SUBWAYSURFER CARICATURE TOP TEN

Considering the thousands of faces I've drawn over the years, it really is hard to make a really definitive top ten list. However, the pics that I've chosen here do hold a special place in my heart a d I find myself going back again and again to admire them. Each one marks either a particular prolific drawing period in my artistic life, the adding of a new principle,or an artistic breakthrough on a new method. It's not listed in terms of priority, meaning number one n my list is superior to number ten, it's just that I have to start SOMEWHERE, so I dd. Hope you enjoy the pictures ad the commentary.


1. "HAMMER HEAD SHARK DUDE ON THE BUS"
I will never forget the unbelievably large protruding forehead of this guy who sat across from me on the Q32 Bus. I immediately thought that if Hammerhead sharks were to evolve into humans, this guy would be the result. I originally drew this in pencil, then colored it in my iPad using the art studio app. This was the first time I'd used the app to color over my pencil lines which took my coloring technique to a new level. Aside from his forehead, I loved the way I was able to capture his subtle expression and personality. It was just like I'd caught him in mid sentence.

2 ANTHONY WEINER GETTIN KICKED BY TWITTER BIRD
I drew this Editorial caricature of Anthony Weiner following his "sexting" scandal where he accidentally sent a provocative message on twitter to what he thought was one of his liaisons.the caricature was dead on and had just tge right amount if exaggeration and animated quality to it.

3 DUDE WITH THE GIGANTIC EARS

I love this caricature because it was done during a period where I was trying to go all out with my exaggerations while still maintaining a likeness. At the urging of a collegue, who suggested that I draw the ears reaaaaalllly impossibly oversized, this "butterfly head" bag was the result.



4 GIRL WITH A WEAVE! WITH LIPS LIKE A DUCK

This pic is so memorable because it marked the absolute first time I did an extreme exaggeration in a live setting. I drew this caricature on 11X14 paper with a colored penci. She was an especially beautiful girl with an unbelievable mane of thick curly hair that seemed to be everywhere! That was my first visual hook, the next one was her full lips, and mouth that was slightly open. I saw her completely from profile view, which enabled her to be totally unaware of me, and enabled me to get a really good look at her. Prior to drawing this caricature, I avoided drawing profiles, but after this began to love them.



5 BI-RACIAL COUPLE

Ths was drawn during my colored pencil period, and was a gift caricature of a Bi racial couple I'd met in Starbucks in Brooklyn Heights. She had this cutie pie face, with a mane of curly hair that framed her face perfectly. The most outstanding thing about him was his looooong neck. Possibly te longest on a guy I'd ever seen which didn't seem to match his height.



6 CARICATURE COMMUTERS IN PEN AND INK
I KNOW this is a group, and technically not a single "sixth" caricature, but they all have that same awesome ink line which demonstrates my skill when I was really into doing pure "open" inked caricatures minus shading colour and other props. It also represented my signature party caricature style





7 CARTOON FAMILY PORTRAIT

This is one of my personal all time favorite caricatures because it was a departure from my caricature/portrait style that I had grown comfortable doing. During this artistic period, I began to be heavily include by several "caricature cubists" like Andy URZUA, Chrs Chua, and several Japanese artists from the NCN. I always wanted to break out and use this style exclusively, but never quite developed the confidence to Donita live....YET.

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

8 CARICATURE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
THIS S MORE OF A CHARACTER DESIGN!cartoon/caricature of the biblical,l prophet.

9 BUGS BUNNY GIRL
She had a tremendous mouth like a cave

she looks a little like bugs bunny dont she?

10 HUMAN BEAVER
Raul, a fan from FACEBOOK requested that I draw his caricature highly exaggerated after viewing my work. It had been weeks since I'd gotten my iPad, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do a commissioned drawing from start to finish, entirely on the device itself. I did all my initial pencil lines and digital painting. It took days to complete, but the end result was magical, and gave me a lot og confidence.

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.

HOW TO BECOME A CARTOONIST prt three and four

HOW TO BECOME A CARTOONIST SERIES prt one and two

Caricature Expressionist series: ANDY URZUA

The word,"Caricature"to the lay person, brings to mind exaggerated theme park, street corner portraits with big noses, tiny bodies, and oversized heads. And while this is one style of caricature, the truth is that there are many different styles ranging from the realistic, to the abstract and iconic. It is the last two categories that I'd like to focus on in ths interview series. I've ad the privilege of associating with a special group of artists from around the world and nation who make up The ISCA( International Society of Caricature Artists) formally known as the NCN (National Caricatrists Network). Over the years I've noticed an elite "fringe" group within the organization, who seemed totally unconcerned with drawing so called conventional caricature, instead preferring to not only push the envelope of exaggeration, but rip the envelope to shreds and burn the pieces of paper! The result if their labors emerged a totally new exciting and highly personal way to draw caricature. In tge first interview of the series, meet Andy Urzua!

I REMEMBER WRITING, HOW YOU DRAW LIKE A LITTLE KID! NO DISRESPECT MEANT BY THAT! LOL what I meant is that its unrestrained and free. Have you always drawn this way? Well, I never used to draw this way?

