subwaysurfers purple reign

A couple of caricatures studies in purple, including Canadian Rapper, DRAKE! I was gonna draw PRINCE but that would have been too obvious....

Nikki Minaj video and Caricature Project by Subwaysurfer

I can FINALLY talk about it! my "mystery client" I eluded to the other day is none other than Vocal teacher/entertainer . Erik Dillard of the hit youtube show, THE ERIK DILLARD VOCAL CLINIC. For those of you unfamiliar wth the show, Erik gives fantastic, insightful, idiot proof methods to improve your singing technique, AND whatis UNIQUE about his show is that he breaks down the vocal techniques of your favorite artists. In this segment , via a viewers request, he broke down Nikki Minaj, and having worked with him on previous projects, commissioned me to draw the caricature of her. I was not given a clue how he would incorporate it into the show , but I knew it would be great and he didnt disapoint. Just ANOTHER example of being able to "take caricature out of the theme park" and use it for other creative ventures.

These Pictures were created with a combination of tools including the Double sided Utretcht Design Markers, amd colored in the Art Studio App on the IPAD. I swear by ALL of these tools now for giving me the color quality and line effects I need to make my illustrations come to life!

ipad caricature of JACK LA LANNE by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

Jack La Lanne,boasted that he'd live to be one hundred and was only four years short of making that goal! Hows THAT for setting a goal and coming close to reaching it. As I stated in a previous post, Jack was the Godfather of sooooo many things that we look at as just "normal" today. It goes without saying that he is the Godfather of Fitness in America. Whats inspiring is that he wanted this not just for athletes but for the common man. Jack devised imagainative fitness programs and exercises that were within ANYONES fitness level and budget.We hear a lot in the finess industry today about modification, and tailoring a program to fit your individual needs, goals and lifestyles.... YOU DONT KNOW JACK! He was the FIRST to do that! Jacks core audience was women, as his show aired during a period when traditionally in America, women would be home, and their husbands at work. Now we have an entire finess industry tailored sspecifically to women....YOU DONT KNOW JACK! He was the FIRST to do that! Branding is a word that is usd a lot today in marketing, especially online. In order to stand out from the crowd, you must be able to maket , or brand yourself in such a decisive way as become memorable....YOU DONT KNOW JACK! He was the FIRST to do that! Jack had this jumpsuit that he always wore that would have looked ridiculous on anyone else, but made him instantly identifiable. That jumpsuit was like a uniform, a type of "superhero" outfit, which was what he was, in a sense. The man held numberous fitness records that established him as an authority. Unless you have been living in a cave somewhere, you know that America is nutrition crazy now. It seems on every corner is a juice bar, a fruit market,a vitamin store,or organic food store. YOU DONT KNOW JACK! He was the FIRST to do that! Jack was a big advocate of juicing right from the start , at a time when most of us thought it was strange and disgusting to liquify and drink celery, carrots and apples, and he always advocated the importance of eating food in its rawest forms, and ghetting away from refined foods and especially sugar.
I feel bad for a lot of people in this generation because , YOU DONT KNOW JACK! at least not the way I "knew" him, and like som many others my age knew him. At the risk of sounding corny, he was a perfect role model. I never heard one word of scandal associated with his name/ This is something unheard of for a celebrity with less than half of his star power. I think what Jack had was that thing called, integrity.

JACK LA LANNE RIP by subwaysurfer

Elgin Bolling I'm telling my age, now.. But as a kid I remember the first time I say anybody doing jumping jacks, it was when Jack did it. He did the exercise at the beginning and ending of his show, and I remember doing it with him! Jack was, for many of us old timers, our initial introduction into fitness
11 minutes ago · Like
Elgin Bolling Jack was unique in that he gave practical inexpensive fitness exercises using your own bodyweight, and simple household items, like chairs, books, and water bottles to create resistance. Not only that, but he gave nutritional advice, as well as strategies to enhance mental fitness. The guy had this holistic approach to wellness, and was able to consistently communicate it in 30 minute segments.
7 minutes ago · Like
Elgin Bolling The fact that he was able to articulate and demonstrate simultaneously, and naturally, made him a media darling. In today's technological, YouTube,era, we take for granted, when Jack did this, back in the day, the medium of television was still relatively new. Jack wrote the script, in my Opinion, of how to effectively do an infomercial.
4 minutes ago · Like
Elgin Bolling Due to his own personal branding strategy, by the time he introduced his fitness studios, he already had a core group of potential customers. What a marketing genius he was, and just for staying consistent with a simple idea.

YOU CAN IMPROVE...
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a few seconds ago · Like

Rockaway Artists Alliance Writers Group President, Dan Guarino

I know I should have been paying attention at the voters meeting, but couldnt resist doing this caricature of Dan Guarino while sitting there!

Rockaway Artists Alliance President Geoff Rawling Caricature

Mixed Media Artist, and President of The Rockaway Artists Alliance, Geoff Rawling has an irresistable face for caricature. I drew this picture of him while waiting my turn to come at a poetry reading at Ft Tilden in Breezy Point , Queens..

ANOTHER ipad Caricature of Canadian Rapper, DRAKE by Subwaysurfer

Those Heavey  Lidded Eyes, That Sad Mouth, The Large Box Head... Drake Is an Irresistable Character to Draw Alright! LOL So Glad that I was commissioned to draw this! LOL Heres another shot at him. Drake If you see this, I aint hatin' buddy, but since you are a celebrity, you should expect things like this.

