How To Draw Caricatures [Paperback]

Lenn Redman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1984

Includes hundreds of step-by-step instructions and examples of caricatured subjects that show the art in action.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (April 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809256851
• ISBN-13: 978-0809256853
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > Arts & Photography > Drawing > Cartooning

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

92 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of best books for learning cartoon caricature!, June 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: How To Draw Caricatures (Paperback)

June, 2001- I own more than twenty books on the subject of how to draw caricatures and cartoons. Following only five weeks of practice, I recently started working part time as a caricature artist at a major theme park (mostly for the fun of it). I have no previous experience in art or drawing. Studying Redman's book did more for me than any other. The key to success in caricature is being able to produce a clean, simple sketch that has adequate likeness to the subject's face yet, in a kind way, also employs some fun with "exaggeration" -- not distortion. Redman's book does the best job, for the complete beginner, of any text out there. This is one of the only instructional references that makes a special point to include at least one and often several photographic views of each subject before showing you how to construct the basic caricature drawing. There are many such examples of photo studies and caricature results. He also covers children and and a wide variety of ethnic groups. Redman includes examples of how to draw the same subject using several different caricature styles. There are also examples of famous people done in caricature. Too many of these to even count. If you combine this book with Jack Hamm's Cartooning: The Head & Figure to learn cartoon bodies to go along with the faces, you have a great pair of reference books. As a cautionary note, Redman's book does contain some cartoon nudity which I feel was not needed at all to make the text a valuable learning reference. Parents might want to remove these few pages before the book is used by children. This is a great learning tool. Good luck!
July 2, 2002- As a follow up to the above review, for those seeking the very best caricature training references, I must add a third book from the many that I have reviewed. I recently purchased, for a reference on cartooning, The BIG Book of Cartooning by Bruce Blitz. To my surprise and delight this turned out to be perhaps the best text yet on CARICATURE as the art form is applied in theme parks and private parties. Like Redman's book, Blitz offers many training exercises starting with actual photos of the person to be sketched and showing step by step how to "construct" the caricature. More than this, Blitz ties together at a beginner to intermediate level the techniques of "catching" a caricature likeness and adds a huge resource of comic techniques and gag ideas.
Redman's and Jack Hamm's books are still the best for starting to draw caricature. However, a theme park or private party caricaturist in their early years of development will see a BIG jump in skill, income, and tips after a thorough study of Blitz's BIG Book of Cartooning. Blitz's book, having been published in 1998 is more current in its examples and styles, and, due to its emphasis on gags and cartooning, more likely to hold the interest of young artists of say junior high or high school age. Warm regards, Brock

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book ever written on how to draw caricatures, March 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: How To Draw Caricatures (Paperback)

The most comprehensive book ever written on the challenging art and science of drawing caricatures! Lenn shows multiple examples of each face, showing how each decision the artist makes can lead to very different interpretations of the subject's features. The book is well organized and, naturally, copiously illustrated with examples of every race, gender, age, and body type imaginable. There is no other book on caricatures that covers the 'how' and 'what' quite so well as this gem of an art instruction book

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice lessons in this book, December 19, 2003

By 

T. Reinhardt "olivia lee" (east coast) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How To Draw Caricatures (Paperback)

I really like this book very much. I do think that there is an expectation of a certain amount of artistic ability from the get go but there is a certain amount of rudimentary skill building included as well.

It is a nice large size that I think is necessary for art instruction books and it is also a fairly big book as far as total pages go. One issue I have with many *how to draw* books is that they tend to be pretty thin. This is quite a nice size.

In the beginning there are a lot of examples of types and styles of features that people have...not in caracature form but just in general. I like this. I find this very helpful in general drawing as well as helping you focus on what features you can play up for the art of caricature. Proportion is also discussed with an eye on how to manipulate it. It is also a great lesson in general drawing.

The examples that are used to show what to do are quite good. there is a photo (or photos) on the page and the drawing that accentuates certain of the features. It's very helpful, I think, to start with an actual photo and see how the artist picked up on certain features in his finished drawing. I do notice that the people selected for photos *do* tend to have obvious traits that are easy to pick up on (a VERY square jaw... A *very* pointed chin... Large bags under the eyes, etc) I think this does get you used to looking for these things but perhaps a few more examples of less obvious features would be a big help.

Over all I like this book very much. It shows different styles and while the focus is on the caricature it isnt on making the subject look bizarre. Quite a good first book.