Live caricaturing – survival techniques for the nervous

Ever had a time when you were so nervous your hands shook? Imagine then having to draw…and not only draw but do it well! That is how I usually feel when doing a live event.

For my first event, I was producing zigzags for straight lines. Even now, I still need to psych myself up before drawing live caricatures.

Here’s how I prepare myself, beforehand.

1. Practice drawing caricatures -using photographs for reference. I concentrate on one feature repetitively e.g. eyes, noses or mouths
2. Gather together equipment – pads of paper, pencils, rubber, drawing board etc
3. Practice quick drawings using images from magazines.  I use these to experiment.Like with Marilyn here. I thought I’d play with the lips, not sure it really works. The “doe caught in headlights” look is accurate and I’m loving the body! 
4. Practice some more. ( Do you see a theme emerging here?)
5. Practice drawing real people by press ganging family members.  It’s usually accompanied by phrases such as “Go away, I don’t want to be drawn!” “ Pleeeeeese leave me alone!”… @@@@@@@@ (This stage doesn’t tend to go too well as my family are wise to all my strategies!!- NB Must devise some more cunning plans!)
6. Practice some more. Here I might concentrate on body positions. It’s a good idea to have a stock of poses that you can draw comfortably. You know, like a ballerina, footballer, artist, musician,… I could go on!
7. Go into blind panic that I’m never going to be ready and it will all turn out to be a disaster!
8. Practice yet again…
9. Concentrate on practicing 5 minute sketching with marker pens!
10. Check my equipment and pack up the car.
11. Pray!!! Maybe I should do that earlier in future?

On the day I aim to

1. Arrive early and get set up.
2. Think positive. i.e. keep telling yourself you’ll do well not I’m going to get the noses wrong!
3. Try to make the sitter at ease when I’m actually doing a caricature. It usually that helps steady my nerves! Usually I’m fine once I’ve started drawing.

So, what do I do after the event?

1. Pack everything away
2. Collapse on the sofa with a bottle of wine vowing NEVER EVER to do THAT again!

Do you have any suggestions for remaining calm before a live event?

Ooh, Matron! Peggy Mitchell’s in a pickle! Carry on with the caricatures of Hattie Jacques and Barbara Windsor.

Apparently Peggy Mitchell might meet a sticky end in Eastenders later on this year. Something about the Old Vic going up in flames… will she survive? I don’t know. To be honest, I don’t think I care!

I gave up Eastenders about 20 years ago! It’s too depressing, As Bill Bailey says if you listen to the Eastenders theme, It sounds like…

“Everyone is going to Die!” I might let him elaborate!

 

Although if Bill did the music like this, I might be tempted back…

Peggy Mitchell is of course played by Barbara Windsor who is a British National Treasure. Made Famous in the Carry On films. Love them or hate them they were a stalwart of British television during the 60’s and 70’s, when I was growing up.

Very much bawdy seaside humour some images are indelibly linked to it. Barbara in various states of undress being one…

…another is Hattie Jacques in full “Matron” mode! You really need Kenneth William’s voice there!

If you’re not familiar with Barbara and Hattie, here’s a little clip of them both in action together. Very dated now and completely unPC! But still funny. They’ve both done much better work sadly not much of Hattie’s is on YouTube but I found this one. By no means her best, but worth a look!

A greatly underestimated comedian!

That’s enough comedy for now. Maybe it’s time for some singers next week. Who would you like to see? Please send me your suggestions!

Big Girls you are beautiful

After doing so many svelte women. I thought it was time to celebrate the voluptuous! And, with the Mika song running through my head, I present Big girls you are beautiful

Firstly, one of my all time favourite comedians Dawn French. My initial thought was to do a ballet, but then I remembered this…

“The mirror” from the fabulous Vicar of Dibley.

I don’t think I can improve on that! So I decided to go for a high wire act instead.

Voila!