This caricature recently caught the attention of the folks at lulu online look here

http://iluluonline.com/photos-hilarious-caricature-art-starring-drakes-face-nicki-minaj/

ipad caricature of DRAKE By Subwaysurfer

Drake has a face that was made for caricature. Dont know if anyone else has ever drawn him. This too is part of a freelance assignment for the same client who wanted one of Nikki Minaj. Whatever he's cookin up, its gonna be GOOD! Really enjoyed drawing this!! I think I'll do another just for fun! LOL!

The initial line work for this was drawn with the Utretcht Design Markers, uploaded, and then colored in the Art Studio App on the IPAD. I swear by ALL of these tools now for giving me the color quality and line effects I need to make my illustrations come to life!

ipad caricature of Female Rapper Nikki Minaj

Im currently working on a project with a client who requested a caricature of Female Rapper Nikki Minaj. I normally dont listen to this genre of music too much so I didnt know who she was. When i got some  reference photos, I couldnt wait to draw the caricature. I dont know what the client has in store... actually I do, since weve worked before,LOL! it ought to be good. It was a challenge caricaturing Nikki, because like most attractive women theres its hard to eaggerate  facial features. However, Nikki has these superhuman, ah.. attributes that make her instantly recognizable.

These Pictures were created with a combination of tools including the Double sided Utretcht Design Markers, amd colored in the Art Studio App on the IPAD. I swear by ALL of these tools now for giving me the color quality and line effects I need to make my illustrations come to life!

GENDER BENDER NEEDS TO RETURN TO SENDER! caricature of man/woman on the Subway

Okay, Im not making a value judgement here, just callin em as I see em, and then, of course draw them. In a city as diverse as New York, when ever I ride the Subway trains I have come to expect the unconventional, the out of the ordinary, the outlandish, and the just plain strange. Yet with all my experience as a "visual caricature antropologist", the subway being my laboratory where I study and record human behavior, sometimes even I get shocked by the thing I see.
Folks, there are a lot of cross dressing , gender benders in NYC. They add color and life to the mosaic that IS New York City, but even among alternative lifestyles there certainly MUST be "rules of conduct, and presentation" and THIS had to be a definite NO NO!

HE/SHE entered the car carrying a large brown handbag, wearing a Hoodie, Oversized pants, Bown Brogan Shoes, a Baseball cap a bad Wig AND Noticable Razor stubble.

Did I comment on the stooped over posture and the fact that they were close to three hundred pounds?

At least the handbag matched the shoes.

But for all intensive purposes, this person looked like, to use a popular village expression, "A HOT MESS!"
If you're going to go out gender bending, I say, make sure you go ALL the way in the direction that you are shooting for, and be careful to cover up any NOTICABLE flaws as to your true identiy.

Razor Stubble is a dead giveaway, as is hair on your knuckles.

Who NEEDS cable? All I gotta do is ride the Subway! LOL!

ipad caricature of woman with a big chin

ipad caricature of a pretty girl by Elgin subwaysurfer Bolling

There are those times when I draw a face and i see an undefnable "star quality" to the face that im drawn to pun intended. This young lady was pretty, not glamrous in the fashion model sense, but what I call urban pretty for lack of a better word. there was that feminine quality combined with that no nonsense edge that only enhanced her overall appeal. I drew this in a smipler cartoonery style that worked perfectly.

Drawing lesson if you practice you WILL GET BETTER by subwaysurfer

Like all artists, I sometimes get in "one of those moods" where "nothing" is going right and i feel as if Im just standing sitll, not progressing, not getting any better. It's easy to feel that way if you DONT keep a visual record to chart your progress, lucky for me, I do.
I ran across a 2005 sketchbook the other day and turned the page to a drawing I had done of Gary, a very talented Painter/caricature artist from Puerto Rico that I drew at a past NCN COnvention. My First one, to be exact. I was actually amazing and a little horrified to re-discover that I actually drew ...er... that BAD and go paid for it!! LOL! I redrew the picture over again , just to see if I could do it better. The results were startling to say in the least. I was able to actually SEE how much I'd learned in just a few years. You truely CAN change if you're motivated enough, and work hard enough on your weaknesses. Maybe two years from now I'll pick up this recent drawing and say to myself, "THAT'S HORRIBLE!! HOW IN THE WORLD DID I HAVE THE NERVE TO POST THAT!!!???"

ipad gift caricature for client by subwaysurfer

this lucky fan took advantage of my year end digital ipad caricature sale and got his version by a subwaysurfer original.

 I have decided to extend the sale for a limited time. get YOUR digital caricatue at the insane discounted price! email me at cartoons4u2@aol.com for details!

ipad caricature of a scared indian woman on subway

I swear she was clutching her bag SO TIGHT and staring straight ahead with the most intense expression I'd ever seen on anyone I was trying to draw. Then it occured to me all at once that she MUST have thought I was a mugger getting ready to snatch her bag, rather than an artist who was snatching her likeness! LOL!
Picture colored in Artstudio app using the Ifaraday stylus pen on the ipad

IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

Editorial Cartoon for The Wave Newspaper..... SNOW.....again..

this editorial assignment was given to me last week in response to Mayor Bloombergs disasterous handling of the NYC Winter snow storm that crippled the city last week. The paper came out today... just in time for the NEXT round of snowfall... we'll see what happens next... hope Lady Liberty likes Vanilla Ice Cream... she's about to get another snow cone....

