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!!!

Calgary Party Caricatures

A caricature I drew last week at an event held in Calgary for a die-hard Flames fan! I must admit, though I don't watch organized sports, I do admire their passion and they don't "cheap out" when it comes to seeing their favorite teams or buying their merchandise. My Daughter Cara worked outside The Saddledome for a Flames game doing Temporary Airbrush Tattoos for the fans. A couple samples from that game are below. If you would like to contact Cara concerning airbrush tattoos.....    caralgannon@gmail.com
She always does a terrific job for her guests!

Stampede's Over

As my cartoon cowboy above portrays......Stampede is officially over!! Yee-haw....See you next year!

Calgary Stampede Caricatures

Well The Calgary Stampede is over for another year. And a busy one it was, trying to get through rush hour traffic to get to the next event on time ( someone had the brainy idea to start ripping up major roads RIGHT before Stampede Week), obscene parking prices...and of course...fast food. I finally got to the gym tonight for the first time in a few weeks and I'm already sore...:) My job drawing caricatures here in Calgary is so sedentary. But throughout Stampede Week I met some wonderful guests though, and had a terrific time drawing them.. Supposedly 1.2 million people went through the gates at The Stampede Grounds...okay...

Calgary Temporary Airbrush Tattoos

Quite often when I draw caricatures at events here in Calgary, I get the wonderful opportunity to work with a temporary airbrush tattoo artist Cara Gannon....my Daughter! She always does a wonderful job and is taking the temp tats to another level. Temporary airbrush tattoos are fast and appeal to both children and adults such as the samples she did above. To contact Cara concerning airbrush tattoos, simply email her at...  caralgannon@gmail.com

Calgary Stampede Caricatures

The Calgary Stampede! This event was held right down at the Stampede grounds whereas all the others were situated around the city ( which I like much more....the grounds are...well...difficult....). Lately because of line-ups I just never get a chance to take pictures anymore, most never turn out anyway!  :) So far including Canada Day celebrations, I've had caricature events starting at about 7:00am to 11:00am. I'm never awake enough to point a camera straight and take a good quality picture...and most of this week will see me wake up at about 5:00am.......by the end of the week I closely resemble the mugshot of Nick Nolte.....:)

Stampede Caricatures

The Calgary Stampede is now in full swing! This was the first of many events I'll cover over the next ten days while drawing caricatures here in Calgary, and what a lovely group of ladies to draw!  Yes...when it comes to drawing caricatures at corporate events, I have to say, ( sorry guys)...but the ladies rule! Thanks again Nadia!
Kelly Gannon caricatures