Markers and caricatures

A couple of Norwegian "super-celebrities" I drew recently. You may recognize them :) The image quality is a bit rough as I wanted to post them quickly. Basically they are drawn with markers (and before that, pencil) and colored with color pencils, which does not scan very well...Any way, I had fun with these and find this a quick and effective way of working. The line work is the most important here. The approach to the drawing is fairly methodical. I try to capture the head shape first, i a simplified and exaggerated way. If I can do that, the rest of the features should fit naturally. I also try to be aware of the interplay between features, and with the general shape of the head. For instance, does the whole person have a droopy, cheerful, round, sharp, square etc. look? The way the eyes sit an look relates closely to the cheeks, and then also the whole shape of the head. Basically, it is not enough to draw each feature separately. Nor can you simply exaggerate one bit and leave the rest alone. And not everyone's got a big nose, so don't draw it big unless it really is. Its all there in the face.

So I think there is a bit of science to this, even if it looks like a very spontaneous and natural skill. And there are a lot of failed attempts behind most of my drawings, by the way...