So how are you handling the snow? Is it a winter wonderland, or a frosty nightmare! I'd love to hear your stories, and may even illustrate the best one! Please comment!

If you download this toon, please link my URL to the site where it's being used. Keep in mind I also can make affordable customized toons for your blogs, articles and websites,.

ipad caricature of a woman who looks like a toad by subwaysurfer

There are some women who even MAKEUP can NOT HELP!... I bet when she walks into Mc Donalds the counterperson asks her, "Do you want FLIES with that?"

Yeah... I know.... I gotta work on my standup routine......


IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

ipad caricature of a big blond bodacious amazon by subwaysurfer

this is the colored version of one of the most popular pics on my site here. vieweres cant seem to get enough of viewing this Amazon I drew at a party in black and white , so I decided to finaly color her in. I recalled doing a tamer version of this at the original party, and as soon as she left my seat I IMMEDIATELY drew THIS one for myself ,and of course, you viewers here! Heh, Heh.... This gurls pop would have snapped his cap if he saw his "little girl" depicted like this... but being a dad myself, I know that sometimes fathers have blinders on and just cant see their baby gurls the way the REST of the world sees them.....

IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

ipad caricature of man with big head and mustache

When a guy has a mustache THIS bushy I always wonder if stuff is growing in it... Ive noticed with some men that as they stop growing hair in one place, like the top of the head, other places start to sprout excessive hair  like weeds. this guy had a killer mustache and the eyebrow thing going...

IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

ipad caricature of man with big nose and big hair

Once again, I am singing the praises of being able to do live drawing on the train of unwary passengers. This particular man actually CAUGHT me drawing him, and shot me the most contemptuous slightly annoyed expression that I NEVER would have gotten from a boring naked model who was paid to be drawn. Drawing on the train and in public places is the REAL life drawing because you really get a chance to SEE people with all their quirks. On the train folks try to intimidate me into NOT drawing them by shooting me expressions like this, not realizing it makes them an even MORE perfect target! LOL!! Aside from having such a great look, he also had a lot to make fun of! Long Nose, LOOOOONG neck, Crazy long hair in the front expecially... he was pure joy to exaggerate.  I used the ifraday stylus to color and go over the lines and also the Artstudio app for the ipad. Im loving the vivid colors that I can get with this ipad and its making it reeeeallly hard to go back to using conventional methods like paper, markers and art stixx.....

IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

ipad caricature of woman with a BIG MOUTH by Subwaysurfer

This is a mouth that only a Dentist could love because everytime he sees her, he knows his mortgage is going to be paid..... I saw this woman riding the trai and from the side she was awesome enough... then she smiled and I started to applaud on the inside... if you ever think for a moment that GOD doesnt have a sense of humour.... please think about this picture..... Did this sketch originally in pencil and painted it in the Art Studio app using the ifaraday stylus.

IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

iPad caricature Of man with big forehead

This man resembled a human hammerhead shark.There was something in his face that said "athlete". Easily one of the strongest faces I've ever drawn. Originally a pencil sketch, I decided to paint it in the iPad ArtStudio app, and the results are outstanding! He looks even MORE ferocious in living color.
If I recall when I drew this originally, it was on a Queens bus. I must've caught him in mid sentence. It's one of the things I love about live drawing. You just DON'T get an expression like this from a model who is paid to sit naked, and pose.

IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

ipad cartoon of Black Man with BIG Nose and big fuzzy Hat

Looks like this guy has had too much New Years Celebration.... he had the Fuzzy Hat with the flaps raised way up, and this bleary eyed thousand mile stare... what stood out though was the enormous brown nose. I resisted the urge to reach over and honk it...

IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

NEW YEARS EVE POEM by subwaysurfer

My cartoon Family Portrait by Subwaysurfer

From left to right, Wife Charlena, Me, Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling, Son, Gerard, daughter Janine, and oh yeah, my doggie,, Butchie!

Gift caricature for Tim

My sons college friend Tim, is visiting for New Years... I saw that chin...you know what happens next....

Business cartoon: HOW TO MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION by subway surfer

They always say that to make a great first impression on a potential employer, always greet them with a warm smile, and a firm handshake!

ANOTHER great Ipad Caricature from the VA Hospital by subwaysurfer

ANOTHER great face caricatured at the VA Hospital GIG! One Nurse remarked out loud, "HE LOOKS JUST LIKE A CUTE KOWALLAH BEAR!!!" I had to hold back laughter as I imagined him hanging on with four limps to a tree saying, "GOOD DAY MATE!"

Digital gift caricature sale an insane $ 15.00!!!

FROM NOW UNTIL JANUARY 1' 2011 YOU CAN GET YOUR VERY OWN IPAD DRAWN DIGITAL CARICATURE FOR THE RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICE OF $15.00

HANG THEM ON YOUR WALL, USE THEM AS YOUR AVATAR FOR YOUR FACEBOOK PAGES, AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS!

