subway seated figure drawing

did a study on women sitting on the subway, Interesting body language what a story the body tells!

caricature crowd scene

another series of caricature faces of past subway caricatures put into a crowd scene The challenge to a good caricature artist is to actually SEE the face that you're drawing. Most artists who "can draw" get stuck in "generic drawing mode" and after a few drawings in a party setting especially, start to draw everyone the same, and even resort in some cases to racial stereotyping. This should NEVER happen. I always FORCE myself to be a keep observer of people and NOT to flinch. The "flinch response" is natural to us human beings as we look at strangers. We learn, culturally, not to hold our haxe longer than a few seconds, and to immediately turn away if spotted. Prolonged staring is reserved for young children who haven't learned the "rules " yet, and for mentally ill people who have abandoned all rules! LOL!  Drawing on the subway day in and day out has helped me to sharpen my ability to SEE what's there and not just to "draw what I THINK I see' Putting this collage of faces together has helped me to see also how much Ive grown as an artist, and also how truly fascinating people's faces are. I feel, that as an artist you must truly "fall in love" a little , with each face you draw or you wont have the proper passion to draw it. I always endeavor also, to NOT just "draw the face" in an objective sense, but to "draw the personality" of the subject. If I succeed in doing THAT I will manage to get an "objective" likeness also.

THE UNAPOLOGETIC SUBWAYSURFER CALL TO ACTION MESSAGE

Maybe you're a face in the crowd that is thinking "wow, Id really like subwaysurfer to draw a cool caricature of me like this!" Well, you dont have to sit there wishing! just drop me an email at
cartoons4u2@aol.com
and lets do YOUR caricature!
Prices are more affordable than you think, and just think how jealous you'll make all your facebook friends because you got a cool caricature to use as your avatar, while they are stuck using their same tied old photograph! Give me a hollar and lets make this happen!

crowd scene

was constructing a caricature crowd scene for a recent project that a client rejected much to my relief because it was hard to do! LOL! here is one of the crowd scenes.

Gift caricature

Seated passengers on a train

spray can art

due to the popularity of this post, I thought Id draw another in full color.
 If you like the pics feel free to contact me for commissions. You will find I am very reasonable. Also, If you download these pics PLEASE INCLUDE MY URL that way traffic will come back to this site.

CAN DEFINITELY CREATE ORIGINAL ART LIKE THIS FOR YOUR APPAREL OR PAGES! JUST DROP ME A LINE!

Most interesting face at Mayor Bloombergs party

Did a party for Mayor Bloomberg's company in New Jersey, and hands down THIS was the most interesting face in the room!

Two friends on the R train

Caught these two talking on The R train one evening. I drew them both on a small notebook pad which explains I hope, the odd placing of the figures. The girl kept looking down at her chest as if she could not believe they were really hers.... she seemed very proud of them.

Big Gurl in a hoddie

Yakin away on her cell phone....She was big And tall. Even sitting down she seemed taller than me standing up....

Hot day!!!

Random drawings of some folks I saw in Baskin Robbins trying to get refreshment from the ninety degree heatwave this week.

The Funniest one was the guy who just HAD to have his HOT latte in the ninety degree heat!!! now THAT"S a JAVA JUNKIE FOR SURE! LOL! Then there was this girl in the checkered skirt who was wearing a long sleeved sweater of all things in the heat....

Klingon Warrior on the L Train

I guess his Klingon Bird of Prey Starship was in the shop for repairs....

A Train Alien

Remember that SCi FI show back in the old days called "V"? If I remember correctly, the V Aliens talked moved, smelled and looked like humans ....until they stuck out that forked snake like tongue......I think I saw that on this chick while she ate her potato chips breakfast one morning during rush hour....

Number 6 train "YOU THINK IM PRETTY, DONT YOU??"

She had this look on here face that you didn't want to argue with...

The great Chris Chua

When I want inspiration to draw CHUA is one of the guys I look to. SO adventurous so extreme with his caricature concept I wonder how his mind processes all this madness and STILL gets a great likeness. Amazing.

old man young man

Clark from the F Train This Weekend

Clark here was bold enough to ask for his own caricature after seeing me draw a young lady sitting directly across from me on the train. How could I refuse?
This version is rather tame... I think I'll exaggerate it more later...heh, heh...