In fact I never used to draw caricatures. I used to only draw little comic strips and a few drawings here and there with markers for friends of just random things. My last real job before being hired at Sea World through Kaman’s Art Supplies were I do caricatures was at Safeway/Vons where I was a baker. So I really had no connection to caricatures at all. It wasn’t till 2yrs at Vons when I met Gabriel Hunt he had told me about a try out for caricatures at Sea World for the SeaWorld/ San Diego zoo. So I submitted my portfolio of drawings. Went to the try outs and was quickly swept up by Beau Hufford who was the manger at that time for Sea World who told me that I would be great for Sea World and that the zoo was lame. True story. 7 mths in my job at Sea World I had learned so much I had never known about the human face and myself. After my first convention within my first 7mths in it had changed my view on caricature once again. This is when I started experimenting with my own cartoon strip style with live faces along with some other styles I had seen at this convention like my buddy Tomokazu Tabata from Tokyo, Japan. Since then my style has slowly improved, but I’m always learning new techniques.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR ARTISTIC BACKGROUND. WHATS YOUR DOSSIER?

I had only high school training in the arts really. I mean I only attended art classes as electives I used to always get C’s in class. I always wanted to do the projects my way. I wasn’t good at listening. But I also was in Journalism as the editorial cartoonist which I would draw everything from fillers to full on strips, I would also go on to compete for the school at state wide journalism competitions. I placed 4th usually locally, 13th state wide. After high school I had know plans for college, I never really had any sort of direction. I went with the flow. I had a caricature job once before when I was 18 but it only lasted a few months and I never really enjoyed it then. My head was somewhere else.



LIKE CHRIS CHUA, YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST CARICATURE ARTISTS CURRENTLY UTILIZING WHAT I CALL THE CARICATURE CUBISM SLASH ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISTIC EXAGGERATION APPROACH. DID YOU ALWAYS DRAW THIS WAY, OR DID IT JUST EVOLVE?

My style has totally evolved. It’s funny you mention Chris Chua, when I first saw his work during a pre NCN Reno Convention issue of Exaggerated Features I didn’t really like his style. I remember having conversations on his choices. My boss then told me I had to keep an open mind. But I did how ever like Tomokazu Tabatas style featured in the same issue. Which is the whole reason why I attended my first convention. As far as my style and where it originated from well it just came from everything I had accumulated through the years be it cartoons I watched, artist I admired or just the motivation from knowing I had the skills to create something completely different then someone else. I dunno really. Right now my favorite artist is Makoto Wada an older Japanses artist from japan. He doesn’t do caricatures anymore.But I came across a book of his through Tabata and it has helped me categorize myself as a minimalist caricaturist defining my child like style

OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO BE "WIRED A CERTAIN WAY"TO EVEN GET A RECOGNIZABLE LIKENESS AT ALL USING THIS STYLE, WHICH YOU DO CONSISTENTLY, BY THE WAY, WHAT IS YOUR THINKING PROCESS?

Thank You. But it can be hard, and not all the time am I happy with my likenesses. When I draw live I sometimes wish I had more time since most of the time your decisions final. But I’ve had lots of practice to get it right most of the time. But when I work at home and have more time to work on a likeness of a celebrity or client/friend then my decisions can out easier for me, theres no pressure. But my process is usually looking at objects that reflect the design I have in mind and then exaggerating from that one idea.

AWHOSE WORK DO YOU LIKE? WHOSE DO YOU HATE? WHY?
I have many artist I like most of them are my friends, I don’t have to many that I hate since that word for me seems to strong, I would have to care to much about one style to hate it. But there are times when I disagree with decisions an artist makes.


ANY INTERESTING STORIES INVOLVING YOUR WORK?
As far as this interview goes? I’ve gone on to win some awards from the now ISCA convention and have been able to travel around with my work. Drawing in another country is something I will cherish forever.


WHAT OTHER THINGS ARE YOU PURSUING WITH YOUR ART?
At the moment I’m taking it slow,I’m drawing mainly for some online competitions once and a while since I have a curious 17th month old son running around. But I have some plans on children books and other such illustrations not having to do directly with caricatures.


EVER HEAR OF THIS SUBWAYSURFER GUY? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIM?
Yah, I’ve heard of him alright, this punk owes me money!


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WATERCOLOR CARICATURE OF RADIO K-LOVE DJ CHUCK

I got a chance to follow through on one of my New Years resolutions of experimenting with a new medium, Watercolor, in 2012. After working beside my collegue, Kenly Dillard, I always admired the beauty f his caricature paintings, nit to mention his audience response, whenever he added watercolor to his caricature. I vowed several times in 2011, that ud follow his lead, but never did. I decided to dive right in, a d started with a face that I thought was kinda fun, namely DJ Chuck of K Love radio. I don't know hw Chuck feels about the picture, but I love the results! I applied the same shading principles to the watercolor as I would to pencil, and the results were great! I feel very encouraged. Since I'm just getting used to this, I decided to severly limit my color choice and I think I will stick to monochromatic for a while.

