Smoke Alert in Calgary

Calgary is under a health warning today because of the forest fires in Washington State. The smoke coming up here has caused the skies to be hazy and dark with warnings for people with respiratory problems to stay home with the windows closed. I had a caricature event here in Calgary to draw at today and it was cancelled due to health concerns. I have two outdoor events tomorrow that I'm concerned about as it's quite a hit in the pocketbook. Many construction workers and city workers were pulled off the job today as well. I'm beginning to feel like I live in Los Angeles......:)

Stereotypical Grocery Store Manager

To continue with the "Stereotypical" jobs....here's the Stereotypical Grocery Store Manager.They're usually busy but come across like one of your favorite uncles! When drawing cartoons, we cartoonists have to come up with a cartoon that reflects what the public thinks they look like.....:)

Caricaturing Kids

My Daughter Cara and I were hired to face paint and draw caricatures for an organization here in Calgary for four events. Included were a magician, and balloon artist. We have two more events this week. I'll be working my events drawing for Air Canada around them and my Daughter will be rushing to Globalfest to face paint guests right after our events together. It's going to be a busy week....but that's all good!

Paul Revere's Raiders

I had the honour to cartoon-caricatures of Paul Revere and the Raiders a few years ago. Included was Paul Revere's cartoon ( though not shown here), but since Paul's death, and I really consider myself to be lucky to meet Paul a couple of times ( great personality!!), the band has decided to continue on and I was requested to caricature the new member of the band...Paul Revere's son, Jamie Revere. Though my workload next week is mega heavy, I'll get started on his cartoon-caricature the week after....I can't wait for this one!

Al Barrett Band

Stampede Week had me drawing caricatures at an event twice where a terrific Calgary band was playing.... The Al Barrett Band! I had a few minutes to draw some quick caricatures of the guys, here's the cartoons put together.

Retirement Caricature

Okay, normally I really don't do any studio caricatures any more... (only a couple with no deadline...no cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, bicycles, trucks, planes huge crowd scenes, pets..........) I had fun doing this one using Copic Markers because they gave me free rein, with no political correctness involved.The guys were all fun blue collar workers without a HR office to run it through first........:)

Not a cartoon or a caricature, but I had to come up with a simple visual for a sixties band that added spy and surf music to their song list. Instead I found a "woody" station wagon they used to haul their surfboards back in the sixties and put two "Man From UNCLE statues behind the surf wagon, add the band's logo in front,  and voila....:)

Caricaturing Kids

Jazzberry Entertainment has me doing a number of kids caricature events in Calgary this week and next week. The one factor is that I have to draw FAST. There are long line-ups and the trick is to get as many kids drawn as possible in the allotted time frame. Today perhaps I shouldn't have started drawing any bodies at all instead just the caricature with head and shoulders only.....the trouble is when some kids see the bodies at first being drawn, then it can be difficult to switch to just head and shoulders... ( sounds like a shampoo commercial....). Sometimes for me, drawing in a gag and body can spark more interest in the drawing aspect, but tomorrow I'll discipline myself to just head and shoulders....it gets tiring standing in a long line-up...in the sun! :)

Calgary Wedding Caricatures

Another wedding here in Calgary that had me drawing caricatures for them....and a fun one it was at that! Caricatures are always a fun add-on to the DJ at a wedding. I usually entertain the guests either before the dance starts or during the dance. In the case above, this event I was asked to draw caricatures during the dance....below it was during dinner until the dance begins. I prefer the "before" aspect as it's nice to talk with the guest whereas during the dance, it's dark and a lot of staring....:0 I can't speak above the music all night. an alternative I've had is the planners place me in the lobby....then I'm happy!