ALL I NEED IS FOR YOU TO GIVE ME A JPEG PHOTO,AND THATS IT!
EMAIL ME FOR MORE DETAILS!

GET YOURS TODAY, THIS SALE WONT LAST LONG!

Caricature of two men at the VA Hospital

Drew these two men earlier this year at an event for the VA HHospital. Copied the pics colored them in art studio, and love the results.

Remember, you can have me draw your gift caricature, or at your party or special events!

Subway caricature BIG WIFE LITTLE HUSBAND by subwaysurfer

Hilarious pic I drew of a couple on a manhattan bound R train. The wife was an Amazon. Tall blond, and very top heavy. By contrast, the nubby was short, slight, and thin. I imagined him literally getting lost under neath her top shelf,playing hide and seek. Incredibly the husband alerted to what I drew, and wanted the pic. The wife.... Was not as....happy. This is my color rendition of the pic.

IF YOU LIKE THIS PICTURE WHY NOT GET YOUR OWN?
Yes, folks, this is a shameless call to action, but if you enjoy this kind of fun stuff then why NOT get in on the fun yourself? caricatures like this one make for great gifts if the couple has a sense of humour and you want to get something that is unique and personalized. I can tailor this to any situation. All you need to do is contact with with the details at

cartoons4u2@aol.com

Make sure to send me good jpeg photos of each of you, a list of your hobbies , jobs, favorite sayings, etc. Dont worry, I can come up with something funny and personalized.
And oh yeah, the price will be affordable, I promise!

Gift Caricature of Raul Curbelo by subwaysurfer

As soon as I saw that overbite of Raul, I knew EXACTLY what flavor THIScaricature was gonna be! Drawn/ painted in art studio app, on the iPad, using the, you guessed it, the ifaraday stylus, and a lotta patience.



IF YOU LOVE THE LOOK OF THIS DIGITAL CARICATURE, WHY NOT GET YOUR VERY OWN? PRICES ARE VERY EFFORDABLE! JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT CARTOONS4U2@AOL.COM FOR DETIALS!

ipad caricature THE DOORBUSTER JEANS COVER GIRL by Subwaysurfer

Seems I cant get away from the Door-buster Babe with the bodacious backside. I decided to color her in Art studio, and liked the results over the blk and wht. One of my favorite all time caricatures and based on a woman I saw walk by me while I was having a business meeting with a client earlier this year. I literally stopped my meeing, took out a pad and starting drawing her, much to my clients delight.

ipad caricature A Soldier by Subwaysurfer

this pic was drawn by hand and uploaded into the ipad Artstudio app where it was colored. Its a pic of a soldier that I drew for a party earlier this year for an event I drew at the VA Hospital this Summer, and its one of my faves. PRICELESS expression he had on his face. I could almost picture him doing endless marching drills, eating lousy chow in the mess hall and scratching sand fleas out in the field.

ipad caricature a genuine SUPERMAN Lookalike By Subwaysurfer

I drew caricatures at a gig recently in Far Rockaway at the Knights Of Columbus. This particular guy sat down , whose face was so compelling, that I requested he pose longer so that I could have a picture for myself. I thought his loooooong chin was the most interesting part of him, but found out that as I was doing the caricature, he was actually a Superman
lookalike... wonder if he flew..

I drew this digital caricature in the iPad using the Art Studio app and using my trusty iFaraday Stylus.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE A DIGITAL CARICATURE LIKE THIS, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME FOR DETAILS

EVER NOTICE HOW SOME PEOPLE "SING" THE WORD, "SORRY" TO YOU?

Elgin Bolling EVER NOTICE HOW SOME PEOPLE"SING" THE WORD, "SORRY" TO YOU? IT SOUNDS SOMETHING LIKE THIS, "SORREEEEEEEEEE!" ( really stretching out the ". E" vowel...

Elgin Bolling I recall one time in Barnes and Noble book store, I was literally blindsided by this petite little blond who literally plowed right into me knocked my books on the floor, head butted me in the nose, causing my glasses to go into my eye, scratching my cornea! As I held my eye in pain and shock, there she was, singing..."SORREEEEEEEEEEEE!!"
30 minutes ago · 


Elgin Bolling I had to go to the hospital the next day and was bandaged up for a week


Elgin Bolling ‎"sorry" is one of the first words we learn as children...er..maybe not , it's probably the SECOND word, "NO!" is actually the first word we learn..but I digress...

Our parents teach us to say this " magic " word, " sorry", as the proper thing to say( because you must say SOMETHING) when we've done something wrong, especially in relation to someone else.

"say you're sorry, dear," mom instructs, to which the child drones, " soreeeeeee"

The child soon learns the power of the word, " sorry" , with repeated use. "sorry" means, DO OVER,DELETE,RESET,THIS NEVER HAPPENED!

I understand why we teach kids to say this, having raised two children. We don't want them to become more of the self serving, selfish, cold hearted brats that their base nature drives them to. The problem though is that they say it so much it becomes a social reflex, almost like a hiccup, that carries over into adulthood.

You just crashed my car!
Sorreeee

You drained all the money out of our account!
Sorreee

I'm fired??? You're firing me?

Sorreee

And when they're really sorry they add another verse to the song

I'm SOOOOOOOOOO. Sorrreeee!

ipad caricature Business man on the train by subwaysurfer

whoever he was he sure was happy.......

