Australian Gothic ......

My parody of Grant Wood's famous 1930 'American Gothic' painting - the client wanted his parents depicted as 'country people' outside the Casino. Client loved it, I'll await reaction from Mum & Dad !!

This will be the last post for the year - and I really hope each and every one of you has a great 2009. Thanks for your comments both on the blog, email and phone - it's an isolated existence doing studio work ( I chat to myself quite a bit - not a lot of sense there ! ) - I appreciate it !

A Merry Christmas to you all ....

All finished

.... here are four more of the finished Xmas commissions - very happy clients and that's the main thing !!

............. now for some golf.

Christmas commissions ....

Christmas is making up for that beautiful 7 weeks away - I have a target of finishing all the commissions by Friday giving me six days to get ready for Santa.

All the faces are done - about six little bodies left - seventeen in total and it's time to ho,ho,ho !

Pre trip and post trip is the busiest I've been - seriously encroaching on golf time - got 42 'off the stick' last week which was really good for me - ".... for 18 that's nice dear ?!!! " 

Painting on an iPhone

Busy with lots of Christmas commissions but was fascinated by this video of David Tessier using an iPhone to paint with ....... do that on your Nokia !

Thanks to my good friend Vin Altamore for the ' heads up ! '

Bat and Photoshop CS4 ...

Just got the latest Photoshop version CS4 after busily loading all my brushes set about a quick caricature of Bat Hilliard a fellow NCN member who is from North Carolina USA. One of the politest, humble guys you're likely to meet - far too nice - probably has several axe murderers in his family background.

CS4 seems to work OK, several modifications to the GUI and handling of windows - I don't know if it is the quantum leap I was expecting or worth the upgrade. I'm just a hopeless victim when it comes to updating software !!!

Old Moulton mouldies !!

Last Friday night, along with Nola, I had the pleasure of a reunion with old student friends from Northamptonshire Agriculture College, Moulton. We met at a lovely village pub in Cambridgeshire and a great meal and mass nostalgia was enjoyed. I hadn't seen most for 35 years, as the booze flowed the stories of old got better and better.

Returned home on Tuesday and am reluctant to inspect the damage to the Visa card !

Great to be back, visited a lot of places, but there's nothing as good as Australia out there ... I wish our dollar was as good though, an embarrassing little thing compared to the Euro, Pound and US Dollar ..... lift your game Kevvy !!!

More at the Con'

One of the great things about the NCN convention is the great characters you meet this is one,  Kid Cardona, originally from Texas and now a resident of China where he runs a thriving caricature business. Pictured here conducting the final night auction .... the wild west is not dead !!
One of the really nice people at the convention was Liesbeth Beckers  AKA Leesbat. She hails from Belgium, speaks five languages, picked up a studio piece award. Nice lady.

Gee I struggle with one language !!!

Yours truly with Bisch - a walking drawing factory - and Scott Hamilton NCN treasurer and accent and language collector. Great people .......

With the entire trip lasting almost 7 weeks I have over 1000 photos off two cameras more to come when I do some sorting.

My humble offerings ....

In the intimidating, and inspiring,  environment of the convention these were my humble efforts. Caricatures of Rock, Bill, Adam and Rick. Not really happy with them and the product of a last 24 hours rush - the unthinkable happened the old faithful Mac G4 laptop crashed with a 'stack failure' ( whatever that is ?) after not saving for about 4 hours. Sigh !!!

The most caricatured 'head' at the convention - thanks to a previous life as a 'standover man' - Rock Kowulz. He loved it - top bloke !
My other main subject Bill LaRoque pictured here with myself , Nola and Bill's lovely partner Sharon ...... they were both great company for the week.

NCN Convention - Raleigh North Carolina

The wonderful work  of caricaturing superstar and Golden Nosey winner - Jason Seiler
The incomparable Court Jones shows his versatility with this selection
Paul Moyse turned himself into a monk for the week churning out these works and earning a place amongst the gurus .... hate the bloke !
Fred Harpers 'wall' - I've never come across his work before - amazing stuff.

Could do with a haircut though !

Just cruising .....

Just got back to the UK - freezing - after a brilliant cruise around the Mediterranean. As a first time cruiser I can thoroughly recommend it, in fact I'm being urged to book another one !!
A couple of days relax and off to the NCN convention in North Carolina on Saturday.
I could get really used to this lifestyle if the Australian Dollar didn't keep collapsing - when I get to Raleigh I'll be the one with begging bowl !!

Up, up and away !!

... the suitcases are out and tickets all organised, passports in order. Time to head off on our little trip. First we fly to London then off to Italy where we will join a cruise around the Mediterranean - Naples, Messina, Alexandria, Limassol, Marmaris, Santorini and Katakolon ( .. what a shocking name dropper !!). Back to the UK then flying across to Raleigh, North Carolina USA for the NCN Convention ( which starts on 2/11 - they obviously misprinted the 11th of February !!! ) ........ really looking forward to it.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to update the blog on my travels.

We've organised the house sitter and Staffies have been starved for the last three weeks !!