Young Bearded man on Queens Bound A train Sat evening

I boarded the train at Chambers Street after an enjoyable afternoon in the city. I sat down next to this young man who had such a great face for caricature I could not wait to bet started. I had already been drawing for a little while much to the amusement of onlookers, and was in such a generous mood that I'd been literally giving caricatures away throughout my commute today. "who are you drawing now?" his female companion asked... I'm drawing your boyfriend, I replied. He has a great face!! and went immediately to work having just passed Jay Street Boro Hall. Thanks, He replied, but Im getting off next stop. I knew that the Hoyt street station was less than 30 second s away so I quickly made a gesture of him promising that I'd upload a memory sketch this evening. THIS is the final drawing.
One man was so impressed, that he gave me his business card and "demanded' a call! this was my second "demand" of the day, the first being an Advertising executive that Im currently doing a logo caricature for.
Definitely a good "hunting day!"

Gig Photos

Havent Posted any live gig photos in a long time so here are a few
I really enjoy talking with the people who I draw and they never fail to inform , educate and entertain me with the stories of their lives, who they are, and what they've experienced. The man at the top is a painter and we had a fascinating discussion about painting , getting the likeness, expressing the soul of a person, all of those great things that only artists can share. After the pic was done, he kept looking at it incredibly as if in disbelief. It was wonderful. I could imagine this guy in his younger days with his hair slicked back wearing a zoot suit and fighting off the gurls with a stick. The older man in the bowler hat was a pro dancer in his younger days and did a lot of tap dancing overseas particularly in Asia. His stage name was "Flamingo" given to him by an appreciative fan who commented on how he floated across the floor with style, agility and effortless grace. Flamingo told me the story of how while in China he noticed the locals would carry these incredibly large bundles on their backs, which forced them to walk in a certain way to keep their balance. He incorporated that walk/shuffle step into his dance routine and called it the "Chinese Shuffle" It became his signature dance move.
Being a dancer myself, I could have talked to this guy for hours, but had to tend to the other guests.

REAL LIFE ANIME CHARACTER On The L Train!

In Route to a gig yesterday, I saw this guy on a 8th Ave Bound L Train sporting this BRILLIANT Tweety Bird Yellow Afro with this long yellow Fu Manchu Style Goatee. The Contrast of his Brightly colored hair next to his dark Chocolate Skin made for a dazzling combo. It wasnt enough to try to draw him, I boldly asked him could I take his picture to feature on my blog. To my surprise and delight, he smiled and compled, even posing long enough so I got a good shot.
His hair reminded me on an anime character which there ARENT too many African American ones, Gotta Love the New York Subway! You DONT see people like this ANYWHERE ELSE!!!
What I loved most about this guy was his confidence to be himself. In a world where every one is checking everyone else, or the media to tell them what to wear, hw to speak, what to listen to, here's a guy who says, I LIKE THIS STYLE, AND IM ROLLING WITH IT! He's a walking billboard for unbridled self expression, that's for sure! THIS is the real performance art using your own body as a canvas.

studies in Blue

...Girllie Mann with attitude on the Queens bound R train

Loved the attitude on this little Gurlie man I saw on the R train Yesterday...He caught be drawing him, suckled his teeth, Poked out his bottom lip, and turned his head oh so dramatically, just to show his annoyance. I loved drawing every bit of that personality.

DOORBUSTHA JEANS POSTER GURL

Now THATS a lotta Jeans! LOL!
This is a great example how real people can enable you to develop great character design. I was having a meeting with a client, when this woman passed by. I immediately stopped in mid sentence, and started drawing her much to my clients delight. While watching her I marveled what kind of jeans might fit a woman possessing such a tremendous backside. In a flash the doorbuster jeans idea was born! Of course, I already had my model.

Beauty and The Beast On The Rockaway Park A Train

On The Rockaway Park Train The Animals run Free and Sometimes sit next to ya...Dont feed the animals though... ya might lose a finger...

In The Presence Of Warriors Caricatures From The VA Hospital

Just back from a fantastic gig at the Veterans Hospital In St Albans Queens. LOTS of Great faces to do yesterday afternoon. Here's a few of em

BISHOP TD JAKES CARICATURE

Was looking over some old caricatues from years back and found this great picture of Bishop TD JAKES. For those unfamiliar with Jakes he is a The founder and Senior Pastor of THE POTTER'S HOUSE Church In Dallas Texas, whose membership is over 30,000
Bishop Jakes has gained worldwide noteriety not just for his preaching, but also for his philathrophic efforts in Africa, and in other parts of the World. He is also a NY Times bestselling author of 30 odd books,the current one, "REPOSITION YOURSELF", still doing phenomenially well as of this writing. As much as I enjoy the Bishops insight and dynamic vocal delivery, As a crazy caricature artist, I think he's equally famous for his ability to WITHOUT FAIL totally SOAK his shirts and jacket with perperation after every preaching session! I drew this picture of him in "mid sweat" so to speak!

