THE MAKING OF AN AVATAR Part One Creating "Captain Actuary" By Subwaysurfer

"...I WANT YOU TO MAKE AN AVATAR OF MY BOYFRIEND, HE'S AN ACTUARY!..."
I recieved this email from an enthusiastic female client, who wanted to surprise her Actuary Boyfriend with a unique Valentines Day Gift in the form of an Avatar. I was glad that she couldnt see me scratch my head as i wondered just what an Actuary was, and did. I found out that  an Actuary is a financial professional who specializes in risk analysis. They use statistics and other mathematical formulas to calculate the risk of financial instruments. Which means her Boyfriend is a pretty smart guy.

As always, I asked her to email me some great pictures of him that showed front side and three quarter view, and to include a character description of his personality, work habits traits, etc. So that i could use my genuis imagination to construct a humorous caricature/avatar/  I then had to put my genuis on hold as she gave me one of the greatest things that any client can give a caricature artist. A BACKSTORY!!!!  It seems that her pet name for her beau, was "Captain Actuary". She explained that he solved problems with his "ABBACUS OF TRUTH", and being an amatuer paleontologist, he rode. as his Noble Steed, "ALI" the ALLOSAURUS! Continuing on, she explained also how her boyfriend was an avid runner, and as a result, had very large leg muscles. In the course of our conversation, she had provided me with more than enough "visual hooks" for me to  sink my caricature invested  brain into !
We had almost too much fun on the phonecalls devising ways i could have fun breathing life into "Captain Actuary" and I said my goodbyes, and enthusiastically went to work.

STEP ONE:  ROUGH IT OUT FAST!

Whenever I create a character I ride the first wave of emotion that comes to me and immediately rough out the look and postion of the character. At this stage my emotional connection to the drawing is the most important aspect. I like my pictures to have the feel of the character either "getting ready" to move or "in the midst of moving" and drawing quick enables me to do that.  I draw very quickly using the other side of the Tombo Brush pen, which has a nice fine tip marker that is excellent for making rough sketches. As far as the face goes I look for really strong geometric shapes that I can exploit. I do my initial drawing s on tracing paper  knowing that i will go over the rough sketch in the second stage.

STEP TWO: B:OCK IN THE MAIN FEATURES;

Once satisfied with the initial quick sketch i slow things down a bit and really start looking for the main shapes that are going to define the drawing. I start paying attention  How all the propls that make up the caricature will be presented. The face is very important6 at this stage so i really take my time to get that right.  I also start esperiementing more on how individual proportions relate to each other. Even though one pictue is shown here I due about two or three progressions before proceeding to the final stage.

STEP THREE: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!

Once Successful In the two previous stages, Im not ready to go full out and ink it before taking it to the coloring stage. Once i get to the final inking stage i get very meticulous about my linework and never rush. It's important to love every stroke you do, and not to '"veg out" on your drawing. I want to have as much an emoritonal connection at this stage as i did in the beginning. Since I am now adding very definite expression to the drawing, in the case of the Allosaurus  especially i want to be sure to get that right. At this stage ive also added additional elements like a kind of collar to the cape, the "Captain Actuary" "CA" Insignia to his chest, as well as refinitng the look of his Abbacus of Truth.  Once this final Inking stage is done, I do one of the hardest things that i have to do as an artist. I divorce myself emotionally from the piece, and take a hard objective look at it.  Within minutes, i can see that I need to do this over, because Ive gotten it

ALL WRONG!

There was nothing wrong with the physical likeness, perse, but one look at the picture made me realize that instead of drawing for the client, I had "drawn for myself."   My client was a female. This was a gift for the man she loves, and while she allowed for a certain "comic license " on my part, Im sure she didnt want me to "drive off the road" Trying to look at this from a womens point of view, I asked myself would I like this? Probably not. The Allosaurus was too ferocious looking, and the foot was obstructing  the view its head besides. The "BIG FACE" little body angle wasnt really working, here and ended up making her boyfriend look kinda goofy in this pic. Im sure she wouldnt appreciate that. The Abbacus of Truth, seemed like it should have a more prominent role in terms of size, and the "CA" Captain Actuary Insignia, was just downright Lazy! Oh yeah, and what was up with the collar on the cape thing? Overall, I had done an exaggerated wacky portrait that I WOULD HAVE LIKED, but when we are drawing for others we must think in terms of them. As an artist, you must be willing to swallow your ego and start at the drawing board again...... which is exactly what  I did..... See part TWO of

HE MAKING OF AN AVATAR Creating "Captain Actuary" By Subwaysurfer

ipad caricature of Scuzzy Scarey Subway dude by Subwaysurfer

he looked like a combination  burnt out rock star,slash homeless war veteran slashmaggot invested crackhead..... for all I know , he was just an undercover cop totally immersed in his character. Whatever he was, he is one of the reasons I love riding the trains of this city. You just cant find these kinda people anywhere else. Its like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get.... HEY! I should patent that line!

