A Hard Day at the Office

I have now been doing live caricaturing for a couple of months and most days are quite good although it would be nice to have a steady stream of clients rather than spells of inactivity and then mad rushes before its time to close, but the other day I had a "Bad Day at the Office". It all started early on with a lady saying she thought I was drawing her daughter to old? I had only drawn an eye and two eyebrows? I said why didn't she wait till I had finished and if she did not like it she did not have to pay for it, but she was still not happy. Luckily God intervened and opened the heavens on all of us including the drawing which was ruined. With this I suggested we part company as I do not think we were ever going to agree. I then went on to produce a couple of just OK caricatures of customers that I got that feeling they did not really like them but that is my fault and I probably should of taken a break to recharge but I soldiered on. Then a couple came who have been my worst customers so far. They wanted a double colour caricature which I was happy to do and the lady sat down and gave her list of demands that I had to make her look beautiful she wanted to be drawn with her hair down but was not prepared to put it down, don't do me with a big nose, chin, or forehead of which she had all 3. I started but within about 2 seconds she was moving all over talking to her boyfriend so I could only see the back of her head? I asked if she could just stay still for a minute so she tried but put her hands over her face, she then lent forward to look at what I had done and said i had given her a big nose and she didn't want it and wouldn't pay. We then chatted about if she really wanted this and agreed to not continue. Her boyfriend on the other hand really wanted one and I drew him and coloured him in with a constant barrage of abuse from his girl friend ending in him loving it but his girl friend saying it looked nothing like him and I had deliberately given him a big nose and pointy chin. With this I asked the crowd if anyone thought it looked like him and was it any good? they all told her it did and was very good! Thank you crowd. I know the professionals out there would say I have to man up and take it and I need to improve but it is very easy to fall into the trap of producing cute, nice drawings that will not offend and I hear the comment all the time, its a cartoon version of the person not a caricature? I do change my style depending on who sits down in front of me and how old they are and generally only do more extreme Caricatures on older men after asking them first if they want me to go mad.  Any way enough moaning from me its just good to get it off my chest as a way of therapy. Here are a few examples of what I have been up to with what can only be said are extremely nice people.

That's all for now folks keep stopping by and sorry for my moan.

Getting into a pattern

Working the Theme Parks has been great fun but I have been moved around a lot mainly filling in for Artists who are Off or Ill, but I seem to of settled down to Two days at Warwick Castle, 2 Days at Thorpe Park and a day at Chessington. I am still amazed at the many varying type of faces I see each day, but there are many who walk right by with fantastic faces to Caricature but I think they know ?
I am still rubbish at asking to take a photo of the caricature at the end but I did manage to snap a couple and a quick view of the new position at Warwick castle for us in the main courtyard. Its not finished but it will do for now.

Well another rushed blog so people know I am still alive and drawing, hope everyone has a good week, best wishes.

Theme Park Dreams

I have been really busy of late even working through my 2 days off to get the chance of drawing more.I have now taken an old camera with me in the hope of taking a few pictures of some of my handy work, but alas I have only managed one photo of my work?  I just get so into doing them I forget to ask for a photo! Below is the set up at Warwick Castle where at present I am drawing for two days a week (Wed/Thurs), next is the one and only photo of a caricature by me at Thorpe Park (Fri/ Sun) and I am at Chessington WOA on Saturdays.The last picture is of a fellow Caricature artist, Tom, who is really super talented and quicker than anyone I have seen yet with a line quality that is crystal clear.

I was hoping working at a Theme Park would give me a constant stream of people to Draw but this is not the case? people are often put off by the price or that they do not want to carry a picture round all day or leave it till the end of the day when there is usually a que so they will not wait. I now know that I can sit there often for 2 or 3 hours doing nothing (other than giving park directions )and then be maxed out at the end of the day for 2 hours. Also the Parks intake of people varies so much depending on school holidays, bank holidays and weather, the last is my main concern as I have been very lucky this year and have not been rained off once. If that wonderful team at Alton towers or anyone who has got Theme park experience  can give any advice I am all ears.

Kind Regards