A CARICATURE IS an exaggerated likeness of a person’s face and, in many cases, body. Using skillful lines a caricaturist must carefully consider what to omit as well as what to over-emphasize: not only for the artistic impact, but for the humorous one.
your face, our map
A good caricature can be more recognisable than a verbal description, because the human brain recognizes faces by making its own mental ‘caricature’; noting a ‘big nose’, ‘thick eyebrows’, ‘small chin’ etc. We can’t help but be amused by comparing someone else’s visual references to our own private ones.
a multitude of uses
Caricatures are used in a wide variety of applications. They are a key part of most political cartoons and strips, even if in a simplified format. They are often used as illustrations to newspaper or website articles, or just portraying journalists at the tops of their columns. They are famously and most effectively used in Mad Magazine’s Movie Satires - with artist Tom Richmond being an astounding exponent of this genre, pioneered by Mort Drucker.
Tom Richmond has a lot of interesting things to say about how he draws his caricatures in his blog.
Away from the press, many caricaturists will create caricatures from photos as unique gifts, and caricaturists are the only type of cartoonist regularly ‘performing’ in public. They are often employed at weddings and corporate events drawing lightning quick caricatures of party guests. As one caricaturist put it: ‘I make a good living by insulting people at parties!’ Many of these caricaturists consider themselves to be ‘entertainers’ at on-the-spot engagements, but cartoonists back in the studio.
Do make sure you take advantage of the many professional caricaturists drawing the public at The London International Cartoon Festival!
