Christmas Party Caricatures

Drawing caricatures for kid's Christmas parties keeps a caricature artist mega busy during this time of year. This event was head down for four hours trying to caricature as many guests as I could in the allotted time. I had the great opportunity to work with face painter Amanda Tozser. Five more caricature events this weekend starting tomorrow, I've had quite a challenge as well, having to draw 28 (one more was added) full caricature illustrations for a book project for a customer that need it in a week's time.
Kelly Gannon

Calgary Wedding Caricatures

A couple pretty people from a wedding I caricatured at on the weekend. Caricaturists at weddings in Calgary are quickly becoming a popular entertainment add-on. This was a fantastic group of professionals I drew caricatures for. Thanks Shannon!!

Caricature Artist in Calgary

Besides Stampede Week, the Christmas season is the busiest time for this Calgary caricature artist. Five corporate events last week and five more this weekend. It's been tricky as I used to buy my paper at Staples, they now tell me that unless I get some sort of printing onto each piece of paper that they can't sell me anymore paper......sigh. The pens I use which took me about three years to learn how to use properly ( Marsgraphic 3000 ) are now discontinued, so it's trying different types of pens with different results, sometimes that can be a good thing......sometimes.....:) Above are some fantastic guests getting their caricatures drawn here in Calgary at a corporate event held for an investment firm. ALL a fun group!

Corporate Party Caricatures

A few attractive couples I drew cartoon style caricatures for a corporate event on the weekend. It's always tougher when the entire crowd is attractive as they were on Friday evening....:) And yes....their personalities were just as attractive as their looks! Thanks again Shelley!

Calgary Party Caricatures

I spent the weekend representing a high-end jewelry store in Calgary drawing caricatures. It was such a relief to be able to draw the two gentlemen when I could actually take my time as I'm used to a line-up and having to get as many guests drawn as possible (which is all good as the client wants value for their money). Now....if I can just learn how to use this crappy Canon camera....why is it a PHONE takes better pictures than a camera? :)

My Office

Here's just a couple venues I worked at last week, there were more, but no pics! Before the guests arrive, I'm always a bit restless waiting and just try to relax a bit. The next month and a half will be a whirlwind of events.

Sir William Stephenson

First, I thank the Canadian soldiers of the past for their service to this country! There is another group of men and women who I think never received the recognition they so very much deserve....secret agents and spies! In Canada, we have a real life hero that is rarely recognised by our school board and government, but history knows about this man they call Intrepid....Sir William Stephenson. Born in Winnipeg and becoming a multi-millionaire, Sir William Stephenson set up Camp X in Ontario, Canada to train spies who later would be flown into Nazi occupied territory. Because the Geneva Convention doesn't apply to spies, if caught, they were tortured in the worst possible ways, then executed. Ian Flemming, the author of the world's most famous fictional spy worked under Sir William Stephenson and fashioned many traits of his into his famous spy.....the fictional spy....Bond....James Bond......

Calgary Party Caricatures

Here's a couple of the many samples I drew caricatures at a corporate event a few days ago ....such FANTASTIC guests! Each and everyone was a joy to draw! When I get such receptive, fun people such as these folks, it makes my job so much better and fun for me as well. Oh....the pink tint? The entire room had pink uplighting everywhere in the room. One more special thanks to these guests....thanks for coming out on the evening that Canada elected our new Prime Minister! :)

Halloween Window Splash

Though I never pursued doing window splash, or window painting, I did this one and another for my little Grandson, Brendan. It was fun for me drawing it out as he watched me, luckily he WAS watching as I had totally forgot to draw in Dracula's fangs in which I was immediately reminded by Brendan.  Drawing on windows can be tricky as you draw everything backwards, not too bad when it comes to the image....MUCH tougher when it comes to lettering.
Jazzberry Entertainment

In the U.S.A. the Coast to Coast Bully Walk was under way again, I'm proud to say that my cartoon of the above pitbull, "Piper" is again used for the banners, and calendars as well as ID badges. From what I understand The Bully Walk is to bring awareness to the breed and it's owners, I don't know a lot about the breed, ( we have a Pomeranian-Chihuahua......about as far from a pitbull as can be....) A big shout-out to Laura Bodnar-Bruccoleri for all her fabulous work in changing not only the perception of the breed, but helping to educate it's owners. :)

Elvira

Halloween is right around the corner and who is the most popular "Mistress of the Dark"? Elvira! I remember watching her movies in the late eighties and just going...wow....never realizing years later I would get a chance to meet her in person. Charming and classy are the first two words that come to mind when meeting this lovely red head, but as the picture below shows.....there is another side to "Elvira!"

