Christmas is Over

Well after all that rushing around doing last minute shopping for presents and food, cleaning everywhere just in case guests arrive unexpectantly, its over in a flash! New Year now to prepare for,  replacing booze used over Xmas ( doesn't recycling show how much you drink!), food and yet more cleaning. I really think going away for Christmas one year would make a nice Break? Anyway I did get a chance to do a Caricature of Michael Caine for Caricaturama 3000 but it was not very good, in fact the more I experimented the worse it got. I have included the Original sketch to compare.

I really have got a lot to learn about Painting in photo shop it seems much harder to me than normal painting and drawing or is it that I only have Elements 3, which does not seem to do so many things? The next caricature, I think I will just do a watercolour and scan that in and see what happens.

Well this will be my last Blog for this year, I thank anyone for passing by on this Fantasy of a FatBoy  Blog and would like to wish everyone a Happy and Wonderful New Year for 2011.



Merry Christmas Everyone

As Christmas is upon us and I will undoubtably be drunk through most of it! I thought a quick post to wish everyone a Happy, Safe and lovely Christmas for 2010, was in order. I have quickly tried to do a saucy card but it did not turn out that well ! but a few more drinks are calling and a good film? Best Wishes

My Final Caricaturama Entry

Now I have been lucky enough to find out about Caricaturama 3000, I am really excited about all the differing views and techniques the many artist have at seeing the same person. It has inspired me to have a go and hopefully get better with each one I do. Advice and criticism is always welcome as I want to improve and although I may think something looks right, a fresh pair of eyes can see the glaring mistakes more easily. I have not yet really done any Digital Caricatures for people, but it is an area I would like to get into. I only have Elements 3 of Photo Shop, ArtRage 2.6 and a small Wacom Bamboo Fun and a slow PC but would consider buying better equipment if people thought that it would improve my Digital work drastically, or should I just keep practicing and upgrade bit by bit?  Anyway I have wittered on long enough, have a look at my final entry for Kyle Maclachlan from the film Dune and the series Twin Peaks.

First Entry into Caricaturama 3000

Something I have been aware of but not really got involved with, was Caricaturama 3000. I love the Idea of having a go at drawing differing Celebrities and getting a bit of feed back from professionals and it will help me build a portfolio of work up. I quickly joined and started to scribble away frantically, then read the rules to find out I had missed the deadline for Jennifer Aniston! So after more frantic scribbling, I managed to get a sketch in for Kyle MacLachlan. As I missed Jennifer I thought I would put them both in this Blog. Hope you like them?

One of my all time favourite films is "DUNE" starring Kyle MacLachlan so it was great to have a go at drawing him and I may have a go in photo shop at colouring him in.

I must also thank Emily Anthony's Blog for introducing me to Caricaturama 3000 as this was where I first saw it, as well as giving me inspiration and a good insight to the life of a Caricature Artist.

Best Wishes to All.

First ever Caricature

I have managed to dig out what I consider was my first ever Caricature, done way back in 1986. I was baby sitting a friends children and to keep them amused I drew them normally but when I was drawing Lucy I decided to exaggerate her features to make them laugh. I luckily still have it in one of my very old sketch books ,I don't think she cared for it that much?

I thought while I was looking at some of my old sketches I would include one of my first cartoons. The idea was know one liked this guy,  so I drew what people thought of him, for his leaving do. Unfortunately he loved the drawing and had the original. After that I started drawing cartoons only for those people I liked who where leaving!

I have now used my new A3 all in one Brother Printer and it all seems fine. I now have options when I want to print to either my A4 or A3? unfortunately as it is WiFi the kids had not noticed you now have to select what you want and wondered why nothing was coming out of the normal printer? Yes you have guessed, there was a pile of colour printing at the A3! (Expensive, but its good as sketching paper?)

An old sketch of a very good friend of mine many years ago

This is a fantastic Caricature done of me by the very talented Jon-Paul McCarthy. Alas I don't have the original but glad to have this picture.

A recent Dog caricature I did for a very nice lady working for the police. I am still learning how to do people so animals are mind boggling. She was very happy with the result though.



And finally, I am very pleased that an extremely excellent Caricature Artist, " Steve Hearn "has taken the time to view my Blog ( I have been following Steve's for about 2 years now), so I thought I would include a sketch I did of him earlier this year.

Bye for now and thanks to anyone who is watching.

New Printer and Leslie Nielsen Sketch

I have just purchased a new all in one A3 Printer/Scanner by Brother. I will admit price was the deciding factor in my purchase as I already have a couple of cheap A4 all in one's. The Size though has taken me by surprise as it looked so much smaller in the shop! I should of guessed when the man wheeled it out to the car with a forklift truck(slight exaggeration) and it only just fitted in my car? After squeezing it through the double patio doors I finally got it onto a table that could take its weight! Luckily its WiFi so could go in the Garage if needed? I am hoping this will make doing Digital Caricatures more easy and give a reasonable quality print out?

A quick tribute sketch to the recently departed Leslie Nielsen, a very funny man with great hair. I still remember and love the very old SiFi films he starred in. He will be sadly missed.

I hope next time to of used the A3 Printer/scanner and show a lot more of my very first drawings? Thanks for taking an interest and bye for now.

Start of my first ever New Blog

Today is my Birthday and I have somehow managed to make it to the age of 50? Therefore I thought it was a perfect time to launch this blog, which will be all about me, trying to start and make a living as a Caricature Artist! Advice is always welcome, as I have zero experience. My background for the last 30 years or so has been all about Aircraft! so no help their! I have however always done lots of silly drawings of people throughout my life, on and off , and near the end of my job I did quite a few Caricature/ Cartoons of people as leaving gifts. This is what I am hoping to continue with and hopefully make a living from?
     I was very lucky about 18 months ago and managed to go, to a Draw Feast outside Luton Airport. It was organised by a Caricature Artist called Steve Hearn and around 20 fantastic Artists turned up and literally drew for 16 hours. I learnt more in that time, than I could if I had practised for a year. I was and still am inspired by all of them to make it as a Caricature Artist. Here are a couple of pictures I have done to give you an Idea, and I will try to include some of the many sketches I do daily.

I unfortunately am a bit of a computer Biff so I hope you can put up with me untill I understand how all this tech works? I will try and blog once a week to start off with, slowly moving up to several times a week? Thanks to any one who visits, look forward to my next instalment.