I GOT A CHINESE GUY TO DO IT!"

"I GOT A CHINESE GUY TO DO IT!"

Let me start off this post first my saying, rather strongly, that I am not in any way, shape or form prejudiced against Chinese people, I am not angy wit them, I have no ax to grind with them, I have no desire to ridicule them, I do not hate them. Anyone who walks away from this article thinking otherwise has made up their own minds about what THEY believe I am implying. 

So, why the title?I GOT A CHINESE GUY TO DO IT!"

Recently, in the latter days of 2011, that phrase,I GOT A CHINESE GUY TO DO IT!" was uttered a lot by potentially high paying clients, and the frequency of this response caused me to reflect on just hiw many times I've heard this phrase uttered by a client.

It would be an understatement to say,  I've heard it a LOT.  So many times, in fact, that it's become a private joke. A bad one, but a joke nevertheless, and the "funny"part is, that the jokes on me, and my fellow NYC caricature artists.

Here's how the scenario usually plays out...
Client A calls me up frantic and excited , ranting about an assignment that involves a caricature of a boss, employee, family member, or lived one. The client assures me that I was chosen specifically from a cast of billions of other caricature artists. I am told that it was MY work, MY Style, MY special intangible, irresistible "something" that made me stand out from the pack. I purr like a freshly petted kitten and bask in the sunshine if their praise before inquiring as to what they need. Client A explains that they have an impossibly tight deadline, and require my services, or a picture that includes caricature, scenery, and my own sparkling personality. I smile and give my price waiting for that familiar sound of wallets opening, and cash being cheerfully pulled out into my waiting hands.  I look up, and Client A's face has become a stoic mask of concentration. I begin to hear as if coming from a far away dimension the words, "I have to consult with my husband, colleagues, dog whisper, etc. But I'll get back to you!"

I flash another smile and say, "OK" with as much enthusiasm as possible, knowing that this may be the end of what started out to be a beautiful business friendship... I still hold out hope though!
After all, they DID choose ME because of MY style , my "special something"right? I mean, you can't just get that anywhere! It's MY "special something" after all, and only I can make it!

I recheck with Clent A within the hour to find out how their consultation with the other parties went. I call with renewed confidence! I was worried for nothing! Just a silly, momentary Lack of confidence....

Then I hear the dreaded response on the other end:

I GOT A CHINESE GUY TO DO IT!"

For those of you readers who are not NYC Caricature artists, the afore mentioned line, I GOT A CHINESE GUY TO DO IT!" may ave gone over your heads. Allow me to shed some light on this.

In NYC caricature is big business. Tourists love them. And all , they have to do to find one is go to the "caricature Mecca spot" Times Square. From West 42nd street up to about west 50th street, you can practically trip over a caricature artist as you're being dazzled by the bright lights, jostled by the crowds of shoppers, and gawking at the tall buildings. You would think in the proverbial cultural belting pot that  NYC is famous for, you'd see a variety of artists of all creeds and races, curiously, that's NOT SO!  The fact is that Chinese portrait artist have the place on lockdown taking every available spot  

Whenever a cheapskate client doesn't feel like paying an artist what they are worth, they always can go for the default plan of going to Times Square and ayi g a Chinese guy to do it for a whole lot less. I can understand saving money, but what's unfkrgivabe is that these clients ask the world of you And expect to get it for discount prices. The fact that they choose the Chinese guy tells me that they don't even NEED all the trimmings they demand from me, when they KNOW they know will settle fr less....


Because they do.

SUBWAY COMMUTER MULTI-TASKER CARTOON by subwaysurfer

As I'm sitting on the train vegging out one day, not even remotely interested in drawing, which is extremely rare for me,I happen to glance up, and regain my creative conciousess long enough to spot my muse.
If you've been on a New York City Subway lately, it's becoming increasingly hard to tell if your actually riding a commuter train, or sitting down inside BEST BUY, or the APPLE Store!
Electronic gadgets are EVERYWHERE! People are talking on cellphones, playing, video games on playstation devices,popping their fingers while listening to iPods, swaying to unheard beats with gigantic headphones! And that's only the beginning! You see women of all ages, with contorted faces of intense concentration, playing games on their cellphones, teenage girls typing at breakneck speeds, texting with their thumbs, and incredibly, people with DVD players if every size and shape,watching movies like they're in they're living rooms. If course, there are the ever present iPads, iBooks, and laptops.

Judging by what you see you never ever would have believed that at one time there were actual announcements to COMMUTERS to NOT display their electronic devices! Man!it's unbelievable How far we've come!

Which brings me to my muse...

In the middle if this intense scene of talking, texing,and video viewing, was thus businessman with this enormous laptop typing as casually as he might in his own office. With Wifi soon to be coming to the subways, followed by an increase in cellphone reception power, I see the subway itself becoming even MORE of a mobile office than it us now! In the future the need to "go to work in an office" will be totally obsolete. The subway car itself will BE your office! I thought ud illustrate my vision by drawing an executive hard at work,multitasking if corse, talking on the cell to a client,which simultaneously emailing over a contract, in operation to take a sip from his hot frothy latte (there will be latte vendors on trains in the future folks).

