Caricature Artist

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. As a caricature artist, I customize my drawing themes to accommodate the event. I traveled to Ocean City for a New Year's Eve extravaganza at a high rise condominium and offered each guest with a New Year's themed background for their caricature. I was hired to draw caricatures at a McDonald's for a birthday party and each child was asked to provide me with a favorite sport, hobby, or cartoon character to include in their caricature. I enjoy booking summer corporate picinic events where I am able to draw caricatures outside.

Q. Describe three recent jobs you've completed.

A. I have recently been juried into a prestigious annual festival at Spoutwood Farm for their May Day Fairie Festival. It will be my 8th year as a juried caricature artist at the festival. The fesitval draws over 15,000 people a year and allows me to network with clients who are looking for caricature artwork to compliment there next event.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Be specific about what type of caricature artist you are looking for...one that works with adults, children, teenagers. Also ask if the caricaturist does only the head, or the full figure caricature. How many caricatures can be drawn within the time frame of your event? Ask what type of materials the caricaturist prefers to work with. Example: pastel, prismacolor, marker, ink, graphite, etc.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. How many caricatures can the artist do per hour? How does the artist's hourly wage increase with use of color in addition to the black marker line art? Does the artist specialize in young children caricature art, requiring patience and positive rapport with little ones younger than 6 or 7 yrs? Does the artist travel more than a specific distance and is gas/mileage additional to the contracted hourly wage?

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. My caricature work has been explained by clients as more realistic in feature and likeness than theme park style caricatures. The use of glove and pastel technique is a unique method of applying color to a black and white line marker caricature. I have a fine arts illustration and portraiture background from Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore Maryland, the oldest accredited arts college in the USA.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. As a caricature artist, I enjoy the opportunity to apply my skills to events where they are appreciated and enjoyed. I love to travel and experience the variety of venues and themes for the people that inspire my caricatures! My flexible style and creative approach to my personal and professional sides in caricature work is the foundation for my successes.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. I believe the most inspiring story I have is from a Halloween birthday party where I drew caricatures of a college student and his friends, all of whom were intellectually/physically challenged and dressed in elaborate costumes! The family and friends present were supportive, gracious, and affirming of my talent.
The guest of honor dressed as Eddy Muenster, from The Muenster's. The immediate family were dressed as the entire Muenster family including the mother, father, Herman, grandfather, and Marilyn, the niece!

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. As a fine artist with a BFA in Visual Communication from MICA, the Maryland Institute, College of Art, in Baltimore, Maryland, I have strived to please the customer with visual solutions to creative problems since I can remember.
Portraiture and Fashion Illustration were part of my major in college and naturally complement caricature drawings.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I am an art teacher in the Baltimore CIty Public Schools and draw every day with the students I teach. Lesson objectives include the Elements of Art - line, shape, color, value, texture, form ; and Principles of Design - balance, pattern/rhythm, texture, space, emphasis, proportion/scale, contrast, movement. I am able to constantly assess and infuse my caricatures with new innovative styles because teaching supports practice of my craft.

Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.

A. My most recent project involved incorporating a caricature of a carpenter/house construction professional for a client's personal collection and business card. I gathered information vital to his profession, researched the images online, and composed a recognizable composition for the card. At our third meeting, my client inquired about adding his Ford worktruck in the backround of the caricature. I happily obliged. Another satisfied customer!

Q. What is your greatest strength?

A. As an artist, my greatest strength is being flexible - I enjoy working in a festival crowd of 5,000 people as well as a classroom of 25 students, or alone in my studio. I have always enjoyed the diversity and nuance of different cultures and apply this to my skills of observation in my caricature and portrait work.
People provide my work with it's greatest inspiration. They embody the beauty of color, form, shape, pattern, rhythm, balance, proportion and line.