 

My other candidate for big is beautiful Cass Eliot or Mama Cass as she will be forever known late of the Mamas and the Papas. The voice of an angel who sadly died far too young.

Any excuse to hear her sing here’s “Dream a little dream”

I thought I’d go with a singing in the street vibe with sultry overtones…

And this has just reminded me of Hattie Jacques, another big woman who could do sexy as this photo proves!

Yep, Hattie Jacques and maybe Barbara Windsor for next week…

Having just found out she was the voice of the Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland, she’s definitely going in!

Calista Flockhart – can you caricature a name?

When you hear a name like Calista Flockhart, you have to wonder is it her real name? I mean it’s nothing like Jane Smith, is it? It’s fabulous in its uniqueness! You could never call it dull, or conventional! Given the tendency for stars to have stage names I was impressed to find out it’s her original name.

Although I sometimes wonder when I hear American names, what were the parents thinking? I understand that - whilst traditions need to be respected – sometimes parents aren’t thinking of anything. For example, I have three Christian names which I’ve understood meant Pure White Rose, in that order. Lovely you might think! But through no conscious thought on my parents behalf. They couldn’t decide so finally lumped all the ones they liked together! Takes away the glamour doesn’t it! Although when you name a child Moon unit Zapper or Zowie Bowie I think there might be a case for suing the parents!!!!!

Naming traditions across cultures vary so wildly. The Romans sometimes had such large families that they got lazy! And would just give their children a number. E.g. Septimus would be the seventh child and Octavius the eighth! Then again, the Victorian’s also did that!

Then I’ve heard of a Native American tradition of naming the child after the first thing they see! I found more here

I thought it might be fun to look up her name and came up with Most Beautiful "People-army" … Conjures up images doesn’t it? But do you go for a Russian or Chinese dictatorship or Californian Summer of Love? Tricky…

So here’s Calista, I decided not to go with Ally McBeal in favour of a reference to her size. I’m sorry but she’s far too thin. Whatever her reason may be! Women should have curves! Maybe that should be my theme next week? Women with curves!! Mama Cass and Dawn French perhaps?

Caricaturing Sarah Jessica Parker’s fine! But what is the appeal of Sex in the City?

I’ve really never been able to get into the Sex in the City programmes. 
I love the concept. Independent woman in high earning careers. I believe that women can achieve the same levels of intellectual excellence as men! But I’m not sure this programme demonstrates it…
The sexual freedom, whilst I might not agree with it, seems to be an attempt at levelling the playing field. Again, nothing wrong with that. So what’s my problem?
Firstly, I detect the idea that to be complete a woman must find “Mr Right” which pervades the entire show. Is that seriously the primary goal of the career minded woman?  I don’t think so!
Is “Mr Right” going to whisk one of them away to be a “kept” woman? The mindless “paradise” of woman, where the only decisions she has to worry about are the colour of the decor and her dress…
Or
Is he going to be an equal partner who supports her desire to develop a career? If that’s the case – no problemo! Men can have both, so why not women?
The other issue I have with Sex in the City is the obsession with fashion. I could cope with an interest but they’re supposed to be intelligent women?  Where are the other interests? Really, are independent women so two dimensional?
I am, of course, speculating since I’ve never been able to sit through more than half a show. If they have other interests, I haven’t seen them. I can’t get past the random sexual encounters and obsession with fashion. Jimmy who?
Reminds me of another show about an “Independent woman” Ally McBeal. Maybe I’ll do her next week although Ally McBeal is a bit old hat now.
So, back to Sex in the City – lack of interest hasn’t stopped me being aware of the show and some of the characters. So, with the launch of SITC 2 I thought I’d do Sarah Jessica Parker or Carrie as I believe she is in the show.

She was a frustrating caricature to do. I’ve attempted Sarah Jessica Parker before but it’s easy to make her look masculine. The body didn’t work in a standing pose, I kept losing her length in favour of girth. Having said that, the finished caricature has come out well. I may tweak the hair a little more though!
So, should I do Ally next week?