Singing Success JESSE NEMITZ new Caricature by Elgin Bolling

http://www.singingsuccess.com/products/daves-top-7-vocal-style-secrets

Just received my Christmas gift to myself today: a audio/DVD set from Singing success.com featuring two of my favorite singing success vocal coaches, Dave Brooks, (The master of Compression!) and my artistic muse, Jesse Nemitz.  The title of the DVD audio set is The Top7 Commercial Singing Secrets by Dave Brooks.  

Although I have no aspirations of taking my show on the road, I am an avid vocal musician and I do a lot of singing in my local church congregation, and when I perform spoken word poetry.(no one has booed yet, so I must be pretty decent)  This DVD is not for the beginner, of course, (singing success has other products geared towards that) it gives advanced and intermediate vocalists the tools they need to enable them to infuse their songs with personality and vocal styling. I didn't plan on doing a plug for the product, but it's just that good! From what I understand, the set is originally 29.00 , but they're having a holiday sale where you can get it for 19.00. The mail silvery is soooo fast that you'll be amazed.

JESSE'S CARICATURE

Speaking of amazed, I got another opportunity to work on Jesses amazing face.  Don't get it twisted, I don't have a "love jones" for Jesse! But as an artist who makes his living by drawing faces(maybe yours, HINT, HINT) there are some faces that jump out at you and make you say, I WANNA DRAW THAT! Jess, IMO.has one of those faces. 
I got an opportunity to draw his profile a lot this time, since it's the dominant angle he gave while talking with Dave(rhyme unintended). The response to my last sketch of Jess was so positive, I decided to draw a more cleaner sketch this time using a Tombo and Pitt artist brush pen, and digitally painting it in Photoshop.
 Sometimes a face can look less interesting in profile view that frontal view, and three quarter, but Jesse's face is even more interesting. There's still that edgy look that comes from the dark .large deep set eyes, and that five o clock razor stubble adds to that suble ferocious appearance. The hair angle is really fun to draw, and from the side is almost Anime like. Jesse could easily be drawn in an Anime cartoony style and still be recognizable. (I think I'll go for a full body shot next time to prove my theory). As I stated in my previous drawing he has this "bird of prey" visual quality about him. Intense, fiery, but under control. His mane of thick black hair is  reminiscent of feathers, visually.

Hope Jess and his fans and Singing Success and on his FACEBOOK site, like THIS take on him. Comments are welcome and appreciated, as well as inquiries how you can get your Ian caricature avatar drawn by me(it's more affordable than you think!)

Feel free to contact me via email at 

cartoons4u2@aol.com

Looking forward to hearing from you! 

Elgin

P.S. DAVE BROOKS AND BRETT MANNING ALSO HAVE INTERESTING FACES!!...heh, heh...

CARICATURE OF BABY WITH BIG BEAUTIFUL EYES

Folks when I say this baby had large eyes, I mean they were like tennis balls! This kid was a newborn who a mother wanted to have drawn at a recent party at The State Building on 125th street. The baby was sleeping initially, and I asked his mom to take off his winter hat and scarf and just hold him up so I could see him better. I could see that even though a newborn he already had an impressive head of ink black shiney curly hair that would have made any woman jealous. Then....he suddenly opened his eyes, and I'm not kidding, I nearly yelled in surprise when he fixed those peepers on me. They were unusually large for a child his size, they were expressive, intense, and almost seemed like automobile headlights! The whites of his eyes in contrast to his chocolate complextion made his eyes appear luminous. I immediately drew a memory sketch of the kid which you're looking at niw. I don't know what he will be when he grows up, but if he's an attorney, you're going find it hard to lie to him!

Heroic ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. statue at the state building

I recently did a gig that was held at The State Building om West 125th street, spitting g distance from the world famous Apollo theatre in Harlem NY. At te entrance of the building s this magnificent, jaw dropping statue of Adam Cayton Powell JR. For those of you shoring know who he was,Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was best known in his role as chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor. He was a leading figure in passage of the backbone of the much of the social legislation of the Kennedy and Johnson presidencies.

He helped steer the passage of the minimum wage bill, the Manpower Development and Training Act, the antipoverty bill, and bills providing federal money for student loans and for public libraries.

The above quote was taken from this site:http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/28/remembering-adam-clayton-powell-jr/

What I love about the statue is that it's depicts Powell the way I AKWAYS read him. Powerful, persistent, insistent. And progressive. He was the proverbial "man in motion" an articulate, informed, furry spokesman for Afrjcan American people during one of histories most tumultuous racial periods. The staue as I mentioned earlier is absolutely heroic. Powell appears to be able to walk off the podium into heaven itself, jus trench coat blowing behind him in a way that reminiscent of Supermans cape in flight.

Caricature Avatars for two satisfied clients.

REALLY had fun on the last face! As soon as my client showed me a profile of his face, my mind went immediately to the character, King Leonitus, in that scene from the movie 300. Who could forget that famous line that he screams at tge Persian messenger before kicking him into a bottomless pit;"THIS...IS...SPARTAHHH!!!!!!" of course, I did a little play on words, THIS IS SOCCER!!!