GET YOUR OWN DIGITAL IPAD CARICATURE DRAWN BY EMAILING ME AT cartoons4u2@aol.com

ipad caricature of scary Black Man on subway with a mohawk

He was big, very dark, Black to almost the color of blue... REALLY. He wore a large Mohawk, and had this look on his face like he hadnt gone to the bathroom in a month and really needed some release. It was downright dangerous drawing him! LOL!!! I kept repeating to my self, DONT MAKE EYE CONTACT< DONT MAKE EYE CONTACT.... Theres some people who you just should NOT look at on the subway... this guy was one of em.... but... I looked anyways....heh.


GET YOUR OWN DIGITAL IPAD CARICATURE BY EMAILING ME AT cartoons4u2@aol.com

MORE SUBWAY CARICATURES COMING I PROMISE

In my humble attempt to put up diverse and interesting content, I have admittedly been neglecting what has kept you loyal viewers captivated for years on this site, namely, the way I hilariously depict people on the train. Sorry about that! Rest assured that I AM still drawing, just slow about sharing and uploading! Pics are definitely on their way! Listen to this podcast as I explain

ROCKAWAY ARTISTS ALLIANCE VP,DAN GUARINO interview withSUBWAYSURFER

ROCKAWAY ARTISTS ALLIANCE PRESIDENT GEOFF RAWLING INTERVIEW with SUBWAYSURFER

PRETTY GIRL ON THE C TRAIN LOCAL by Subwaysurfer

Saw this reallllly pretty girl on the C local train, and couldn't help making her look more interesting! LOL! It's always a challenge to do extreme caricature on the so called pretty face, because there is sometimes not a lot to grab onto , since the features are so pleasingly balanced. After a few minutes of looking, I did notice how ridiculously curly and long the hair was, how her lips jutted out ever so slightly, and how she had that "dull" expression. I really should have shown it o her just to get her reaction but might have risked her tearing it up!

THIS IS ACTUALLY AN OLD POST, BUT REALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE CARICATURES. IT MARKS THE FIRST TIME I REALLY STARTED TAKING CHANCES WITH EXTREME EXAGGERATION AFTER A LOT OF STUDYING. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS, ENJOY.


IF YOU ARE INTO EXTREME CARICATURE PORTRAITS LIKE THIS ONE, FEEL FREE TO COMMISSION ME TO GET ONE OF YOUR OWN! Prices are very affordable.

HOW TO GET EYEBALLS TO YOUR FACEBOOK PAGES

Here ia a great technique that can get people to instantly look at your posts on facebook, but be careful, you can also tick people off if you are not careful

HOW TO DRAW CARICATURES ON THE SUBWAY PODCAST Part five

HOW TO DRAW CARICATURES ON THE SUBWAY PODCAST Part four

HOW TO DRAW CARICATURES ON THE SUBWAY PODCAST Part three

HOW TO DRAW CARICATURES ON THE SUBWAY PODCAST Part two

HOW TO DRAW CARICATURES ON THE SUBWAY PODCAST Part One

INTERVIEW with Creator of iFaraday Capacitive Stylus .Rustle Laidman

BECAUSE WE ARE DEDICATED TO NOT JUST BLOWING OUR OWN HORN AND SHOWING OFF OUR OWN CARICATURE WORK, WE ARE PRESENTING AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD FAMOUS I FARADAY STYLUS, RUSTLE LAIDMAN.

INTERVIEW : Elgin 'Subwaysurfer' Bolling interviews Rustle Laidman, inventor of the iFaraday Capacitive Stylus.

Oh. Hello, Elgin. First let me say what a handsome and charming fellow you are. Well, enough about you, let's get right to my interview. Shall we?

HOW LONG HAS THE IFARADAY BEEN AROUND?

The iFaraday website was started Aug 2, 2010, which is 4 months ago

THE NAME IFARADAY IS KIND OF UNUSUAL. HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT CHOOSING IT?

Well, like all my ideas, they come to me like a flash from above. But if I were to break it down, I would do so thusly...

The 'Farad', unit of 'capacitance' is named in honor of Michael Faraday, a preeminent scientist in the field of electricity. These new multi-touch devices -  iPhone, iPads, etc use capacitance as the basis for their touch screens. Naturally I had to have an "i" as the first letter, et voilà!

For many digital artists, myself included, the iFaraday is the stylus of choice. What is the reason for its phenomenal success?

I will tell you the very auspicious beginning of the iFaraday. I sent a stylus to my wife's knitting friend and blogger, Anne Hansen. Within a few days I had several dozen orders. Next I randomly chose to contact two iPhone artists - David Hockney, and Angie Jordan. Needless to say Hockney never wrote back (I don't blame him in the slightest) Angie Jordan was incredibly receptive. It was disarming really, because here is this talented artist corresponding with me and the next thing I know she includes my product in one of her videos. Now the orders, really started coming in. Recently, I'm searching the internet for words about myself (as I am wont to do) when I find a  glowing review by Elgin the Subway Surfer. But you knew that already didn't you Elgin? I am definitely off to a good start. I've had to shut down the website several times to catch up on orders.

DID YOU ENVISION THE PRODUCT WOULD BECOME AS IN DEMAND AS IT IS, TODAY?