More can be read about him HERE:
http://www.tdjakes.com/site/PageServer?pagename=about_biography

Subway drawings for the week

Heres what came up this week.Excuse the pencil lines!

Would YOU have this caricature artist draw at YOUR PARTY?

Realistically, from the AVERAGE consumers point of view, probably not.
As a get older and realize that as a PARTY artist potential consumers aren't AS interested in how well I can ROCK and exaggeration, I find that Im toning down my PRESENTATION style when courting them for their life giving dollars. To do otherwise purely for the sake of "NOT BEING A SELLOUT" may feed the ego, while the body starves for lack of food.

Let's face it, a lot of us caricature artists do this NOT JUST for the Pure ART of it but to make a living. Anyone who is in the business of making money knows that unless they are exceptionally gifted and in high demand, that the CONSUMER is the one who leads the dance, dollars and cents being their dance card. When someone is shopping for a caricature artist they are looking for someone whose work is clever, appealing, and pleasing to the eye. Outrageously drawn caricatures like the one I did here, and LOVE, mind you, only make them run to find an artist more appealing to their eyes. The general public is not as educated on what caricature is in OUR world, and unless they have artistic aspirations, really DO NOT CARE. Think about it; Do you want your little Joey looking in a similar way that Ive drawn myself to hang on your wall? JOEY may LOVE it, but Mom and Pop are paying for it, so THATS who you SELL to.
The great thing about selling to what appeals to people is that you ALWAYS find a few at the event who WANT this extreme pic and you can be free to go wild on them.
I know that some may not agree with everything said, but it's just been my experience, having been an "extreme exaggerator" and noticing what people end up BUYING. Believe me, it's RARELY this. At least not from ME.

YMCA? No Way, In FAR ROCKAWAY! ... latest Wave Newspaper Editorial

Yet ANOTHER delay in the Building of the YMCA that residents have been promised for YEARS> The Building of the facility provide much needed jobs in the area as well as a welcome diversion from the vast amount of "NOTHING" that exists in Far Rock Going to DA BEACH can get Old real fast if youre a resident.
Halting of building is now due to it not being "energy efficient" what ever THAT Means....

astract Caricatures

As any experienced party artist will tell you, each particular caricature gig has it's own special challenges.For me, My pet peeve is LIGHT being an old timer who never had the best sight anyway, Being able to see REAL good at a gig is a necessity. I always always ALWAYS emphasize to potential clients the dire need i have for them to put me in a setting where their is ADEQUATE LIGHT. Now you'd think that this shouldn't have to be SAID at all. I mean, an artist is DRAWING a picture of a live human, which means he must be able to do two things, one, SEE the person he is drawing clearly, and two, to SEE the paper he is drawing the person on.
And yet.... Ive been at gigs that have the most elaborate table designs, the biggest balloons, miles of gourmet cuisine, and a a Primo DJ, and yet when I walk in the door I hear the words.... HMMMMMM..... so.... where should we sit YOU???? Usually it's next to the DJ. Artists and DJs go together like Peanut Butter and Prime Rib . DJ's THRIVE on DARKNESS and low lights Like vampire bats, and dont care one wit if the artist is comfortable...

But Ive gotten ahead of myself..

On with the story.
At this party the agent tells me point blank, at least he was honest... "I aint gonna lie to ya, the lighting is Piss Poor in here!" "but there's an outlet under the table so you can plug in yours.
He was right. The light was Poor. It was lit enough so that you could find your way to the bar, and even look a little like Brat Pitt in the Dim Light but for what I needed to do, I might as well have brought a seeing eye dog with me. My light cast ugly awkward shadows on peoples faces that made me unable to draw in my usual beautifully flowing semi realistic style... Within Three drawings, which were poor, I KNEW if I didnt do like the BORG and adapt, this party was gonna be a disaster.

I adapted.
Remembering how Hirschfeld one of my earlier influences worked with pure line quality got the essence of the face and had FUN. If I was gonna have a good drawing night I had to LET GO and abandon myself.

I did.

It was magical

I felt carried along, able to quickly and confidently pull the "quirks" and personality out of those faces faster than I normally would with my conventional style. I KNEW I was on a roll when I KEPT hearing behind me, HOW in the world does he capture them with SO FEW LINES??

Sure is good to have a coupla "emergency styles" in your artistic toolbox which is why I ALWAYS keep LEARNING and RELEARNING this art that i love so much.