Both guys are best buds, bar owners I believe, hence the beer mugs they're holding onto.

The dude on top gave me a photo reference of him in a checkered shirt and I could help but think of hay, barns and scare dancing. Of course, I had to give him the Lil' Abner Boots!

Character Designs for Bankable Script.com

https://www.facebook.com/BankableScript

It's always a joy when you have a client who respects your creative talent enough to be able to let you "do your thing" without micro managing everything. Vince, the brains behind Baabe Script is tgatkind of client.Vince commissioned me to create characters based on him and a cat who would be the mascot, and our relationship has been smooth sailing. If you are serious about doing screenwriting, and getting paid, this is the place to put up or shut up. There's no guarantee that you will win the competition, but you'll be a definite loser f you don't try.
Follow the link to the FACEBOOK page, which will give you more information on hw to enter.

Congressman Meeks "Racecard"Defense

Even though so much has been already written on this issue of Congressman Gregry Meeks calling my Editorial depiction of him "racist" , I can't help but speculate on how he must have felt once the "awful truth" was revealed. That the artist, was a Back man like him! I think Neeks figured he could gain some sympathy by referring to The Wave newspaper as a racist propaganda rag, and the cartoon drawn by a white Artist. Again, I can only imagine his surprise....good thing that I'm an artist who can actually draw what he imagines!

WHAT AN ARTIST CAN, AND CANNOT EXPECT FROM A VIEWER

WPIX 11 Interviews Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

My thanks to the people at WPIX Channel 11 for giving me an opportunity to appear on air this morning.
Copy this link and put it into your browser

http://www.wpix.com/videobeta/33dca5b5-a170-4678-903b-ddc53cd2af02/News/Racist-Cartoon-Causes-Controversy

After viewing the broadcast clip, I'd like to say first how
thankful I am to my mom, for teaching me to sit up straight and tall, and talk in a clear strong voice, when discussing something important.

The actual interview was considerably longer, but Network News understandably has strict
time restraints to devote to each story, some of which never see any airtime whatsoever, so I am very grateful to the folks at Channel 11 News.

I would truly welcome a media opportunity to tell my side of this more extensively, and in it's entirety. This is an important issue that is worthy Of discussion and shouldn't not be reduced to a few soundbites. this is an important issue on many levels, and people need a balanced view that they can only receive when hearing both sides.

It's not right for someone as influential as a Congressman to label me as something that I never dreamed I'd be called in my life! He's not just attacking the entity known as "The Wave Newspaper", he's attacking me, the cartoonist who drew the picture. After all cartoons don't draw themselves, people draw draw them.

This is an act of bullying.

A few parting shots before I move on...

I must say that it as been quite a week for me. The recent events of the past week have certainly taken up a lot of my time and energy. A lot of space has been alloyed in this blog to cover this, and I thank you loyal readers for being patient and putting up with all the political noise.

For me, at the end of the day, it comes down to a man who didn't like hs picture being drawn and wanted to complain about it. This happens frequently enough to any caricature artist as to be something not even worthy of discussion, the reason that I've focused on it for this length of time is to defend my reputation as an artist Asa person and as an African American.

Defending myself as an African American....I would much rather NOT even have to "go there" the funny thing about being an African American in this country is sometimes have to "prove" to OTHER African Americans how "Black " you are.

It's not discussed in public, meaning amongst other races, but this is one of the stupid little dialogues that re surface in the Black community as we "talk amongst ourselves"

HOW "BLACK ARE YOU?

The question comes up when you decide that you like to crack open books instead if sell crack
The question comes up when bring your white boyfriend home to meet the parents
And, thanks to the Congressman it comes up when you draw cartoons.

Anyone who doesn't lock step and agree with "conventional" Black opinion gets a label and not a favorable one.

Now that it's common knowledge " that I am Black, I 'can't be a racist" but I can be something worst.

A race hating, Uncle Tom.

Labels. I guess some people need them in order to tie up their universe nice and neat. If you abel something "bad" like "racism" then you can become a hero and "fight it" I'm sure Congressman Meeks feels as though he was "fighting racism" by pointing out my cartoon. I suppose every politician likes to envision himself as the champion of something. I imagine that American elected officials feel, on some level, a moral obligation to defend a standard set by our Civil Rights forefathers, like Martin Luther King and others who spoke out against racial injustice.

HALLOWEEN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

To engage in this fight is honorable and noble. I fault no African American elected official for doing that. But when you dis ingenuously put on the civil rights champion costume, and conjure up an imaginary enemy to fight, you're little more than a poser and pretender.

Funny how Halloween is just around the corner. It seems the Congressman couldnt wait to put on his costume.

Speaking of which, I've got some great Haloween toons coming up folks, so stay tuned!