Taka Watanabe

Here's my shot at Taka Watanabe - one of the top Japanese caricaturists who produces some amazing stuff ( check out his Blog in my links). I met Taka, a fellow NCN member in Tokyo last year and will catch up again at the NCN convention in Raleigh, North Carolina in November.

Shall do everything in my power to get him to caricature me ..... hint, hint !!!

George Malek

Before I head off on my 'world tour' clearing up a few shots at fellow caricaturists. This is George Malek a fellow NCN member from the US of A.

Actually used the pencil for this one and was amazed how quick those things work on paper - no undo's though !

Car commissions ...

Couple of birthday gifts for car enthusiasts - separate jobs just popped together for convenience sake. The left one is for a 30th Birthday - Holden Sandman panel van - the other for a 50th Birthday - a  four letter word beginning with 'F' !!!  

The kids say Hi ...

Don't think I've ever put my kid's up on the blog before but I got this greeting on my email this morning so I thought I'd introduce them - Joanne and Michael ( .. that's his best smile BTW ! )

This was taken at a winery in Margaret River where they were celebrating Jo's 26th Birthday with twenty or more friends. Mum & Dad weren't invited ( being teetotallers  !) but we are looking forward to taking her out to a nice restaurant this weekend. 

Don't tell 'em but we're both pretty pleased how they turned out !! 

A biggie .....

Now here's a whopper - lots of faces I can't remember how many but the novelty had worn off long before I finished it. Printed on canvas and framed 1.2 x 1.2 metres.

I underquoted but learned a lot about tackling jobs this size - and doing all the small faces achieved some good 'live' caricature practice. 

Michael Collins Caricature Award ...

Final day rush - yet again - but I got my entries into the Michael Collins Caricature Award at the last knock. I always promise myself to do them through the year but I never seem to get around to it. Sadly I've really not done many celebrity caricatures with all the commission work going on.

The 'Looney Tunes' theme is of our leaders Rudd, Gillard and Swan and the portrait is a redraw of Jim McGinty  the former State Attorney General.

I've managed to get a highly commended the last two years - I must take more time for the loot though  - and perhaps move away from digital. ( I've got a perception of a little bias against the medium from the purists ). Fingers crossed.

The competition website is HERE.

.... more weddings

... just love these wedding commissions. Two more for A2 signing boards and the graphics for use on invites, labels and stubby holders. 

Sunset on South Perth foreshore and the Twenties gangster theme.

New commission work ....

Here's a couple more caricature jobs that help keep the wolf from the door - a mining industry metallurgist and a long retired police officer who always wanted one. ( Incidentally dressed as a Police Officer should be, not the sad semi SWAT team 'tat' the current guys wear !! )

Currently I've got a pile of commissions on hand, in fact I've put the 'full up' sign on my website, one of which is a corporate job of huge proportions - sadly I  underquoted. All part of the learning curve. 

Lots of work, really busy, turning jobs away and I'm not rich - I can smell a price rise on the horizon !

Melbourne's Anthony Pascoe

One of the fun things about being a caricaturist is receiving lots of renditions of yourself - and of course - having a go at other caricature artists without the restriction of client instructions.

This is Melbourne based caricature artist, Anthony Pascoe. Yep I've had a little fun with him, but as most West Aussies will agree, when you get a chance always give it to a Victorian !

BTW Anthony does some stunning work - check out his site here.

Wedding Bells .... .. again !!

These are a couple of my favourite people - currently living in England but coming back to Perth to get married in November. This graphic is for the invites and a framed A3 original for the house. It's my wedding present to them ... a rare freebie !!!!

Bowlers & Footy coaches ...

Here's a couple of new ones that - after the car - were fun to do !

A junior 'footy' coach ( Aussie Rules),  the big clip board is for all the players to sign, and a lawn bowls fan commissioned by his family for his 70th birthday.

T shirt graphic ...

I once used to do badge and logo designs and found them such a hassle I decided to exclusively do caricatures - the only other artwork I do is for me ! Took this job on for a T shirt graphic for a car racing club, thought that should be simple. How wrong was that.

It took ages with lots of changes for the client - THEN - we get to the printer and all the changes to the format for CMYK processes etc.

Lesson re learned !

A bit of self indulgence ...

Football nuts of the world rejoice !!

This Saturday, the 16th, the famine is finally over the English Premier League kicks off for another season ....... for an indication of the passion just check out the Liverpool Kop in action - probably the best male voice choir in the world, certainly the biggest, I had the privilege of standing on it in the old terracing days - a noise that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up - awesome in the true sense of the word.

Where's my scarf and rattle - the Olympics - humbug !!

More Weddings .....

Here's a couple more wedding commissions that I've just completed both are A2 size - for our North American friends that's 16.5" x 24" ( I grew up with that system it seems so archaic now ... when are you going to change ? ). Weddings really push through a lovely steady stream of work and there are four more in transit through the 'workshop' at the moment.

'Purple Haze' Rockers 30th ......

Here's a new commission, well away from my normal 'comfort zone' a 30th Birthday caricature for a guy that plays in a rock band. It ended up OK, the pose  (if it looks familiar) is based on a famous statue of Jimi Hendrix. 

Is this fame ? Addendum !

