Customer Reviews

Let's Toon Caricatures

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're like I was as a kid -- and I still am today -- you're mesmerized by the professional caricaturists you see at fairs, theme parks and parties. How do they do get a likeness so fast, and in so few lines? When one drew my siblings and me at the mall when I was a teenager, I was determined to learn that skill, and spent years drawing all my friends (luckily, they *stayed* my friends) until I got good enough to make some money on the side.

I'd been at it a few years when I discovered Lenn Redman's "How to Draw Caricatures," truly a great book. But it was a long time before I found another excellent teaching resource: this book by Keelan Parham.

As a member of the National Caricaturist Network, I was always impressed with Keelan's (the two-time vice-president of the NCN) work. His style is very clean and polished. He not only makes it *look* easy, in his book he *makes it easy* to draw caricatures -- or at least easiER.

His lessons are simple and well presented, with plenty of real-life examples, each photo next to his exaggerated interpretation.

He skillfully enscapsulates a lot of what I had to figure out long ago through trial and error, such as what features to draw first, and how to "be nice" when drawing someone's flaws while still retaining a likeness. This book could've saved me a lot of trouble!

However, there's still a lot of stuff for older amateurs and even pros to learn. His section on "action angles" for drawing bodies was quite helpful to me, as were pages with tips on better line quality (something I still struggle with), how to place two people on a page (as another reviewer previously mentioned), and graphic shortcuts when caricaturing men, women and kids.

Looking for a well-presented, easy-to-understand how-to on caricaturing? There are only a handful of books on the subject, but fortunately, this is one of the best, for beginners and more experienced artists alike.

For a complete novice who suddenly realised it would be fun to have a go at drawing caricatures, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Other "how to" books on the subject left me feeling inadeqate and incapable of drawing anything resembling my victims. When Keelans book safely and quickly arrived to me here in the UK, the easy step by step illustrations immediatley gave me the confidence and skill I was lacking and my results have rapidly improved.

I now find myself staring a strangers trying to decide how I would tackle their caricature by wondering what their head shape is and how their features are arranged. Thanks Keelan!

Keelan Parham shows beginners and experienced artists an excellent approach to the art of drawing caricatures. You'll find this book to be a comprehensive, entertaining, exciting and easy to follow tutorial filled with start-to-finish examples. Keelan explains the value of line quality, simplicity, accessorizing and much, much more. This book is written for anyone who draws or is interested in drawing caricatures, and best of all: it's FUN. I highly recommend it!

Fifteen years ago I had my caricature done at Tennessee's foremost theme park. I was so impressed with it that I used it on my business cards and letterhead (o, vain man that I am...). When I got this book in the mail and opened it, my jaw hit the floor. Mr. Parham isn't the master, he is the GRANDMASTER of caricature cartooning. I could not believe my eyes at how a few simple lines could so accurately capture the physical attributes and character of a person. I am a rank amateur with a desire to learn caricature cartooning and this book is the very best I have EVER seen. It is not written to be over anyone's head and whether you have never picked up a pencil before or been drawing caricatures for thirty years, you will learn much from this insightful training guide. This book is off the chart - a perfect "ten" on the scale of one to five stars.

I enjoyed Keelan's book...it covers all the basics you need to know to get started drawing cariatures. I've been drawing caricatures for a number of years, and discovered by trial and error a lot of things that Keelan shares...why drawing the 3/4 view is easier and more expressive than full-face, why to always draw the man first in a couple's caricature, the value of the strong, dark line aroud the main subject and how to simplify hair.Following the guidelines in this book, combined with practicing on a daily basis should provide the beginning caricaturist with results beyond their expectations.

Keelan is a master a simple caricatures, cartooning, and creating abstract design within the face. This book will show a beginner how to understand and create caricatures as well as equipping a novice with the knowledge and tools to sell caricatures in a retail or party environment. This is a great beginner's manual and perfect for anyone trying to understand the "why and how" of basic line-based caricature.

As a seasoned illustrator, character designer, caricaturist, and author of my own caricature book (REJECTS: the Extreme Art of Retail Caricature), I can safely say that my experience in the field has shown me that one of the hardest thing to do is train a new artist to draw a caricature and explain why you make the choice you make. This book is great and will show you just that.

Keelan Parham does an incredible job presenting caricatures in a way that is both entertaining and fun. He has simplified the process so that whether you have tried your hand at drawing or not, you will come away from this book able to see and do so much more than before. I have read many a how to draw book, some on other subjects and a few on caricatures, but this is THE caricature book for my money. His experience training artist at theme parks and the cartooning classes he conducted are why this book so good. If you want insight into how to see like an caricaturist, the best way to set up, as well as more demos, photos, and solid how to, then I have ever seen, get Keelan's book. Unusual name, great artist, awesome book!!

Although I've been cartooning professionally for years, I've only recently started doing caricatures. This book was a great help in getting me going. The author breaks down the caricature process in an easy-to-follow and entertaining manner.
I'd recommend this book to beginners as well as to more advanced artists who are interested in learning to draw caricatures.

This book is fairly simple to follow, and will allow for one to develop a new style of caricature drawing. Some of the steps go straight from picture to caricature, but don't be intimidated, that's why you're buying this book in the first place. I own many books of this nature, and this book gives me a better opportunity to draw people I really see (no cartoon imagination drawing)Well worth it!

I am not an artist but am very interested in drawaing simple caricatures of people.I received Keelan`s book and was very impressed with the way the book lays out the foundation for a person to do caricatures.However after reading the book I came to my own personal opinion that in order to do some of the things the book gives you that you need some drawing experience or natural drawing talent, I have neither.However that being said I would still highly recommend this book to anyone willing to put in some long hours of patience and practice.That I can do.