#1k22 Jean

Jean Dujardin caricature in charcoal. This is my second entry to FB's Traditional Caricature Art Contest. 

#1k21 study on Adrien

Charcoal portrait in toned paper.

#1k20 head study

Matt Damon in charcoal. Toned paper. 9z12 inches.

#1k18 Abe

charcoal on 18x24 inches Strathmore gray scale paper. 

#1k19 a study

Charcoal on toned paper

1k17 Ted caricature

Carbon on paper.

#1k16 TedCruz

Charcoal on toned paper. 18x24in. 

On this portrait I emphasized the toned paper as the middle tone value as it should be. That's what they're made for. The next value to that is the "hard"pencil (General pencil), so I was extra careful on hatching. I hardly used a stump for blending. I also used white General to articulate the highlights even at an early stage to help me see the related values (see the early stages of the drawing below). 

On my previous works I use the "medium" and "soft" pencils for my values. I never realized the importance of the "hard" pencil. And because of the light impression of the drawing as a whole I was careful on rendering shadows to avoid mistakes of redoing it - it would look messy. 

I thought the background deals a lot with the drawing. And because the tone of the flesh is predominantly the tone of the paper I made the background darker. It gives that effect of making the face pop out. 

#1k15 Satie

A warm up sketch in carbon. French avant garde composer Erik Satie. He happened to be one of my favorites. Equally great as Claude Debussey, Erik Satie's gymnopedies hit a pleasant chord in my heart. 

I get my inspirations from people behind the music I listen to, to people who identify with my political beliefs, to people I admire for their strong character in achieving great things, and to people with great passion they give to their interests. It's motivational to identify yourself with them. 

#1k14 Mr. Money

Carbon on newsprint. 9x12 inches.

1k13 nothing to lose

Carbon on newsprint. 9x12 inches.

1k12 "Good lookin' out for you."

9x12 inches on toned paper.

 I finally got the confidence to try one more time a face that is so famous or if I fail again I would know that I'm not up to par yet with my catching likeness. 

#1k11 Bibi

Another quickie. Bibi just delivered a monumental and historical, and Churchill-ian speech before the U.S. Congress yesterday and he has been the center of all news media lately. I got inspired doing this while watching the contravercy in TV news. 

#1k10 W Carvin

One quickie. A feeling that I just have to do it just for the heck of it. I was watching  news while resting, and still I get this guilt if I won't do any sketching. So I end up with this. 

This is William Carvin, an illustrated Washington DC lawyer who is currently battling the controversial universal healthcare, the Obamacare. The statute was so ill worded that it  keeps on coming back to the court because its question of validity. 

#1k9 Poirot study 2

Carbon on paper. 

I was trying to exhaust whatever I could do on this study. I tried straight drawings and caricatures and so far this is the best thumbnail I could come with for now.

I am realizing that Conte carbon pencils are not that bad. They're darker and strokes are more distinct that I like it to appear it more raw. They're less smudgy.

#1k8 JT

Charcoal on 18x20 inches of newsprint.

 

When I was growing up I was catching up the last leg of the folk scare era and James Taylor was one of the musicians who influenced me. It made me pick up a guitar and learn how to play his songs. 

Anyway, I tried to get a little crazy with exaggerating features of JT to spice it up a little bit. I tried to do some thumbnails first to serve as a draft and to explore ideas. Then I came up with this.

 

I think thumbnails are valuable tools when you have to explore and find out how you want your artwork to appear. It's like working on a rough draft of your letter. Thumbnails are meant to be small in sizes, no details yet, just trying to get an overall look on how you would like your artwork to appear. For a portrait or caricature, a 4x3 inches from the top of the head down to the bust works perfect for me. 

#1k7 Experimenting light with charcoal

Charcoal on 19x24 newsprint.

This time I was experimenting on making it appear like there was a little more light reflecting the face.  Which means lesser dark areas, lesser use of contrast, except  when I have to use it for background to pop the figure more forward. 

At this point I am thinking of artist Nathan Fowks' work on charcoal, and just wish that I could attend one of his classes. There's so much to learn from this great talent, and so much to marvel how he does it. If you haven't heard of him you should check his works- it's all over the Internet.

1k7 Poirot

Caricature in charcoal. 18x24 inches newsprint.

#1k6 Mr. Moustache

Charcoal on 18x24 newsprint. 

No other man can rightfully wear a big brush under his nose than Tom Selleck - and still look sexy. 

I'm just trying to see how I fair using compressed charcoal compare to using pencil. I did a lot hit and miss on this one. Holding that stick and swiping it against the paper to make an even tone is truly challenging. I'm planning to do more of this exercise.

#1004 Rocket man

Sanguine on 18x20 paper.

I'm not quite happy with this one. I don't know exactly why. Is it the facial expression? The exaggeration of face? Rendition of hair? Whatever it is it doesn't have a "kick" to it. When I put the pencil down I wasn't that excited, in fact, I was discontented. Could it be that I was just tired? Maybe. I did have a cat nap right after it was done, and I'm looking at it again- just no feeling for it. 

My works usually excite me that I would not stop staring at it. Thinking all the time spent was all worth it. Completes my day and makes me want to do the next project. 

I guess I have to stop whining at this point.

#1003 Bono caricature

Sanguine. 18x20 inches.

He tried to be known to do things other than being a musician and a U2 band vocalist. In his speech recently at Georgetown University, he declared, "America is not only a great country, it is an idea. A lot of countries that are great in one way or the other, but in America you inherit an awesome idea of being free and having individual rights. Of becoming who you want to be as long as you work for it."