Well yes and no. I made it for my wife with no intention of selling it. But I found that there was more than meets the eye to such a deceptively simple product. It took me several iterations before before my wife would even use it. By watching her I learned where improvements were needed. I won't bore you with details, but suffice it to say that by the time I was finished I knew this stylus was superior to anything I had seen.

I READ THAT YOUR WIFE WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CREATION OF THE IFARADAY STYLUS. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?

First, I must explain that my wife has a knack for technology. Here are a few examples, going way back...

Wife: Let's get a Macintosh.  Me: What's wrong with the Amiga?

Wife: Let's sell on eBay         Me: What's wrong with the pawn shop?

Wife: I'm getting an iPhone   Me: What's wrong with the Palm Pilot?

So you see Elgin, my wife is the forward thinker in the family. (If only I had listened when she told me to buy stock.)

She bought that iPhone, despite my protests and she spends countless hours playing 'Bejewelled'. So, I set about to make a stylus for her. I didn't own an iPhone; I had to borrow hers in the beginning for testing, but she stopped letting me use it.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOU. DID YOU ALWAYS HAVE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET?

When you say 'ENTREPRENEURIAL' the first thing that comes to mind is one of those 'As Seen On TV' gadgets. No, I don't think like that. I make things for for myself, as the need arises, and by the time I'm finished, I've usually learned something valuable that I can pass along. (I'm a slow learner but a good teacher.) During the process, I invariably hit some obstacle that makes my original idea extremely difficult, and I want to give up, but that's exactly what keeps me going. And that's what separates me from the pack. I have several products, and they all have this commonality - they took a lot of painstaking effort. I'm good at that.

WERE YOU ALWAYS ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO TINKERED WITH THINGS, TRYING TO BUILD A BETTER MOUSETRAP, TO USE AN OLD CLICHE?

Yes. I'm a tinkerer. Starting with my dad's Twistoflex(TM) watch. The commercial on TV showed somebody twisting this amazing watchband, exactly how I did, before it broke. I left it in his shoe, so he would step on it and think he broke it.  How's that for creativity?!

Tinkering on the iFaraday stylus involved experimenting with materials. You probably would not believe the number of materials I tested. Did you know that some of the most exotic materials can be found in a toy store? Exotic materials tend to show up first as playtoys.

ARE YOU PLANNING ON EXPANDING/ DIVERSIFYING YOUR PRODUCT LINE? I THINK ITS FINE AS IS, BUT WHATS IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE IFARADAY?

Yes, in fact. By the time you read this, there should be some new developments on the iFaraday.com website.

HOW HAS THE INTERNET IMPACTED YOUR BUSINESS? COULD YOU HAVE ACHIEVED YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF SUCCESS WITHOUT IT?

Once upon a time I was a computer programmer, and one of my first offerings  pre-dates the internet. In those days, one would distribute 'Shareware' on diskettes, which would circulate, somehow, and if you were lucky people sent you money in the mail, as a thank you. I still have the check I received from Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple)  A check for $5 for my program, 'Rosarium', which you've never heard of.

I've always had an abundance of ideas. The only problem was marketing them. But with the advent of the internet, this problem has been solved. It's really so easy if you have something decent to offer. I don't know what I would do without the internet. Work a regular job, I guess. Maybe I would invent the internet!!

WHAT WORDS OF WISDOM FOR SELF-ERS?

Be yourself.

What More NEEDS to be said?? Make sure you BUY this great product folks. It's affordable priced, and will MORE than pay for itself, I guarantee it! 


The Subwaysurfer uses the IFaraday exclusively  to create his digital gift caricature work. if you would like a digital caricature of yourself,or your love ones,etc. drop me a line, and lets talk ! prices are reasonable, and you wont regret it!

cartoons4u2@aol.com

CARICATURES BY ELGIN!: ONE OF NEW YORK CITY'S BEST CARICATURE ENTERTAINERS Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

CARICATURES BY ELGIN!: ONE OF NEW YORK CITY'S BEST CARICATURE ENTERTAINERS Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

Im the ORIGINAL SUBWAYSURFER Accept No Imitations

There are a few folk out there who are trying to reinvent themselves and feel that they're going to try their hand at SUBWAYSURFING or doing live drawing on the train and acting like THEY "came up with this" Im not saying that artists have not always drawn on the train and in public places, but among my circle of influence as a caricature artist, I was the first . Some people are trying to use a back door approach to make a name for themselves realizing now that on the net you need to do SOMETHING to make yourself stand out. Subway drawing and sketching has ALWAYS been my thing, by niche, Go find your own niche, or at least ACKNOWLEDGE that you are following MY LEAD. Thats what this podcast is about .

Animated Short Chipmunk vs Warrior based on Pencil Tests In Monkey Jam

This is the end result of the film I worked on based entirely on pencil tests I put together in this great free program called, MONKEY JAM. The program is simple to use, downloads easily, and as far as the learning curb is concerned, if you can operated an ATM machine, you can use this program. With indy animation being so popular today, this is a must have tool for beginning animators, especially. I highly recommend it.


Ive personally had the program for YEARS and up until now to be honest was just too darn selfish to tell anyone about it. But this is, after all, SOCIAL MEDIA, and as such, it's not about ME as much as it is about YOU! ... having said that, let me tell you about the NEW features the software has. This list comes from their site

Audio support for WAV and MP3 files.

