Artwork & Words © Richard Ewing all rights reserved

Artwork & Words © Richard Ewing all rights reserved

Friday, February 19, 2010

Coffee Mugs

It occurs to me that, for a reason beyond my grasp, I do many more profile shots than front or 3/4 views. So as I drew today, I made a point of checking it out, I noticed that most everyone was turned sideways already, and this absolved me from the deed. Why are they sitting perpendicular to my view? No one will ever know, I blame the caricature gods here... The fellow below has a definite Dr. Seuss feel about him... had I shaded alternate brow wrinkles dark and light, we'd a had the Cat in the Hat for certain.
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
Below is a man with a satisfying secret.

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A secret this man below will never catch wind of...

© Richard Ewing all rights reserved

© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved

© Richard Ewing all rights reserved


© Richard Ewing all rights reserved

Thank you and enjoy.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Coffee Mugs

Contrary to what most people believe, in caricature --less is more. Ironic, as the word's etymology defines itself as: 'overloading', and 'to exaggerate'. And this is where some caricaturists fail, focusing too much on exaggeration, and not enough on editing and minimizing. (which in itself is a reverse form of exaggeration).
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
Then again, some people have so much to work with, it's a shame to let anything go...

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Selecting the right view is important, this fellow's face was fierce and purposeful in the right profile, but when I moved to the other side of him to his 3/4 left angle, his face lost all ambition and intent. Perhaps the caffeine was wearing off...

© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
...chumpish.

© Richard Ewing all rights reserved

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Coffee Mugs

Can't get enough of live caricature... it's performance art (in my own little private personal space) It does have its dangers however. The narrow fellow below was very engaged in what he had to say to his coffee-pal and was none the wiser...however, his little boy (say age 5 or 6) was firmly perplexed at why that bearded man in the bandanna was furtively and continually peeking at his father. As I sketched there was a real danger that the boy would alert dad to the scary man with the black book... It's hard to know what to do in this situation, the chicken-s**t solution would be to abandon the drawing and move on, but having a mere child determine your artistic course of action is not what my Uncle Ike would have defined as manly. One could try to fool the kid by looking intently at someone else while drawing implying that his father was of no visual interest to me at all...(aside from being dishonest, this course can lead to severe vision problems, or a grievously confused image on your page)... My solution was to look at the child intently and assume a wacked-out crazy-clown frump of a smile. Doing this might have led him to cry, and all would be lost, however, after a pause of a few seconds, the tyke giggled back, and joined with me in my conspiracy against his dad. I win.

© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
This man below, I assume, has no children...
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
...chumpish.
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
This fellow (below) was just happy to be allowed to wear his new cap.
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
Below are drawings from a different day, it was all female this time around; harder to do as you need to distort while maintaining some delicacy. Good challenge as always.
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
© Richard Ewing all rights reserved
The last one here owes a bit to Anders Zorn... and I'm pleased to purloin.