Caricature Yourself

If a picture is worth a thousand words, and laughter the music of the soul, then to caricature yourself is to write the sweetest lyrics. Whether a novelty item produced by street vendors along the local boardwalk or carnival, or as a statement of biting, satirical commentary made by a political cartoonist, caricatures go beyond the simple photograph.

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Caricatures distill a person’s most prominent features and traits, exaggerating or simplifying them at the artist’s discretion to solicit specific reactions, often for the purpose of humor. The key to making a good caricature yourself is stay true enough to the subject matter so that it is instantly recognizable, yet distort it enough to provide the intended effect.

A crooked nose, giant ears, and distinctive chin are all fair game for comedic effect. The eyes and mouth, but especially the eyes, are what keep a caricature grounded to its subject matter and leaves it personable and identifiable.

So why learn to draw a caricature yourself?

Because it’s fun. There is a reason caricature street vendors populate fairs, events, and parties. They bring a bit of humor and good natured fun to almost any environment. A good caricature artist gets to know their subject a little in order to exaggerate and capture traits that go beyond facial features and photographs. Drawing caricatures is a great way to meet people while shining a spotlight on their unique quirks and flaws in a well intentioned, good natured manner.

Caricature Yourself Tips

So what does it take to draw a quality caricature yourself?

An extensive artistic background or formal training is not required to draw a caricature yourself. All that is needed is a functional level of hand-eye coordination, an eye for identifying which prominent facial features capture the essence of your subject, a little bit of guided direction from an experienced hand, and some practice. Just follow a few basic principles and you can produce professional quality caricatures:

Keep it simple. If the intent were to capture every significant detail of a person then a photograph would do more than suffice, it would be preferable. The beauty and charm of a good caricature is in how it captures a subject so well with such simplicity and so quickly.

Be bold. Bold lines, bold choices, and bold depictions are essential to crafting a quality caricature. Stay true to the person, but be brave enough to push their flaws and facial features to their limits. The point of a caricature is for it to stand out, something that is rarely accomplished by playing it too safe.

Be a caricature yourself. More often than not, these quick works of art are meant intended for humor or entertainment purposes. Whether a friend, party guest, or customer, the experience of having a portrait done is a lot more satisfactory when the artist sets the tone properly. Find the best, most exciting and outgoing qualities you posses and distill, simplify, and exaggerate them to the point of matching the very caricatures that you produce. Hope you enjoy Caricature Yourself article here.