Caricature - Where's the Respect?

Many people are exposed to caricature while visiting amusement parks, festivals and in news paper publications as illustration that depicts political figures. Caricature is meant to be an exaggerated, sometimes grotesque imitation of a person. However the style of retail caricature used by many amusement park artists is very tame and less exaggerated. Sometimes these retail caricatures are really just cartoons that do not create a likeness of the subject.

Caricature artists must balance the elements of exaggeration and likeness. Too much exaggeration of the subject will destroy the likeness and the drawing will not be believable. In order to master this balance an artist will often spend thousands of hours drawing. Despite the thousands of hours of practice not to mention the mastery of a delicate balance of likeness and exaggeration; caricature art often is seen as a novelty art.

As a caricature artist myself I feel a sense of pride when I can create a drawing that makes someone smile and also captures their personality. I feel that the best thing I can do to promote respect for caricature is to strive for a high degree of craftsmanship. Quality is important, whether I am drawing caricature at a festival or creating a detailed illustration for publication. My work is not constrained to a certain style as style is subordinate to a strong drawing. Too much concentration on style can upset the balance between exaggeration and likeness. Drawing is a skill that cannot be under emphasized when it comes to caricature. In order to maintain a high degree of craftsmanship, drawing must become a discipline. Drawing has been the back bone of figurative art for centuries. I hope my work as an artist pays respect to this time honored tradition.