Mark Dawson

I'm so fortunate to have a friend that is a bonafide rock star...Mark Dawson! Though the band "The Grass Roots" is a sixties icon band, hey....they have the gold records to show! The first caricature I drew of Mark was very...... "safe"......but after we became friends, then I was able to have some fun with the cartoon. My caricatures aren't the over the top exaggeration type, but rather a fun style....to match Mark's personality. Great guy to know.....proud to call him my friend!

Creepy Halloween Face Painting

Okay....these are creepy! Not my thing, but my lovely Daughter, Cara Gannon is a face painter in Calgary and books up Halloween day to apply some "creep" face paint to adults that are going to parties that evening. I agreed to be a "model" as a zombie ( still not sure what the fascination in zombies are???) Cara drew on her own face on the "creepy clown" and top picture.....but I'm sure Stephen King would be proud......   to contact Calgary Face Painter Cara Gannon....     caralgannon@gmail.com

Jazzberry Entertainment. Cara Gannon   caralgannon@gmail.com

Corporate Event Caricatures

This corporate event has to rate in my top five of all time, both for fantastic guests, easy going management and Sonia!....who booked me...thanks Sonia! What a great group of guests! I drew each guest solo as they are later to be scanned and put together in a booklet.

There was a great sounding jazz band in the background playing...I'm not a huge fan of jazz, but it was so nice to draw guests, have some great background music....and not have to yell to communicate with the guests....:) Thanks to the band!

Party Caricatures in Calgary

A couple of the fun guests I drew caricatures for at Heritage Park for a corporate event. What makes this event so unique is that most all the guests were laid off and the company still held a great event for them! Good on you company! :)

House Party Caricatures

Well hubby is AWOL from the picture, but a fun house party had me drawing caricatures for Olga's birthday party Friday evening. All the ladies were from Russia so I had asked how to write "lovely lady" in Russian. When hubby returned to view the caricature....there it was written on the cartoon in Russian....with a quizzical look he wondered how I knew Russian....:) FANTASTIC group of guests! Thanks Chris....and Happy Birthday Olga!

Public "Art".......

Every caricature event I draw at in Calgary, I have to drive right past this piece of "art" that I get to look at with disdain from the highway. First off.....as you can see from the background...there really isn't  much of anything around it...such as people!!.....:) Now the shocking part....Calgary public art program paid...are you ready for this....sit down first.....$470,000.00 ...AND had a German artist design it.......) I'm guessing that it's just too difficult to find a local artist to design this "piece of art".....well, ...I guess it's true...."art is in the eyes of the beholder".....oh yes....the name of this masterpiece is.... The Universal Mode of Transportation......

Ronald McDonald House

As a caricature artist here in Calgary I'm asked quite often to help out with charities, I can't always as most times I am booked, but one charity I support whole heartedly is The Ronald McDonald House. Sunday I was able to do just that, draw caricatures for a Rock The House Run. Our family has had some experience with Ronald McDonald House and it's a small token I can pay them back. ANYONE could find themselves using their services through no fault of their own by simply having a sick child as our family did, and Ronald McDonald House was a HUGE help while visiting the child in extended care at a hospital. The next time you're in McDonalds, you'll see the small container sitting by the till.....don't ignore it as most people do....put some change into it, you never know, one day it could affect you. Oh....this young woman asked that I draw her beautiful...she already was.....

Calgary Wedding Caricatures

After a great event Saturday afternoon drawing caricatures in downtown Calgary,  I raced back to Airdrie where I live and changed into the suit and tie, then back to Calgary to draw caricatures for Alanna and Michael's wedding. Here's a small sample of some of the wonderful guests I had the honour of drawing that evening, all fun guests! Thanks Alanna!

Calgary Caricatures

This event held in down town Calgary was a large one where everyone was invited. Line-ups were long and never had a chance to get many pictures of guests caricatured....but what a fun gig!

When I'm asked to draw the small girls as a princess, I have to remember the only princess cartoon I was taught when I worked a summer in Disneyland. I guess I should come up with a couple more as I'm asked quite often to draw this cartoon.

I love drawing guests of Asian decent....love the large cheek bones, full lips and other features of their face structure that make the cartoon interesting.

The greatest part of my "job" besides meeting the wonderful guests is knowing the other entertainers that I constantly work with. above are Tristan and Sara with the entertainment agent that put the show together ) there were bands, temporary airbrush tattoos, "my Wife and Daughter did those," face painters and much more). Both Tristan and Sara are so MEGA talented, they should be working for either Disney or Universal Studios as this is just a microcosm of the many talents they have.....and yes...Sara designed and sewed both costumes.