Id be interested in knowing who and what kinda... er... extraordinary people youve seen on the trains. Please feel free to comment! I wanna hear from you!

ANNOYING EXPRESSIONS THAT MAKE ME WANNA SCREAM

I don't know about you, but there are some expressions that I hear on a daily basis that makes me wanna scream to the top of my lungs until I'm breathless. It's almost as if the people who say these things routinely don't have a definable personality, no original thoughts, and couldn't have an idea if you handed them a light bulb.

Feel free to add your own annoying expressions, here are some of mine...

Here's my list
YADA YADA YADA
KNOWWHUTI'MSAYING?!
IT BE LIKE...
YA KNOW...YA KNOW..YA KNOW...
WHUTS UP WITH THAT?
OOOOOHHHH KAY...
YEAHHHHHHH RIGHT.
YO CHILL
YO CHILL HOMIE
YO HOMIE, CHILL
WHUT UP DOG?
JUST CHILLIN
WHUTS UPPP?
YO, SON!
THEY HAD ME ROLLIN!!
I WUZ ROLLIN!
YO, I WUZ ROLLIN, SON!
YO, I WUZ ROLLIN, SON......word.
WHY IT GOTTA BE LIKE THAT?
WHY I GOTTA BE ALL THAT?
OH, SO IT'S "LIKE THAT,"HUH?
WHY YEW ILLIN?
WHY YEW ILLIN, SON?
YO, WHY Y'ALL ILLIN?
YO, HE GOTS MADD SKILLZ!
JUST HANDLIN MY BIZNESS...
KNOWWHATIMEAN?!
SO,WHUTS UP WIT YEW?
YO, YEW MY BOYE!
YO, THAT'S MY GURL, .......word.
FERGETTABOUTIT!
WHATS THE DILLIE OH?!
YO, DAT WUZ KRAZIE...
IM MADD TIRED
IM MADD HUNGRY
IM MADD!

www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW KAHLEEN GAGE

In a previous post, you heard me sing the phrases of author and social media consultant, Kahleen,"Pure Water"Gage, and if you weren't motivated enough to visit her blog at
http://www.kathleengage.com/Kathleengage.htm
Maybe this particular stat, taken from her blog, will make you thirsty enough to drink from her well:

Successfully sold over $7,000 in 48 hours of one eBook as a result of a very well planned and implemented Internet marketing strategy. Over the years that one product has produced well over $250,000 worth of direct and indirect revenue.

I'm not naive enough to "guarantee" that the exact same thing will happen to you, if you follow her advice, but I will say that I'd rather learn from an expert who has DONE IT, rather than a writer who is just "talking about " how to do it. I almost feel guilty about giving you access to her info! I originally wanted to selfishly keep it to myself, butt hats not being a nice cyberspace citizen, so I share....

Kathleen Gage an Oasis of Water in the Cyberspace Desert

“HOW TO SUCCEED IN SOCIAL MEDIA!!”
It seems everywhere you look online today, someone is preaching about how they can help YOU strike gold in the cyberspace hills of social media! Sadly, though after you’ve sold the farm and stalked your claim, you find out that you’re only stuck with fools gold in your hand, stranded in a desert wasteland. I know I was.

The truth is, a lot of these so called social media experts, are nothing more than cyber-con artists, whose advice and methods are not backed up by practical experience, and measurable results. The frustrating thing is that you KNOW the truth MUST be out there, but where do you go to find that water In the desert of Cyberspace? How to you keep from chasing after mirages?

Kathleen Gage is an oasis in the desert, who provides that water. In fact. “Pure Water,” is the LITERAL meaning of her first name! Her last name, “Gage” beautifully supports the first name. It’s meaning is “Oath, Promise, or Pledge” “The Promise of Pure Water” That’s what Kathleen Gage is all about, and if you are
thirsty for knowledge that refreshes, sustains and satisfies, you should drink routinely from her well.

In fact, if you need a drink now, just go here! http://www.kathleengage.com/Kathleengage.htm

I had an opportunity to drink from her well the other day as I listened to a broadcast of hers explaining how to effectively use the social media tool, Linkedin . Kathleen provided straight forward, idiot proof information on how to use linkedin and I immediately went to work to impliment what I had learned. I KNOW its going to get me results. My next step was to write Kathleen to thank her personally for giving me great information in the best way that I know how. By offering her something as valuable as she gave me. Her own personalized subwaysurfer style avatar/caricature. here is an excerpt from the letter that i wrote. Be sure to read the letter folks, as there is valuable information in it FOR YOU TOO.

