Caricature

Inspiration & Exploration

Caricature is the art of finding what makes a face unique and then amplifying it until it becomes funny, striking, or both. Start by studying the masters: search "Sebastian Kruger caricature," "Jason Seiler," and "Tom Richmond" on Google Images. Tom Richmond's blog at tomrichmond.com is a goldmine — he has written detailed free tutorials on caricature theory. Watch the MAD Magazine Documentary on YouTube to see how professional caricaturists think. Then visit Gilgal Sculpture Garden in Salt Lake City — the exaggerated stone sculptures there are a surprising local example of physical feature amplification. Sketch three celebrity faces from memory and try to push one feature big. You're ready for the next step when you can look at a face and quickly name its two most distinctive features.

Tools & Techniques

Caricature needs simple tools — a pencil and paper are genuinely enough to start. Use a mid-range sketching pencil (HB to 2B) and smooth drawing paper. Learn the basic "egg head" construction: draw a large oval for the cranium, then determine where the features sit based on the actual person, pushing proportions away from average. Watch Tom Richmond's free "How to Draw Caricatures" video series on YouTube — his "5 Shapes of Likeness" framework is the clearest beginner system available. Study how different artists handle the same face: Matt Mahurin uses shadow, while MAD Magazine artists use line economy. Collect ten reference photos of the same celebrity and make quick 5-minute sketches from each. You're ready for the next step when you can identify the five facial zones (forehead, brow, eyes, nose-to-mouth, chin) and describe how they vary between two different people.

First Creations

Draw your first real caricature of a public figure you know well — choose someone with distinctive features, like a big nose, prominent ears, an unusual jaw, or expressive eyes. Start with a light pencil sketch using the egg-head construction. Find what is most different about this person's face compared to average, then exaggerate that thing by 30 to 50 percent more than feels comfortable. Eyes too far apart? Push them further. Prominent chin? Make it a shelf. Compare your result to the reference photo. Draw the same subject three times, pushing the exaggeration further each time. You're ready for the next step when you have three sketches of the same subject showing progressively more exaggeration, and the face is still recognizable in all three.

Style Development

Move beyond pencil and explore line weight and shading. Practice inking your pencil sketches with a fine-tip pen — the Pigma Micron 01 and 05 work well for caricature detail. Use thick lines for dominant features and thin lines for minor ones; line weight guides the viewer's eye. Experiment with cross-hatching and stippling for shadow and texture. Try caricaturing a local Salt Lake personality — a popular restaurateur, a Jazz player, a local politician — using a reference photo. Post your work to r/caricatures for honest community feedback. Study how Jason Seiler handles hair and fabric texture on his YouTube channel. You're ready for the next step when you complete two inked caricatures with intentional line weight variation and can point to one specific decision you made about exaggeration.

Refine Your Craft

Add color and speed. Watercolor washes work beautifully with ink-line caricature: lay flat color fields first, then drop in shadows wet-on-wet. Copic markers give faster results with cleaner blending. Watch Jason Seiler's "Painting a Caricature" series on YouTube for a professional color workflow. Practice drawing caricatures from life — sit in a coffee shop or at a TRAX stop and sketch strangers quickly (3 to 5 minutes per face). Speed is a real caricature skill: festival caricaturists draw a finished piece in 4 to 6 minutes. Practice with a timer. Join the International Society of Caricature Artists at caricaturearts.org — they hold an annual convention with workshops. You're ready for the next step when you can produce a recognizable, exaggerated caricature from a photo reference in under 10 minutes.

Portfolio Piece

Create your portfolio piece: a full-color caricature of someone meaningful — a friend, a family member, or a well-known local figure. Use a clear reference photo with good lighting. Plan the composition: will you include the body? A prop that references their personality? A background that places them somewhere recognizable? Ink the final piece with care, controlling line weight deliberately, then add color with watercolor or markers. Scan or photograph the finished work in good light. Write two or three sentences explaining your exaggeration choices — what feature you amplified and why. Share the caricature with the subject if you know them, and post to r/caricatures and the ISCA community. You're ready for the next step when you have a finished, colored caricature that makes the subject laugh and recognizable in the same breath.