Audio scrubbing in Xsheet and Preview.

Export AVI with audio.

Dialog markup.

Keyboard shortcuts (+/-,1-9) for changing image duration.

Improved Scanner interface.

Better support for PAL resolutions.

Import images to new layer option.

Drawing duration change shortcuts.

New Windows installer.

Option to re-name drawing in Xsheet and file on harddrive at same time.

Option in Xsheet to edit image in program of choice.

Full second preview in StopMotion capture mode.

Full size image viewer in Xsheet.

Support for non-English translations (Latin-1 characterset only).

Find out more about MONKEY JAM by going to their website at

http://www.giantscreamingrobotmonkeys.com/monkeyjam/

Animated short Pencil test created with MONKEY JAM for Wiremonkey films by Subwaysurfer

This is a sequence I created initially on tracing paper, scanned into my computer, then through into the FREE Monkey jam pencil test program. The results were magical. This is a great program for beginning animators to use. I highly recommend it.
Find out more about MONKEY JAM by going to their website at

http://www.giantscreamingrobotmonkeys.com/monkeyjam/

Animated pencil tests by subwaysufer for Wiremonkey Films

Star Trek's Mr.Spock caricature by subwaysurfer

I got all jealous and nostalgic after seeing Steve's version of Mr. Spock, so I searched my subwaysurfer archives and found this version. Live long, and caricature!

MR. SPOCK CARICATURED by STEVE DORRIS

My former NCN Roomate, caricature artist, Steve Dorris, just made me throw up in my mouth a little bit, followed by me turning green with envy when I saw THIS pic hidden away on his Face book site. Theres Steve with MR SPOCK himself, actor Leonard Nimoy. Getting the pic WITH Nimoy woud have been awesome enough. Getting the pic with Nimoy holding your cariature of him? Priceless!
Steve did an excellent caricature of me some years back as the cartoon character , THE TICK, and also as DOG the Bounty Hunter.

See MORE of Steves great work at
http://www.gatorgrafx.com/

Elgin's video testimonial - How to draw caricatures

I was approached to make this commercial for fellow caricature artist/animator Jim van der Keyl Years ago at an NCN Caricature Artist Convention, and was more than happy to do so. In my caricature drawing infancy, when I had zero knowledge, and do connections, Jim's series,which were VHS at the time, and I still HAVE, provided me with structure, useful information, and a point of departure. As a testimony to what I had learned, when I met him years later at The caricature Convention, he asked me, over dinner, to explain my particular approach to drawing caricature TO HIM!! what a compliment and a mind blower to find that I had come full circle. When the teacher asks the student a question, you know that you've learned your lessons well!


Jim has a brand new book out as well that should be part of every serious caricature artists library, I suggest you get it! From what I've seen, it's-an updated version of his teaching series, but on steroids!!!



While we are on the subject of inspirational caricature books,remember that my book,SUBWAY SURFER EXTREME LIFE DRAWING ON DA TRAIN is still available by clicking the link to your right directly above the "FOLLOW"  tag

BEWARE OF "ART TEACHERS" by Subway surfer

Following is my response to a young artist who almost had his dream of becoming a professional artist due to the insults of his art teachers that he couldn't do it because of his inclination and earlier artistic influence in anime, particularly the series Sailor Moon. Not ALL art teachers are bad, but so many of them start fires that burn down the house of other peoples dreams just because THEY are burnt out.




Let me tell you that I was So angry that first off how angry I was when I read your letter. I was SO angry that I felt compelled to answer you immediately, and have literally put my breakfast aside to do just that.
First off, your teachers are FOOLS. I am appalled how people who are PAID to be EDUCATORS can so easily, and coldly "write off" someone's ability to draw based on viewing ONE genre that person is currently working in.  What's equally infuriating is how arrogantly, and contemptuously they can spit on your dreams!!  Finally, for them to conclude in their "wisdom", that you will   NEVER make a career as an artist overflows with imbecility!!
Treat those haters like dandruff on your shoulder,
Brush 'em off.
Develop a thicker skin to critics, trust me, you'll run into a LOT of them.
Having said that, let me take a bite of my eggs and bacon as I continue.
First off, the majority of professional artists get into the profession as a result of an initial introduction by way of a Saturday morning or weekday cartoon.  Even though all children watch and enjoy cartoons, there is always that one kid, like you, like me, and countless others, who take our fascination a step further and want to MAKE what we are seeing and drawing. For you, it was anime, and Sailor Moon. For me, it was Underdog, and the Flintstones.  
Imitation is how we develop hand eye coordination, and confidence as artists.  When your picture comes close to what you are  admiring, you know you're making progress.
Apparently your..." teachers" don't understand how vast and complex the world of anime actually is, and in order to draw it correctly you MUST be a master draftsman .

Think of anime as your entry point into the art world and just another tool in your toolbox.  Photo realism will just be another you will add.  YES it is difficult! Having said that, SO WHAT! Every new skill you have ever acquired in life, involved practice, struggle, and persistence to get it right.  Drawing anime probably didn't SEEM like a struggle to you at first, because you embraced it,and wanted to do it, so you were willing to sacrifice time, energy, sometimes even sleep itself in order to get a drawing just right. The result is that now it 's in " your blood" it is a part of you, and you will never get rid of it, and that is not a bad thing. It's just an artistic influence.