Dear Kahleen, I listened with great interest to your broadcast on the Feb 2nd edition of the Author Helping Authors site. Your insights about marketing on linkedin gave me some very useful ideas,particularly on how to target a specific group in your local area. A couple things you said specifically caught my attention regarding setting up the profile.
"Make sure when you put up your profile, that it's a complete profile, and it's interesting" "you really want to add some character to it"
I couldn't agree more! Especially about the "character" part. In addition to being an e book author, I am also a professional artist who specializes in turning people into characters, literally, through the art of caricature. Ive found it to be a very effective way in personally branding yourself, and the caricature does double duty as an avatar, to be used in online correspondence, and also offline for periodicals and other promotional items. I  provide this service specifically to online marketers at a price that it affordable and within any budget, however modest.
Please accept this one I did of you as my gift. I dont like to get something for nothing, and just wanted to give YOU something to help enhance YOUR business. Thanks So Much!

Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling
http://www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com/
http://www.caricatures4u2.blogspot.com/

VIEW KATHLEEN GAGE VIDEO ON SYLVIA MASSARA'S THE LIT CHICK SHOW

http://www.litchickshow.com/2011/02/authors-helping-authors-kathleen-gage.html=

HOW TO BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT by subwaysurfer

" How to I get more views on my YouTube videos?""how can I get more tweets on twitter?"" how do I get people to read my blog?". These are the questions that loom in the back of the mind of each person striving to not just exist online, but to have a presence, and succeed, whatever that may mean to yhem...
While relaxing today, I watched Gladiator, one of my favorite movies, starring Russel Crowe. While viewing it I was startled to hear a line in the movie that offered some insight on how to become a social media expert. Following is the excerpt originally posted on my facebook page. Enjoy.


Elgin Bolling
MAXIMUS: You were a gladiator? PROXIMO: Yes, I was PROXIMO: . I wasn't the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me. Win the crowd, win your freedom. MAXIMUS: I will win the crowd. I will give them something they have never seen before


Elgin Bolling BEST advice for becoming a social media expert
14 minutes ago · Like

Elgin Bolling WIN THE CROWD! thats talking about the online community who looks at your blog, your text messages, ALL the material you put out there.  Do things with THEM in mind, rather than always thinking about yourself! Give em something they've never seen before, and they go to your webinars, buy your ebooks, download your podcasts, comment on your you tube bids, tweet you, read your blog, and friend you on facebook. Apparently I have a long way to go....Heres to all you online gladiators out there!
12 minutes ago · Like

SPRAY CAN GRAFFETTI CHARACTER by Subwaysurfer

According to my stats, THIS particular character, is getting a lot of attention from certain viewers and has become one of the most viewed, and probably downloaded pics on the subwaysurfer Blogg. This just goes to show you that you NEVER can completely guess what peope are going to respond to. Ive ALWAYS been a fan of Graff art and writing since the seventies and eighties, and elements of the style have appeared in my caricature work. I did the original spray can just as a drawing for myself, and uploaded it because I thought it ould be kinda cool. Apparently, other people think so also, which is why I did an updated version.

DOWNLOADING AND SWIPING PICTURES AND ARTICLE POSTS
Im not one of these, come at ya will all guns blazing if you swipe some of my pics off the site and use them in your blogs or to accompany your articles. In fact, the web being the social media beast that it is , I have come to expect it.

FEEL FREE TO SAMPLE WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR ARTICLES AND BLOGGS WITH CONDITIONS

Lets be fair about this. Im a professonal artist. I do this for fun AND profit. If people are lifting pictures without even ASKING permission, AND not compensating , thats not cool. I am reasonable and can work out deals financially via paypal that are affordable, AND will even be willing to draw something custom made. I recently stumbled across one of my pics used by a fan to illustrate one of his articles, which was, quite excellently written, by the way! LOL! I contated him on compensating me for the pic, the price was more than reasonable, and now we have a working business relationship built on trust and respect. Thats all Im asking.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO SWIPE INCLUDE MY URL AS A LINK
Give me credit for what I have taken time to create. Web Traffic is as valuable a commodity on line as a monetary reward.

IF YOU'RE USING MY ART ON YOUR SITE,LET ME KNOW SO I CAN GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT!

Like I said, Internet traffic is a valuable commodity. You help me, I help you. Lets keep the traffic flowing in a positive direction.

Enjoy the illo. Feel free to share.

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...
See More
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.