Andy Warhol

 "Andy Warhol" (Prismacolor markers and color sticks, 14x11 inches) click here to bid

Here's a left curve thrown at 'ya. Definitely not a cow, or a Renaissance portrait. As some of you know, caricatures have been one of my major art forms since 1988, and still bring in some good income along with pencil portraits at Christmastime, in the craft show at Rolling Oaks Mall, San Antonio (this year, Dec. 12-24, 2013.)

Each year I try to draw up some new samples for my display. Sometimes people want to buy the display sample. So that I can sell my samples without moaning about how "...I'll never be able to draw 'so-and-so' that good again!" I've started saving my originals, scanning them and laminating a print for the display. Then I replace the print when it sells.

So now that I have a bunch of original caricatures lining a tube in my studio, I've finally asked myself, "What, am I going to save these 'til I'm old and gray, like they're some kind of investment?"

...

...Nah.

I decided I would try this one out on the Daily Paintworks auction and see what happens. As an added perk, I'll include the pre-sketch with the finished original.

The pre-sketch is where all the thinking and creativity happens. It's where I think like a caricaturist in order to exaggerate. The peach, blue, and black 'layers' are the order of my visual process, and allow me to fine-tune the exaggeration with tiny adjustments each time. Then I slip this under my final paper, and trace the outline for the finished work.

That sounds like a lot of work, you say? Yes. That's why I don't like re-drawing my samples and why I started scanning them instead.

Do I put this much work into my paying customers' sketch?

...Ah...   No.  (But that's a whole different blog post having to do with the amazing power of speed-drawing while entertaining a crowd.)

Fyi: Here are the photos I found online that were the references for Andy's caricature.

.