things that are particular to the 'victim' the more the caricature will have that personal touch and say that you have truly thought about this unique gift.

Once the artwork has been completed you can request a proof to be sent via email before the final print is produced.

These caricatures can be printed any size up to about 1 metre although some customers have printed larger and one has actually used theirs in a cinema as part of some advertising.

The caricature prints can be finished in various ways including professional print (all prints are completed by a professional lab ...these are not cheap inkjet prints), mounted print, framed (the frame is made-to-measure with full mount), acrylic block, canvas, and other products on request.

All products are shipped via Express Post across Australia and through your preferred carrier when shipped worldwide.

Order your caricature now over at www.DrawMe.com.au and delight someone you care about with a truly unique gift that everyone will be talking about.

Star Wars Caricatures

Star Wars caricatures are always a firm favourite over at www.DrawMe.com.au.

The caricature above was created for a family of 4 and shows the stunning clarity and attention to detail.

Whether you want to be features as Luke Skywalker from Episode IV:  A New Hope or the Dark Lord himself, Darth Vader, the choice is yours.

I can still remember watching Star Wars for the first time at the cinema.  That opening scene was just epic.

Now you can capture some of that magic and have your very own caricature created in the Star Wars type theme.

All I require is a good quality photo of the person to be drawn and a description of what you would like in the background.

Disney had now purchased the rights to the Star Wars franchise and work is underway on the latest version of Star Wars Episode VII.

Order your caricature today at www.DrawMe.com.au