IN DEFENSE OF ELGIN BOLLING by Thomas Kerr

The following letter is taken from this weeks lettes to the Editor, section of THE WAVE by my collegue, fellow editorial artist, Tom Kerr. I'm no slouch with words, but Tom here makes me sound like I'm stuttering and stammering by comparison. All I've got to say to Tom is, "Thnk you, I couldn't have said it better"

THE LETTER

Reading the open letter from Representative Meeks in last week’s issue of The Wave, held – for the most part – no surprises. A congressional representative caught in a litany of serious ethics violations defends himself in the face of editorial criticism. What more could or should we expect? In his lengthy defense, Meeks singled out the caricature of Elgin Bolling, one of the triumvirate of cartoonists whose editorial images grace these pages. I, along with Robert Sarnoff, happen to be the other two. It is to this portion of the letter I’m responding.

In the last third of his open letter, Meeks goes on to charge that Elgin’s caricature was “explicitly racist,” violates “necessary sensitively” and inaccurately compares it to D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation,” a century-old film about the Civil War and Reconstruction. The idea of this comparison being, I suppose, to show how far back, in terms of racial equality/sensitivity, The Wave happens to be. Pure hyperbole.

Meeks is off the mark on a number of counts. First, it should be made clear that Elgin is an African American artist. A quick survey of Elgin’s work, easily seen at his subway surfer web blog, immediately confirms that he has done far more offensive caricatures of his own face than anything ever leveled at Meeks. Further, The Wave, in my experience, has always given a free hand to its contributing artists, but never, to their credit, asking them to either reign in or take vitriolic aim at any specific subject or public figure. In fact, as the news cycle goes, there is a one in three chance that any one of The Wave’s contributing artists could have leveled a graphic broadside at Rep. Meeks. It just happened to be Elgin’s turn.

Elgin Bolling is, first and foremost, a caricaturist; drawing from a rich tradition of “portrait-charge” or the loaded portrait, as it came to be known when first popularized in French magazines, around the time of that country’s revolution. Like Meeks, officials there were also offended by those drawings, more than once throwing the cartoonists into the clink for their efforts. Later, in the hands of Americans and the freedoms found here, the graphic vitriol became even more pointed with artists like Thomas Nast, whose graphic excoriations helped take down Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall. Boss Platt, who was to follow, attempted to pass legislation at the turn of the 19th century that would have blocked such political commentary.

In fact, it was Tweed who said, “I don’t care a straw for your newspaper articles, my constituents don’t know how to read, but they can’t help seeing them damned pictures.” So, it would seem that Gregory Meeks is in good company when expressing dislike for caricature. Almost confirming that history is – in fact – cyclical.

As it turns out, my likeness, too, has been inked by Elgin and I’d like to state — for the record — that it was a caricature and unflattering. I didn’t think to fire off a note to Elgin for singling out my Irish features, but why should I, this is what caricature’s function is. To exaggerate, distort and make fun of, otherwise it would have no teeth, becoming unremarkable, milquetoast and impotent. Elgin has nothing to apologize for; he was doing his job as an editorial artist. On the other hand, time will tell if Meeks, in sharing the opinion of Boss Tweed about caricature, will, one day, share his fate.

Does ERROL LOUIS of NY1 WANT to hear Elgin Bollings side of the story?

Following is a letter I wrote to Errol Louis of NY1 Inside City Hall show, in response to him having Congressman Meeks appear to air his grievance about The Waves editorial, and my cartoon in general.

As I have maintained in my blog posts since this issue raised. The Congressman is entitled to his opinion, and should be allowed a forum to express himself concerning the issue that the cartoon points to.

He has the rift, from his point of view to call the cartoon racist.
It's that statement that I take odds with. Since cartoons don't create themselves, if you follow the logic, the creator of the cartoon must be a racist as well.

I have a right to defend my reputation as much as the Congressman has to defend his. It was my hope that NY1 would see it that way.

Thus far, they have chosen not to respond.

I wonder why?
HERE IS THE ORIGINAL LETTER SENT TO NY1




From: Elgin Bolling
Date: October 20, 2011 11:58:32 AM EDT
To: "insidecityhall@ny1.com"
Subject: Attention ERROL LOUIS INSIDE CITY HALL

Dear Mr. Louis
My name is Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling Editorial Artist for The Wave Newspaer in Far Rockaway NY.
The first thing I would like to make clear is this:

IAM NOT A RACIST.

Unfortunately, Queens Congressman, Gregory Meeks doesn't share the same opinion, as evidenced by his remarks on page 29 in a recent letter to The Wave, and most recently, on your broadcast, as listed below.

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/inside_city_hall/148939/ny1-online--representative-meeks-responds-to-reports-of-his-political-demise
 
The editorial cartoon, he feels depicts African Americans in a way that is reminiscent of racist portrals from the film Birth of a Nation




As an Editorial artist who draws public elected officials, I am fully aware that from time to time I will encounter someone who is not pleased with what has been drawn, because a picture really is worth a thousand words, as another  editorial artist, Thomas Nast, would agree, no doubt , if he was still among us.

Surprisingly, throughout this whole affair, I have not received one email, or phone call to give my side of the story, and to answer these accusations, save for the Queens Tribune, last week.

I am easy enough to find, I am one of New York City's most sought after live Caricature Entertainers, and my blogsite, at 

http://www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com

Is one of the most popular of it's kind online.