Well, well - my Kevin Rudd caricature has been removed from the online advertising of our cyber friends. No apology, payment or communication occurred but it is noted that no expense was spared in bringing in a top line caricaturist to do the replacement. Makes you smile ........ 

I thanks my friends from the ACA and Viscopy for their help.

Is this 'fame' ?

Dead easy isn't it, a quick 'copy & paste' and add it to your website graphic. I did this caricature of Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister, about 12 months ago, I wasn't really happy with it. It isn't on my website just on this blog.

Along come a shady mob that hide behind 'www.getyourcrush.com' selling some sort of dubious mobile phone service. There aren't many caricatures of Rudd around, they found mine. This will do to snare a few punters from Australia to do their 'IQ test' . Did they drop me a courteous email 'can we use it' offering some sort of payment. Not on your life - lets just take it.  

Hello - I do caricatures for a living, you want to use it you ask.

I've sent them an email to their 'support' address, the only email I could find, the domain is registered in Canada with no physical real address. 

I'll see what I can do - I'm not too hopeful.

I'd steer clear of the IQ tests if you come across them.

Bearded Tel ...

A quick rework of my self caricature - had some business cards to print and 'the shaven one' is no longer and is unlikely to make a return in the near future. I grew the beard from the end of 2006 and after getting approval from 'she who must be obeyed' it's here for good.

I should have really done a complete new one but I really haven't the time - that's my excuse.

Farm themes .....

Couple of new commissions with a farm theme - it's the Tractor Boy's 30th Birthday and the 'Pig and the Princess' was for a wedding anniversary - didn't really get too involved in the background to theme - 'I just draw 'em !!"

Beardless Bob .....

My good mate Bob Bischoff from Florida reckons it's just too damned hot in the summer so he shaved his beard off - not so sure Bob, but I guess you know what you're doing !!!!

Jan Baptist

Had time to do a quick shot at Belgian caricaturist Jan Baptist - he seemed to enjoy the pain !!

This England ...

 I really meant to take quite a lot of photo's in England - it didn't happen - here's three of the better ones. Mum & Dad in their garden, Abbey gardens in Bury St Edmunds and the converted Brundon Mill in Sudbury. ( .. all cynics please note the sunshine !!)

I'm back ....

The pause in the number of postings on this blog will have been noticed by my two regular readers. REASON : I've been to England for the past month, my mother has been ill so my daughter Jo and I took the opportunity to fly across and do what we could to help and cheer her, and Dad, up. Mission accomplished I'm glad to report she is much better, putting on weight and is now strong enough to have a small operation that will make her life much more comfortable. Dad's a bit brighter too though I think he'll miss his red wine drinking accomplices !!

The last two weeks were actually reasonable weather - it was summer after all - though it's the first time I've been in England in the summer for 35 years. There's no football in the summer is the main reason for that. This time, though, I had the opportunity to watch the European Championships live in prime time - superb and some of the football played by Russia, Holland and the eventual winners Spain was brilliant in the true sense of the word. Thoroughly enjoyed it - the Olympics, despite the jingoistic hype, will definitely be a very poor relation to the Euro's.

Got to enjoy things that make an Englishman living abroad misty eyed - the beautiful villages, a pint at the local, long light evenings, 'real' pork pies, good bacon, Musk's of Newmarket pork sausages ( the world's best - no doubt) - by the way I really like eating pigs !! A few negatives though - the traffic is awful, driving is a pain and the legendary English road courtesy appears a thing of the past. Finally what a seedy over rated place London is - though I'm a country boy at heart and most cities drop in this category.

It was nonetheless great to get home and there's something really special about seeing the WA coast below you as you head back to Perth.

I'm now armed with a 'secret' suffolk pork sausage recipe so local pigs better watch out !!!

60th Birthday Commission .....

A recently completed 60th Birthday Commission for a Perth Businessman with more than a passing interest in the 'Gee Gee's'

Brother's Collage

Away from Panoramas ( there's no money in them !) a recently completed collage of four brothers which they are presenting to their Mother.

....... and no fiddly bodies and the usual toys and artifacts !!

.... that's green !!

One more 'Pano' - I took this last weekend just South of Nannup on the Pemberton Road. I was confronted with this wall of green and had to take a shot. We've had some good rains in the Autumn and the 'Sunburnt Country' has taken on an Irish look. Colours are natural no 'twiddling' in Photoshop.

Nola and I had a wonderful relaxing weekend with friends at Donnelly River Mill - no TV, phones - and dramatic for me - computers !!

Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain, Tasmania

This was a 'mega' shot which I should have had my tripod set up for - 10 photos and almost a complete circle. This is Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake in Tasmania. Stunning scenery.

These really don't work well in a Blog so I'm going to do a web page with them ( I opened my Panoramas folder and found I've got loads and many I haven't stitched yet and several VR walk throughs )

I'll post the link here.

Canal Rocks Panorama ....

This is a panorama taken 18 months ago of Canal Rocks near Yallingup in the South West of our State. Four photos stitched together for this one.

The flying librarian ..

A retirement caricature for a librarian who, to everyone's surprise, had kept her pilots licence a secret for many years !!!