Still practicing the Dark Humor because of Client's Request. I used a reference photo of a man that I previously drew just fine at a Party.

In the first picture here, I wasn't successful in coming up with Dark Humor. He looks just so cute. So I tried it again.

In the 2nd picture here, I was successful in coming up with Dark Humor. I wonder if it will feel easier to get into that Zone at the Event where the Client requested Dark Humor. And if so, would I even Want to be there? Maybe I'm going to turn down this party afterall. But meanwhile, it sure is an interesting drawing experience alone in my studio.

Not only would I prefer Drawing the first picture, but I also don't understand what sort of benefit there would be for a person to have a picture on which Dark Humor is imposed. When the Client calls me back, I'm going to ask her about that.

Anticipating an upcoming Valentine's Event, I drew the following pictures based on an online photograph that I found of 6 people. Just a little warm-up on a little sheet of paper with old supplies.

First picture ~ the only thing that makes it possible to call this one a Caricature might be because I drew in with Marker Outlines? Ick. Not good.

So I started again. Second picture ~ drawn a little faster ~ probably because I knew the 'answers' already, maybe a ittle better, but still..... Nope.

Third picture ~ getting there... but Why did I force the issue to draw the kid's 'eyes ~ It was too soon to stick stuff like that in because I didn't yet know what other things would be important.

Fourth picture ~ Yes! That's it. That's basically all that's needed to describe these 6 faces. But just to make sure that I'm not going to ruin it, I made a photocopy before continuing.

Fifth picture ~ Successfully Finished.

Practicing for an upcoming Party where I would be drawing Fashion Sketches.

In the moment. Real Artwork is made in the moment. It can't be rehearsed. It can't be memorized. So, I make decisions in the moment. It's not a good idea to suddenly second-guess myself.

Just like second-guessing ourselves when we're about to express ourselves honestly ~ unedited ~ to an important person, trying to manipulate the outcome. Not a good idea. It's not authentic. It's not true raw honesty.

I tripped over my own to feet (so to say) when I started drawing this client. Even though I felt like he looked fine, I foolishly imposed my own presumption that he wouldn't want to focus on what I saw. What to draw, what to draw? I had recently been studying different approached for drawing mouths in my own free-time, so I moved my focus to That. But that wasn't where the caricature for this person Was. It didn't look like him. Oh. I tried to save it by writing some Words, but of course still not good.

I didn't have a chance to figure out what happened while I continued successfully drawing the other people at the party. So when my paid-time was up, I stayed late because the gentleman agreed to let me redraw his caricature. Oh what to draw, I just hoped. I drew the 2nd picture here. It's nicer, and I hoped he would like it. But I still didn't like it.

I gave it a go on my time off. No pressure. No worry about pleasing anyone (as though we can ever control that anyway. hhhrumph). I felt more pleased with what I drew here, and it would have gotten good-hearted laughs if I had drawn it at the event. But it still didn't 'speak' to me.

I tried it again. Yes! This one is it. It's not just a matter of exaggerating Something. It's important to exaggerate the Right thing. This particular face was difficult to Caricature. In this case, it wasn't the lips, and it wasn't the frenulum. It was the Cheeks!