Since this issue first came to my attention, I have posted on my blog, numerous rebuttal articles, and audio podcasts refuting his claims of racist, divisive characterization of black elected officials, and show numerous pictures of past cartoons drawn for The Wave to demonstrate that.

For me, as an Editorial artist who draws Caricature,my intention is usually to find something humorous in the facial features if a subject and exploit that, by squashing, stretching,   Emphasizing or De emphasizing.

I demonstrate, how I have also, given equal exaggerated artistic treatment to Caucasian Public officials like Former School Chancellor, Joel Klien, Anthony Weiner, and even our very own Mayor.

I have no Ax to grind. I illustrate and interpret editorial copy. If I've committed any crime, it's been in being too humorous maybe, but don't sit there and assert that I'm a RACIST! After all, IM A BLACK MAN TOO!


Or did anyone stop to look at that fact? Does The Congressman truly think that I would purposefully draw a cartoon which demeans my own people? At best, that makes me a race hater and a fool. At worst, it makes me an Uncle Tom.

Feel free to go to my blog to validate what I've said here. 

Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling
(ps I'm called Subwaysurfer because I draw caricatures of subway committed, NOT because I ride outside the train!)

Random Thoughts on Racism, Editorial Cartooning ,perception, and Thomas Nast

I've been doing some more thinking about all if the above issues, and here are some of my thoughts.

SUBWAYSURFER THE ARTIST WANTS TO DRAW THE J TRAIN SUBWAYSURFER!

Like millions of New Yorkers, I've seen the famous Subwaysurfer J train clip that has made an instant celeb out of this guy who's using my moniker.

I registered it on Go Daddy, and everything!!

I'd live to draw this guys face! Please dude, if you are listening, and reading posts about yourself, contact me!

Listen to this appeal:

ELGIN BOLLING INTERVIEW ON RACIST CARICATURE ALLEGATION

This is a recent interview with caricature artist Kenly Dillard.

EXAMPLES OF CAUCASIAN POLITICIANS DRAWN FOR THE WAVE NEWSPAPER by Elgin Bolling

Following are editorial caricature cartoons I've drawn for The Wave Newspaper that feature Caucasian Politicians. Study these caricatures and you will see gigantic foreheads and chins, oversize noses, and even...GASP... LIPS? My purpose in displaying these pics is to demonstrate that I am an equal opportunity facial exaggerator no matter WHO I'm drawing BLACK or WHITE.



This is another in an ongoing series of Bi weekly Editorial cartoons that I'm doing for The Wave Newspaper, that services the Rockaways, Broad Channel,& Howard Beach sections of Queens. For those of you who dont know what this is about, local politicians, are locked in a race for a coveted city council seat, in an upcoming election that will take place this month. In order to earn a place on the ballot, each candidate was required to accumulate a total of one thousand signatures from registered voters living within the district,before a predetermined deadline date. According to one candidate, Geraldine Chapey,(with the BIG hair) her political rivals, Mike Ricatto,(wearing glasses)Glenn DiResto, Frank Gulluscio.(with the great hair) and Eric Ulrich,(in the black suit) signatures are not valid, and they should be eliminated from the race.
I'm not taking any sides on this issue other than caricaturing the heck out of everyones face! This group of people were really fun to draw and I cant think of the last time I've truly enjoyed an illustration assignment more. The journalist who wrote the article as well as Howard, the editor of The Wave, loved the illo so much that it made the front page of the paper, something, to my knowledge at least , that has never been done before in the paper's history. Even if I'm wrong about this, it's still an honor for an artist to get this.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CHANCELLOR JOEL KLIEN


ANTHONY WEINER

I don't Exaggerate Races, I exaggerate faces part two

Here are a few more examples of random subway caricatures done of people where their faces are squashed and stretched. This is another past post.





There are days on the train when the caricatures practically draw themselves! Man! if i didnt get paid to do this i wouls still do it for the sheer joy of capturing the souls of these people on paper!
I especially liked the tall black gentlemen on the bottom... he had the vibe of a certain presidential candidate.... maybe he was going for that look. I noticed also that with the small black fedora he had a frank sinatra or Run DMC thing going too. This is also my fave because he came walking by so fast that I had to do a very quick gesture drawing of him. As a result I gat this delicious mouth watering design that sort of pops.The Indian lady had eyes SO wide open I swear she didnt seem to blink. It was almost like she was a bird of prey looking for some rodent to pounch on.... Needless to say i didnt make eye contact..... This other dude had a head that looked like he was hiding another person inside it, and the chick with the glasses had this look on her face that said: Damn! i cant see! My prescription is NOT working!!!!

HERE IS ANOTHER GROUP FROM A PREVIOUS POST notice the variety of Races and the exaggerations. I'm an equal opportunity face stretcher and squasher. If you've got a face, you'd better keep it from in front of my paper and pen!

I EXAGGERATE FACES NOT RACES! Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

If you've been following my blog for the last couple of days you know about the accusations leveled at me from disgruntled Queens Congressman, Gregory Meeks, concerning what he feels is a racist caricature drawn of him and Senator Malcolm Smith in a recent Wave Newspaper Editrial.

