Mailbag
February 7th, 2016 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I noticed when you’re drawing (live) caricatures, you flick your hand/wrist out after drawing tighter lines. What does this do to the look of the artwork? A: I tried to find a video that might show what you are talking about. This one from about 10o years ago of me doing a demo of a Bruce Willis caricature has some of that: [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3RGzdywZ3E[/youtube] If you watch the drawing part of this video, you will see that between lines I shake my hand back and forth (you’d see a lot more of it if this was a continuous video as opposed to a collection of… READ MORE
January 24th, 2016 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I would think one of the hardest things about being a freelancer is determining how much to charge a client for your work. Do you have set prices? Do you bid on jobs like a general contractor? Would you charge different prices for the exact same illustration to for different clients? A: That is something many freelancers agonize over, especially when you are asked to give a quote for a job. If you get the job, you always wonder if you underbid and could have gotten more, and if you don’t get the job you wonder if you overbid and lost it to another… READ MORE
January 17th, 2016 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: You mentioned the Wacom Cintiq in an earlier post. Have you had a chance to check out the iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil accessory? I know it just launched in November, but it sounds like a very inspiring portable drawing tool for producing rough and quality finished art, and a natural for caricature art. Perhaps this is the beginning of a real transition to tablets from traditional PC’s for artists. A: I have not tried the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. My pal, illustrator Ed Steckley, recently reviewed it for a tech website. His verdict appears to be “hardware good, software needs catching… READ MORE
January 10th, 2016 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I noticed at comic con you were drawing with a clutch (leadholder), but it had been modified with gauze and elastic bands. How do you do that, and why is it good practice? A: You mean this?: This is my “live caricature” pencil. I get a lot of weird looks when people see this thing all wrapped up, but the reason for it is simple and makes perfect sense. But before the “why”, here’s the “what”: Underneath all that wrapping is a standard “clutch” type mechanical leadholder, specifically the Caran Dasche Fixpencil 3. It holds a 3mm lead rather than the standard 2mm most… READ MORE
January 3rd, 2016 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: As an artist that still uses the traditional method of pen and India ink, I still get very frustrated with ink blots and I find that my ink gets extremely blotchy in its inkwell due to paper scrap build-up at times. After all these years, I still have my good days and bad days with the ink cooperating and there’s really not much on the topic out there beyond calligraphy pens (I use a 513 EF for the majority of my comics) on how to maximize the efficiency of using a dip pen. I’m curious how you keep your inkwell clean and how do… READ MORE
December 27th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Concerning your drawing process: If you are not satisfied with a caricature, what do you do? Do you start over again on a new sheet, or do you erase parts of your drawing and just draw some details new? A: That’s a tough one to answer because it depends on how “off” the drawing is. If I’m not liking how a caricature is turning out, I have to decide if what I have done so far is salvageable or if it’s a complete loss and I need to start over completely. To be honest, most of the time I SHOULD just start over… if… READ MORE
December 20th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Okay, not really a question this week, but a request. Mega fan Frank Wollard, a Vietnam veteran and frequent email correspondent, asks this: I would love to see a post from you of the Santa’s that you have drawn over the years. Great idea. In fact, I’ll post a couple of the many different Santa/Christmas illustrations I’ve done over the years for The Marlin Company (and a few others) each day leading up until Christmas… Starting with these! READ MORE
December 13th, 2015 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: I am curious if there is a difference in drawing a “standard” caricature (head shots, or your Sketch of the Week, etc.) vs. a “cartoony” caricature, (ie one that involves putting the subject in a situation like “tennis player” or “astronaut”) Does the drawing style change, or can it change, to further emphasise “Cartoon” aspects? Is the only difference really adding a location/job/costume? A: Within the context of your question, no. There really isn’t a difference when you are drawing a “head & shoulders” caricature and one involving a full body or action situation. Not in the approach of the caricature itself. It’s still… READ MORE
