perthcaricatures.com.au

Yesterday saw the launch of a new Caricature website in Perth - Perth Caricatures. It is an alliance between Perth's three best caricaturists ( .. we're biased !) to drive more business particularly for 'Live' work. Yours truly, Jeremy and Mick have worked together a lot at gigs and previously advertised, and quoted, against each other. By pooling our resources and sharing Adwords costs this looks like being a mutually harmonious arrangement.

Within an hour of launch the first job - a four hour gig - came in. We now have an arm wrestling competition to see who takes it !

The website is HERE

..another ACA compatriot

Here's another fellow ACA member - West Australia Vice President Mick Horne - sketched it out around Christmas time and finally got around to painting it.
He knew the Navy career would come back to haunt him - everyone loves a sailor !

Poms - salt of the Earth !!

One of those jobs I really enjoyed doing. It was a 'go for it' commission but I think the socks and sandals really carried off the style statement !

I will point out that I now wear Australian flag socks with my sandals.

Fellow ACA member ...

This is a caricature of fellow ACA member Peter McAdam who hails from Sydney, NSW.

He asked me to do one whilst at the Stanley's in Melbourne last year - even offered money - careful what you wish for !

Had fun with the chin(s) - I know all about those problems.

Pattern stamp tool

One of those really tedious jobs in Photoshop, and certainly painting traditionally, is repetitive patterns like wire fences, brick walls, paving etc. In a current commission I've got to paint a soccer goalkeeper in goal.

Up close the net is going to be prominent and painting it by hand to look good would take forever.

In comes the Pattern Stamp Tool, paint or use a photo, of a small section of the net ensuring it is symetrical (all the ends join up when put together !) - warp and a grid help this. Select the finished area, ensuring background is turned off, then go to 'define pattern' under the edit menu. Voila your goal net 'brush' is loaded grab the Pattern Stamp tool and you can paint yards of net. 

The warp tool can introduce sag or a bulge of the ball hitting the net - make a gap or two, couple of knots and the client goes ' that must have taken you hours to paint !' 

Here's a .png file of the net I made up just open, select and define pattern and save time if by remote possibility you have the same type of soccer commission.

GOAL NET PATTERN LINK

A few more ...

Here's a few more commissions - one UK bound !

Did a live gig for Perth City Council in Murray St Mall last night and have a 40th Birthday function tonight. A 4 hour corporate show in the CBD on Thursday and - would you believe - a baby shower next Sunday - Nola's already planning spending it all another cruise !!

Facebook - been there done that !!

After four years on Facebook I registered for account deletion on 6th February - we'll do it in 14 days says the message - note the date above. Don't want to let you go do they ?

A lot of people love it - my kids certainly do - and some caricaturists claim they get work from it and use it to keep in touch with their customers. I'll miss checking out Caricaturama 3000 - someone please put it on a Blog. Most of the time though it seemed like being on a long haul flight full of small kids.

Grumpy 'ol Tel has spoken ......................................

Thick and fast .....................

I've hit a rich vein of subjects that were born to be caricatured - now as caricaturists go I'm pretty kind - I shudder to think what some of my colleagues would do with folders of photographs I currently have.

The clients wishes and, more importantly,  getting paid have a major controlling influence - sigh !

Damion Dunn

Did a rough sketch of this guy about 12 months ago - finally got around to painting it.

Who is he - Damion has a broad range of artistic abilities from caricature through to fine art - really top quality stuff.

He is, I believe, from Los Angeles.

Check out his blog, he doesn't post too often, but it's usually worth waiting for.

DAMION'S BLOG

Few more rent payers .................

Here's a few more commissions ..... you may recognise a few of the faces from further down.

The Navy one was interesting to do - nice to have a different theme !

'Live' caricature show & personal attack !!

Done a few live caricature shows of late - I usually either forget the camera or don't get it out of the bag - remembered last night. A couple of shots from a Wedding at the Astral Ballroom at Burswood.

Good show - and a real hard job to 'cut the line' and get out the door.

Was one of several shows I have done over the past six months with fellow ISCA and ACA member Jeremy Goodchild - was getting to like the bloke until you see the bottom picture !

This is a picture of me holding a caricature Jeremy did of some old guy - he who laughs last etc

Keeping me awake !!

Ever get those jobs where you're champing at the bit to get at the Wacom - this is one such job.

After a week of toiling over wedding caricatures - nice but tame cutietures - this is like R & R !

The bearded Julia Gillard ...

Amongst the game playing in the first week of Parliament Prime Minister Julia Gillard expressed her disapproval at a couple of members who had returned from summer hols' with beards. (Story HERE)

Well curiosity got the better of me - Julia the Musketeer - I think it suits her.

Hello sailor .......

One of those jobs you enjoy doing - saw the photos for a 21st caricature from Mum and Dad - and they said 'go for it' - AND - Mum enthusiastically approved !

Vinny !

A bit of play in CS5 with multiply and a pencil brush on a parchment background.
A caricature of Vin Altamore an American caricaturist I have the utmost admiration for - and a nice bloke to boot !
He's the king of the cross hatch check out his stuff HERE
My unworthy attempts at emulating his style - sigh !

A belated Happy New Year !!

A belated Happy New Year to my three readers - first resolution for 2011  'I must regularly update my Blog ' - Fail !!

I have, for no reason I know of, had an unprecedented upsurge in commissions - in fact it's trebled from last year - there's a switch been flicked somewhere. I turned off Google Adwords two weeks ago ( that'll do for January I thought ) and they're still coming in. I've declined eight jobs this week alone, referring them to other caricaturists. As of 1st of Jan I also put all my prices up across the board - could that be it ?
I re jigged my website a couple of months ago and it certainly seems to have helped - I mustn't complain or the 'switch' might get turned off !

Here's a few of the faces from jobs passing through - jobs booked through until next year and 'chokker' until March - you beauty !

On a more sombre note yesterday I 'celebrated' my 60th Birthday - the kids want me to apply for a role on Grumpy Old Men because I sound like - and agree with - all of them !

I promise to update again very soon .......................... but if I forget you'll know why !

New blog - 'West Coast Smirks'

Well the Christmas rush is over and I've managed to put together a new blog, which I will run in conjunction with this one. Over the years I've had a go at a few local West Australian characters - union leaders, politicians, sportspersons etc. 

I've always thought it would be good to keep them all together in one collection - good for business too !

It will also force me to add to it - I have a list !

Probably of little interest outside this great State but here it is anyway -

http://perthcaricatures.blogspot.com/ 

Roll on January ................

Every time the phone rings it's " Tell them I've nearly finished it - I'll email them soon !"

Don't know why I took all these 'Chrissie' jobs but I'll be so happy when the big day has been and gone ......... merry .... baahh humbug !!

Christmas commissions ....

It's that time of year again where the gift caricatures are thick and fast - with a few live shows as well - make hay while the sun shines I guess.

Here's a few of the first batch - some serious underquoting on the trail bike one. Pleased how it turned out though.

Back into it ............

I'm BACK !!!

After many thousands of miles on Qantas (Rolls Royce engines 'an all !), cruise ships (without a fire in the engine rooms) and just a small dose of food poisoning in Morocco - I'm home !

Just had time before entering into a pile of commissions and live events to finally complete a total update of my website HERE.

Just wanted to get the Blog in action again ..... I'll soon bore you all with the holiday photos.