Lessons Learned at a BAR MITZVAH by Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

"That doesn't look like me!"

I cannot tell you how many times that I've heard THAT line, and it always comes from a person that I drew a "dead on" Likeness of. The fact is, that MOST people do NOT have a realistic objective, visually assessment of how they look,mostly because of a inflated ego or because they're not used to seeing their face at a three quarter angle.

Whatever their reason, I usually just ignore remarks like these, smile, and happily hand the person their "drawing that doesn't look like them".
This time, however, it was different.
This particular young man at the Bar Mitzvah looked at my drawing and pointed out things that didnt match up with his face. He did this so honestly and respectfully, that I was compelled to listen, and did. Apparently, this youngster had the presence of mind to know EXACTLY what he looked like, and what's more, he ACCEPTED himself, for who he was and how he looked.

I drew him over.

The results were fantastic.
He was very pleased with the corrected drawing, and once I had something to compared it with, I saw IMMEDIATELY everything I had missed.

How could I have been so Blind?

Arrogance.

Sometimes we caricature artists get so caught up in "doing our art" that we can get into a mode where we just "give people a picture" not CARING if it LOOKS like them as long as it's "in the neighborhood".
I dint know I had been guilty of that, in THIS picture(Let's not get it twisted folks, the Subwaysurfer RARELY makes drawing mistakes at parties)

This Young man because of his honesty, taught me a valuable drawing lesson. Dont take your subject for granted. The most important person to draw is the one that is in front of you at the moment. Concentrate, REALLY SEE them, and then draw them like they're the only person in the room. If you do that, I learned, the results can be very satisfying. After all, that "bad " caricature you draw is going to have YOUR name on it. Your name is worth protecting.

So The NEXT time I hear,

"It doesn't LOOK like me"

I'll STOP and CONSIDER it!







Unless of course, you're in complete denial!