I myself, although I draw caricatures that come close to photo realism, especially when I draw in pencil, nevertheless, my artistic influences come shining through.

You can view my work at

Www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com

Apply that same energy to realistic drawing. Take a life drawing class. Draw still life pieces,sketch the nude model, go to museums and sketch the statues. You must go at this aggressively. Remember, you don't draw with your hands your draw with your MIND and it's your mind that controls your body.
As for school, no need to quit LEARNING Just quit THOSE TEACHERS.  Go to another school. Become pro active about your own education.  There are now courses you can take online, YouTube tutorials,and of course continuing Ed college courses, art groups etc.  If I could give you any advice at all it would be to forget about the goal and focus on the journey, the present moment. One sketch, one line, another sketch, another line until the picture is done. You Will get better. Winners always do, and you will never be the loser your shortsighted teachers implied

Another useful book is DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN
Which has some excellent info.

For additional inspiration you can also purchase my book, SUBWAY SURFER extreme life drawing on da train, that you can find a link to on my site at

www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com

Good luck to you.
Happy drawing!

Elgin SUBWAYSURFER Bolling

EARTH, WIND & FIRE REASONS Singing Techniques by Erik Dillard reported by subwaysurfer

There are a lot of non singing people online these days claiming to be "vocal coaches"... Ladies and Gentlemen, ERIK DILLARD is NOT one of them.
If you follow this blog of mine, you know that one of the subwaysurfer's many talents in addition to cartooning and caricature are spoken word and vocal singing. Erik Dillard is a coach I discovered online a couple of months back, I used many his exercises contained on his Erik Dillard Vocal Clinic youtube channel to supplement my live, offline vocal training, and have been more than pleased with the results, as my coach would agree!

I did a series of cartoons and caricatures for Erik as well that you can check out online, but let me tell you more about this amazing guy. First and foremost, he is one of those rare teachers who is genuinely concerned with YOUR development as a vocalist, and is willing to work with you to achieve your goals whatever they are. Erik has an engaging, gregarious personality that isn't so strong that it overwhelms you, but puts you at ease immediately. As I mentioned also, Erik Can REALLY sing. I know this shouldn't even be a point that should be made, but there are a couple of other vocal coaches online, who, although fine teachers, leave you feeling cold when they open their mouths to demonstrate. It's like me, the subwaysurfer, trying to tell you, the viewer, how to draw caricatures, when I am unable to draw a straight line....

On his Erik Dillard Vocal Clinic channel, he breaks down in detail many of the most popular songs, and a few from the past, and gives concrete advice on how YOU can attack the song vocally. and what you need to focus on. I personally love the way Erik takes the "mystery" out of singing, and demonstrates WHAT a singer is doing to achieve certain effects, and shows you HOW. The site is jammed packed with vocal drills exercises, and motivational advice that will enable you to follow your dream of being a singer, whether in front of an audience, or your shower head!

I've been at Erik for months, begging him to break down Phillip Bailey's Soaring falsetto vocal style, and it was worth the wait!

Check out Erik at

http://www.youtube.com/user/lloyd614

Baby Boy with crazy hair doo drawn on ipad by subwaysurfer

At a recent party, there was this cute little baby girl, or so I thought by the hair doo, only to find out it was a cute baby BOY who the mom loved to style his hair like a baby girl! i can only imagine what the poor kid would say to his mom if he could speak!  I drew a nice one for mom and immediately did THIS one in the ole ipad when the party ended!

Subwaysurfer looks at animator BILL PLIMPTON

Bill Plimtpon, one of my animation heores recently was a guest speaker at the ISCA convention in Las Vegas that I unfortunatley could not attend this year... again... sigh.... After checking his website I was horrified to diecover that I COULD HAVE SEEN HIM IN BRONX VILLE NY!!!! just yesterday on NOV 15. This interview is a sad replacement for seeing him live, but I still wanted to air it for your viewing pleasure and mine.

BIll is a true master of the craft who does his stuff painstakingly by hand, in a sketchy style that is uniquely his. I admire the man's vision and his work ethic. He is a true inspiration to all those who have a dream and are willing to put in the WORK to follow it. A wise man was quoted to have said, DREAMS COME TRUE WHEN THE DREAMING Part Stops!! Plimpton epitomizes that though.

Martin K - Animation Blog: Be Thankful for Your Uniqueness

Martin K - Animation Blog: Be Thankful for Your Uniqueness: "Great article from Pamela Kleibrink Thompson at Animation World Network. From the article: During the filming of Some Like it Hot, Tony Cur..."

ipad subway commuter... reminds me of Humphrey Bogart by subwaysurfer

He aint the spitting image of Bogie, but this particular commuter had an eerie "bogart" vibe about him...."Here's lookin at you , kid.."

Art Jumble Blog: MONKEYS from the NYC COMIC CON 2008 by subwaysufer...

Art Jumble Blog: MONKEYS from the NYC COMIC CON 2008 by subwaysufer...: "At this Comic Con I was helping to promote the movie, SPACE CHIMPS and was drawing people who came to the booth as caricatured monkeys. What..."