Musical Caricatures!

We are pretending we have been hired by Rolling Stone Magazine to produce a short biographical magazine article about a musical artist we have an opinion about. This article should include a short write up and an illustration. 

The above image is provided by Sebastian Kruger. Kruger is a brilliant caricature artist. Remember the key to caricature is to exaggerate to tell a story.  So pick someone you have a strong opinion about. 

The above image is another amazing image by Kruger. However, this is not a caricature. This is a portrait. There is no exaggeration going on here. 

This picture of Hendrix by Kruger is a caricature. Notice the form is not as anatomically precise. The approach to Hendrix's form almost makes Hendrix look "cool". We, the audience, have to look up at Hendrix in respect, and he is looking down back at us. The expression in the face is not condescending, but aloof and serious at the same time. This picture gives a feeling, and attitude.

Your image should have feeling and attitude. Below are examples of Kruger capturing the feeling an opinion he had of the following musicians. Your image should capture that as well.

Michael Stipe

Stephen Tyler

Axl Rose 

Mick Jagger

Johnny Cash

Tina Turner

Janis Joplin

David Bowie

Robert Johnson

Madonna

 

So you are going to draw 3 facial studies of a musician that will be due by Friday. Your choice doesn't have to be your favorite musician. It has to be someone you have an opinion about.

You will also need to research your musician. Make sure you can answer these questions... Who are they? What makes them important? Why does their music matter? Where do they perform? How does their music reflect who they are? When did their music matter?

Tangents!

Tangents!

Tangents are a real problem in art. They can become an unnecessary focal point that confuses the brain and distracts the viewer from where you want to look. 

Click on the definition above!

Maybe in Geometry you have heard of this term...

This doesn't look very exciting until you see this what they look like in real life...

Hey it's Florida's favorite pastime... car accidents!

Awwww.

Ummmm... awkward!

Mike Tyson makes a tangent wherever Mike Tyson wants!

This is a future lawsuit!

Pretty!

What really happened to the Titanic... too soon?

This is a basic chart of common tangents in art.

Below are some graphic representations of tangents in art. (Special thanks to Chris Schweizer)

See the hat gets lost into the barn.

Parallels especially close ones can be confusing for the viewer.

Beginning a line where one ends can also confuse the viewer.

Get that elbow off my border!

Look at all the lines ending on crease points on the figure!

The hair shouldn't perfectly touch the pole, and neither should the elbow.

Notice the line of umbrella feeds right into the directional line of the hand.

Notice the door cuts the image in half... no bueno (no good.)

Solution: simply overlap the door... no more tangent!

Overlap shapes!

Looks simple, but can be wonderfully complex and avoids tangents.

You can also Underlap objects...

Notice these objects are not touching or overlapping what this does is create tension.

Tension can be a wonderful way to create visual drama.

Now word of caution... sometimes tangents can work. C.F. Payne proved this in his wonderful illustration for the book The Remarkable Farkle McBride.

The butterfly is tangent to the trumpet, but works as a hilarious sound joke. 

Final Animal Caricature Due October 4th!

Final Animal Caricature due Wed. October 4th!

Inktober

Caricature tight sketch due!

Your tight sketches for animal caricature are due September 28th, 2017.

Thomas Fluharty

We are studying the brilliant work of Thomas Fluharty. He is a brilliant caricature artist who wonderfully caricatures animals and people alike. However, before we get into people, we are going to start understanding our animal friends first. Last week each student selected a career, personality and animal. This is a Chihuahua is not one you'd want to meet in a dark alley.

A key element into understanding how to caricature is understanding the base anatomy so you know how to exaggerate. This is why we drew at least 3 poses of our selected animal as studies to understand our animals better. Remember when creating your character you are essentially giving that character a voice. The exaggeration should not be a distortion, but a search for a greater truth. Caricature is an enhanced reality that uses the impression of how you feel to create believability. 

Why does this illustration from Fluharty work? Batman is a guardian, and so typically are Doberman Pinchers. The brilliance of this drawing is Fluharty's wonderful observation connecting the Doberman's ears to batwings. 

Again, it is very important to experiment with form to help find the right solution. 

It's through experimentation we make discovery.

While anatomically very exaggerated this feels right. Remember why Ferrell showed you how to use the tracing paper to exaggerate your forms pretty freely without loosing what parts of your original drawing were working.

When crafting your images play off preconceived notions and twist familiar stories to assist you, but avoid clichés at all cost.

This tattooed shark that's flinging tiny people is using the preconceived notion of tattoos equal toughness. The tiny people give a sense of scale. Nothing feels cliché. So Fluharty's triumphs at feeling fresh and original by playing with familiar story tropes and twisting them into unfamiliar territory. Tattoos feel right on sharks, but where have you seen that done in real life? I'd love to see whom or what is actually tattooing these sharks. 

Animals can feel safer to caricature than people because our psychological conditioning puts mental barriers on how we judge people. Our exaggerations are not negativity, but finding the deeper truth. If it doesn't feel true it won't work. This is as true with caricaturing animals as is its with caricaturing people. 

Chris Ayers White Whale