Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable - Cesar Cruz
Looking for drawing classes to learn how to draw caricatures? This article will help you understand the nuances of caricatures and how to find drawing classes near me. Let's start with the basics.
What is a caricature? Is it art? Is it cartoon? Caricatures are nothing but renditions of images of the chosen subjects. It is either a simplified or an exaggerated way of drawing using the methods of sketching, pencil strokes or creative drawing like a cartoon. That way, a caricature can be insulting or complimentary. It can be used to serve a political purpose or can be offered to the audiences for entertainment purposes. Satirical political cartoons use caricatures of politicians. You will also find caricatures of celebrities like musicians or movie stars. A course on caricature drawing will help you draw an animated version of anyone and anything.
Literature uses caricatures to portray a distorted representation of a person by oversimplifying or exaggerating their characteristics.
What are Caricatures?
If you have signed up for an online drawing class to learn the art of caricatures, then you maybe interested in a little bit of history as part of your course. The term caricature has been borrowed from the Italian word "caricare" which means to charge or lead. There is another version in the English dictionary which has been derived from Dr. Thomas Browne's book, Christian Morals. And in his book, the footnote read something like - "When Men's faces are drawn with resemblance to some other Animals, the Italians call it, to be drawn in Caricatura." In this sense, the word caricature means a loaded portrait.
History of Caricatures
Leonardo da Vinci actively sought individuals with one or more deformities to serve as muses for his painting. You would find a lot of caricatures in his early work. But his objective was to produce an impression of the original which was more striking than the portrait.
The closed aristocratic circles of France and Italy were known to enjoy caricatures which were a source of mutual enjoyment. The first book to be published on caricatures was in England. It was called A Book of Caricaturas, written by Mary Darly's. Many art courses focus on the history of the particular type of art you are studying. This encourages students to add humor or other elements in order to contextualize their art.
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Most Notable Caricaturists of All Time
It is difficult to point out who the best caricaturist of all time is. There have been many great artists who have wowed the world with their techniques and skills. But there are a few characteristics that set apart a great artist from an average one. And based on that, here is a look at some of the greatest caricature artists of all times.
Sir Max Beerbohm
He popularized the single-figure caricature by produce paintings of famous individuals of his own time (1872 to 1956). His paintings were widely published in fashionable magazines and were part of regular exhibitions in London's Carfax Gallery.
George Cruikshank
His art had the sole purpose of attacking the royal family of Britain and leading politicians of the time. Popular publications like The Comic Almanack and Omnibus featured social caricatures that were his creations.
David Levine
He was an American artist who became famous for his caricatures in The New York Review of Books and Playboy magazine.
Alex Gard
This Russian artist created more than 700 caricatures for the walls of Sardi's Restaurant in New York. He was the first amongst the world's artists to do so. The same paintings are now compiled in The New York Public Library for Performing Arts.
Sebastian Kruger
Kruger was a German artist who became popular for his grotesque, yet realistic distortions of celebrities through art. The life like depictions of The Rolling Stones still remains one the greatest works of art in the world.
Watch free video tutorials to learn drawing caricatures. Or, take drawing classes with a qualified tutor on Superprof!
Learn How to Draw Caricatures
An artist cannot fail. It is a success even to be one - Charles Horton Cooley
With the advantage of online drawing classes, you are at ease when it comes to learning how to draw. You can follow this step-by-step guide to drawing a caricature.
Step 1: Choose the Subject
This is the easiest and most fun part of drawing caricatures. The subject can be anyone - your family, friends, pets, celebrities, politicians, etc.
Step 2: Gather Your Tools
For a caricature, you first need to have a good pencil and drawing paper. Then come the colors. Make sure you have everything in place before you start. Make an outline first, before moving to the finer details.
Step 3: Draw the Body
For beginners, it is important to follow this chronology. The body is relatively easier to draw, followed by an outfit of your choice. Also add a hint of a famous pose or gesture that will be the message of the caricature.
Step 4: Draw the Head
Let your imagination run wild with this one. Draw a big, oversized head. Remember exaggeration or oversimplification are the underlying features of caricature art.
Step 5: Draw the Hair
Add the final touches by adding the hair. Here again add a dash of colors, volume, curls, etc. to overdo it.
With good drawing classes, this should become like clockwork for most budding artists.
Online Drawing Classes to Learn the Art of Caricatures
Superprof has compiled a list of the key features of the best online courses to learn drawing in 2021. It will give you options in online drawing classes near me where you can also learn how to draw caricatures.
What to Look For in and Online Drawing Class
A good drawing course should offer knowledge and exposure on the following -
- different drawing tools
- perspective drawing
- drawing fundamental 3D and 2D shapes
- drawing contour lines
- use of different drawing tools
- setting up different drawing tools
- creating the outline or skeleton of a character
- drawing geometric lines
- erasing guidelines
- changing mathematical shapes to organic shapes
Computerization of Caricature Drawings
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Learn drawing computer generated animations and turn them into caricatures | Image Source: Pixabay.com
Computerization has brought in a new era of art. Significant efforts have been put to create caricatures online using techniques of computer graphics. For example, you can use warping tools to design caricatures online. But there are not too many softwares available in the market to produce caricatures automatically.
You can learn computer graphic systems in your online drawing class. This is a different skillset altogether compared to creating caricatures on paper. It requires advanced knowledge of computer programs, making it a little more complicated for creative artists. It is advisable to first join normal drawing classes to perfect your understanding of caricatures before signing up for a computerized caricature drawing class.
It is true that computerization automates any process. But it takes away the personal touch from the art. For artists, this might be a problem. The uniqueness of their art comes from this personal touch that may go missing if you are automating the entire process. But this may still be mitigated by customizing the choices on the software. And there is always the option of creating your own caricature with pencil and paper and digitizing the same.
So, take your pick and choose from a variety of digital drawing classes and courses. And begin your journey as a caricature artist.
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