Wow..sorry about the run on sentence! Take a moment to get your breath back before continuing...

The Congressman may be under the impression that I'm targeting him and his collegue for visual abuse, but the fact is that I'm just doing what I've always done as a caricature artist.

Let me make this perfectly clear:

I DON'T EXAGGERATE RACES

That would be, and is, divisive, negative and inflamatory.

But....

I EXAGGERATE FACES!

Which all races, happen to have!



I do this in my work as a party artist(when requested, and if the person can take it) I do this in my personal depictions of subway riders as can be seen on the blog, and hence the moniker, "Subwaysurfer" and yes, I do it in my Editorial Political Cartooning.

I am re showing a series of pictures from my archives here to demonstrate that this is my standard way of drawing, it is specific to the caricarture art form as a whole, and it's just plain fun! I'm done this to folks of every race! As I will demonstrate in future posts.





Blackafroamericannegroafricanamericanpeopleofcolor are just plain fun to draw. You get such a diversity of very EXTREME features already with noses lips and headshapes. I've met a lot of white caricature artists who can really draw who somehow get a little shy when having to draw a black person for fear of "offending them" While its TROO that you will sometimes get gripes about "you made my nose too big," "my lips aint that big!" etc. Just think, these are the gripes that EVERYONE gives us regardless of race. I say if theres an outstanding feature , GO FOR IT! I always do....

EXAMPLES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WAVE CARICATURES BY Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

Another in the series of African American caricature representations.



Stick him with a fork! He's DONE!!! This Governor's Goose is Cooked! Latest Editorial Cartoon for THE WAVE Newspaper Far Rockaway NYC
Paterson's face..... MAN! What can I say??? He was MADE for CARICATURE!!! for the purposes of the paper, I stick a little more closely to a more realistic rendering, but you can really have fun with his face which, I plan on having later...heh...

EXAMPLES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WAVE CARTOONS President OBAMA

Pieces of a Dream coming together today. It's a proud day to be an African American in America. For me, it's always been a proud day thanks to the dedication, and sacrifices that were made by others.\I did this drawing for the "Editorial Comment" Section of my local paper, "The Wave".




This is an early caricature of President Obama shortly after winning the election. I feel fortunate having a platform where I caN draw our first Back President, and thank the "caricature gods" that he's easy to caricature.

CON MEEKS ON NY1 Talks about Elgin Bolling WaveCaricature

In this NY1 Clip, CON GREG MEEKS addresses inside Washington, and blasts The Waves cartoon drawn by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/inside_city_hall/148939/ny1-online--representative-meeks-responds-to-reports-of-his-political-demise
 
 

EXAMPLES OF WAVE CARTOONS FEATURING AFRICAN AMERICANS By Elgin Bolling

This is the first in a series of past Wave Newspaoer cartoons where I, the editorial artist, look back to re examine and re evaluate my depiction of African American people and politicians that have populated the pages of the publication for the last three years I've been on board. It is my intention to demonstrate that outside of interpreting the editorial copy given to me, I have no personal racist agenda which has been suggested by Congressman Meeks as the result of an unfavorable caricature of him and Senator Malcolm Smith.

The Wave reports frequently on both elected officials, so I get a chance to draw them frequently, as I do other elected officials as seen in the caricature below. While I did go for comical effect on Senator Smith(what can I say, he's just so much fun to draw!) I would have to say, with the exception of Gov Patterson, depicted as "Charlie Brown" everyone else, looks rather dashing! Even heroic by my visual interpretation.yes, the lips are prominent in all these men, as full lis are an African American trait, but there's no sign of explicit race bating parody in any of the drawings. I understand that audience reaction may vary, and I have no control of that.






Editorial Cartoon of Gov Paterson depicted as Charlie Brown Holding his poor "Political Report Card" much to the displeasure of NYC Black Leadership Power brokers, Al Sharpton, (top left,) Carl Mc Call (bottom left) Charles Rangle (bottom right)Greg Meeks (middle right) and Malcolm Smith (top right) drawn for The Wave Newspaper Far Rockaway NY
A series of recent Political flops, mishaps, and blunders, from an experienced Politician like Gov Paterson "earned him " the title of "Blockhead"



The picture with the cops and the gunman feature two African Americans in staring roles. In my toons I've always made a point to introduce black characters in key roles, something Caucasian artists generally don't think about. Notice in this cartoon it's the AFRICAN AMERICAN officer who wants justice to be done to stop the criminal, and is restrained by his white partner. Clearly, in this toon the back cop can be seen as a heroic figure, even with the presence of the Black criminal. It can be argued, "why did you make the BLACK guy the criminal, in this drawing?" my answer would be, "WHY NOT?" in the effort to uphold Bkack pride, some of my people, and I've done this too, in the past, want to hold up the entire race as paragons of virtue, who never do anything wrong. Such a view is untrainable, and insulting. Some people who are Back, DO commit crimes. Just as some, thankfully more DO NOT. THAAT is what is being depicted here.