Calgary Wedding Caricatures

Drawing caricatures at weddings is becoming more and more popular here in Calgary. This weekend had me doing a few and last weekend had me at one in Cochrane with many more coming up this year. With slumping oil prices scaring off the corporate sector from having large events, people are still getting married! Here's a couple from one of the weddings this weekend,. Each person takes about 4 1/2 minutes to draw....though not every guest will get drawn, it's also entertainment for those watching the process! If you'd like me to draw at your wedding, my email is...    kelstudios@telus.net

Reaction to caricatures

I never know the reaction I'll get when I've completed a guest's caricature, but in most all cases it's very good. Here's a reaction from a couple of ladies at an event drawn at this weekend. Because they were attractive and had bubbly personalities and thought I would/could have more fun with their caricature...it might be just a bit too racy for some, but not for these gals.......it's always a judgement call when the guest sits down to get a caricature drawn but these two lovely ladies put me at ease right off the bat! I won't show the caricature....but it was.....fun.......

Disney builds Star Wars theme parks

Disney has an ambitious new project in the works...Star Wars World. I'll preface by saying I'm not a fan at all of Star Wars, though think it's very well done...but I am a huge fan of the Disney Corporation. Though these theme attractions will be built in several parks around the world, the US parks will see 14 acres in both THE California and Florida parks. I've often said after visiting both parks and working drawing caricatures in Disneyland, that Calgary city planners should meet...talk....study....learn......and execute ideas on how to make large areas of land efficient, instead of the traffic mess they've created here in Calgary. I'm sure they'd love the idea! :)

Kid's party caricatures

Well this weekend coming up will be all weddings, and last week/weekend was all children's parties, again, I'm too busy to get pictures because of speed issues. The last five years or so I only draw head and shoulders now, though years ago I learned dozens of "gags" to spice up the cartoon-caricatures, but because kids really don't like standing in line for long periods of time, the head/shoulders formula seems to work. Usually the child could care less about the picture, instead focussing in on the cake and candy....but the Moms love them! :)

Calgary Face Painter

Besides doing temporary airbrush tattoos in Calgary, My Daughter Cara, is a face painter here in Calgary. Quite often she does events with me such as this weekend, while I draw caricatures...Cara entertains guests with her wonderful face painting designs.In the next couple weeks I have five events with Cara. Before she starts an event, she practices a new design and tries it out at the event with great success. To book Cara to face paint at events in Calgary, you can email her at...     caralgannon@gmail.com    

Again...absolutely nothing to do with caricatures. But the last few weeks has had me doing what I love to do....renovate the house....boring to some, but to me....well, it's like tonic. I do my fair share of swearing, especially if I have to rip someone else's mess out first, but when it's done...all smiles.....:) I have to tout a paint product here...."Deckover" by Behr paints. The builder, McKee Homes in Airdrie should be ashamed of themselves for using untreated lumber for a deck! You can use it for railings ( water will slide off it)...but NOT for floor decking! As you can see, the before pic was quite a mess, luckily with no rot as I kept on top of it every year, but nonetheless, gouges and splits everywhere. It only takes one coat of Deckover to put a sand/paint combination and is durable in a few days!

Wedding Caricatures in Calgary

Finally I have a chance to make a post...lately it's been caricature events, playing and recording in a band and the tough one...renovating my house! Drawing caricatures at weddings are always a big success, sometimes I start before the music, and some hire me while the dance is on such as this event held in Cochrane just before the Rocky Mountain chain begins at a beautiful establishment called The Cochrane Ranch House.. ( I would recommend it if you're about to tie the knot anytime soon ). This particular event was four hours long with my head down, barely any talking and getting through as many guests as possible. If you're interested in a wedding caricaturist in Calgary ( of maybe Hawaii.......) email me at..   kelstudios@telus.net

Chunk...The French Bulldog

Absolutely NOTHING to do with caricatures or cartoons, I know, but my lovely Daughter Cara brings her French Bull Dog Chunk over to the house every now and then, and when I look at "Chunk" I see a caricature! :) He reminds me of a pug on steroids...... When these little muscle bound dogs were bred with the English Bulldog in France, everyone from artists, high society ladies to French prostitutes had to have one of these pooches. And yes! Chunk is a handful....but I love him.....:)

I drew this cartoon caricature just for fun to give to Tameka Jackson, a Facebook friend that has the world's best Diana Ross tribute. Check out Tameka's website and I'm sure you'll agree!  http://www.tameka.co.uk/page5.htm
And such a sweet lady to chat with!!!