Wednesday 22 December 2010

New blog - 'West Coast Smirks'


Well the Christmas rush is over and I've managed to put together a new blog, which I will run in conjunction with this one. Over the years I've had a go at a few local West Australian characters - union leaders, politicians, sportspersons etc. 

I've always thought it would be good to keep them all together in one collection - good for business too !

It will also force me to add to it - I have a list !

Probably of little interest outside this great State but here it is anyway -

Monday 13 December 2010

Roll on January ................

Every time the phone rings it's " Tell them I've nearly finished it - I'll email them soon !"
Don't know why I took all these 'Chrissie' jobs but I'll be so happy when the big day has been and gone ......... merry .... baahh humbug !!

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Christmas commissions ....

It's that time of year again where the gift caricatures are thick and fast - with a few live shows as well - make hay while the sun shines I guess.
Here's a few of the first batch - some serious underquoting on the trail bike one. Pleased how it turned out though.

Back into it ............

Monday 15 November 2010

I'm BACK !!!

After many thousands of miles on Qantas (Rolls Royce engines 'an all !), cruise ships (without a fire in the engine rooms) and just a small dose of food poisoning in Morocco - I'm home !

Just had time before entering into a pile of commissions and live events to finally complete a total update of my website HERE.

Just wanted to get the Blog in action again ..... I'll soon bore you all with the holiday photos.

Monday 13 September 2010

Blog hiatus ........

There will be an interlude in postings on the 'ol blog as next weekend Nola and I leave on a European holiday - a 12 day cruise of the Western Mediterranean, a week in Rome and the rest of the time visiting in the UK.
With the Aussie $ at all time high's against the Euro and Pound Stg should be less damaging than the last one.
We get back early November and then off to Melbourne for the ACA's Stanley Awards - looking forward to that - Jason Seiler et al !!
Bon Voyage ....... someone's got to do it

Weddings, weddings ........ it's Spring !

It's that time of year, Spring is in the air and weddings are the business !
Collage of recent wedding commissions two of them I also attended and did live caricatures at the reception.
I really must put together a formalised package for that and promote it.

Saturday 28 August 2010

Ronnie Burns

This is a commission from Tasmania for a Birthday gift for former Aussie 60's Pop star Ronnie Burns. I wasn't familiar him having grown up in the UK in the 60's where we had serious pop star overload and I think the only downunder stars to get a look in were The Easybeats and of course the BeeGees - hang on they were Poms !!
Ronnie has had a varied, but very successful career Pop star, TV host and then a builder. He settled in Tasmania and now runs Appin Hall which is a children's foundation, home and hostel for kids that have been neglected and suffer trauma.
He was a recent recipient of Tasmania's Australian of the Year.

Monday 23 August 2010

Wayne Swan dressed down ..........

We've just had an election and the incumbent Labor government may, or may not hang on, it's that close. We have a strange system of preferential voting that may allow a party that get almost half a million less votes stay in power on blocks of second hand votes from a minor party ........ but I love this.
Wayne Swan, the treasurer, who has been proudly telling us for months he has saved us from the GFC, getting a well deserved bollocking ........... 'save and Labor treasurer' in the same sentence is an oxymoron.
Found this on Jason Chatfield's blog.



Friday 13 August 2010

Whoops .......... !!

Had one of those days - the day before Friday the 13th - my wife driving to work when all the alarms went off in the car, overheated. A leak in the radiator - $515 later and a new radiator - all's OK !
Settled down to catch up on the work I hadn't done running around organising cars - over goes my coffee all over the Wacom and the keyboard ( I know no drinks near them - just like you don't !) The Wacom light flickered and then went out, opened the, case hair dryer etc - no good it won't resurrect. I thought the keyboard was OK until the Finder started getting a mind of its own - I mean opening 100 web pages at once, refusing to reboot and then also gave up the ghost.
That'll be expensive tomorrow - I'll have a quiet red to end a bad day. Opened a Shiraz, it fizzed when I poured it, smelt strange, a quick taste confirmed - yuk !! Down the sink.
Went to bed.
Sitting here wondering what today will bring after the small ceremony for the keyboard and Wacom .........................

ADDENDUM : Intuos 4 and new keyboard in place - an expensive couple of days !!
ADDENDUM 2 : put the Intuos 3 back together - one last try - it works !!
Now I'm being accused of a deliberate ploy to get a new tablet
Anyone want a pre loved Intuos 3 - smells a little of coffee ?
Case of good Shiraz will cover it.

Thursday 12 August 2010

News Ltd - who writes these headlines !!

Next month I'm off to the UK in one of the new Qantas A380's - looking forward to it.
Imagine my concern when I read the headline above online in WA Now - " shit an A380 has crashed !! "
The story is, en route from LA, it had to land in Noumea to take on extra fuel because of bad weather on the Australian Eastern seaboard. A normal precautionary procedure that caused a flight delay - not news at all really.
That is 'landed' not 'down' - strewth I'm glad I no longer buy newspapers - the old adage ' never let the truth get in the way of a good story '
I will point out News Ltd has had a long term anti Qantas vendetta - I don't really know which airline Mr Murdoch wants us all to fly but it's certainly not Qantas !

Sunday 1 August 2010

Matt Preston caricature

I had the misfortune to watch a couple of episodes of Masterchef during the last season - the first time to see what the fuss was about, the second because I was out of my comfort zone - ie didn't have control of the remote !!
Truly awful crass melodramatic commercial crap, the fact that it's the top rating show in the country makes me a little concerned about my fellow Australians and to make it worse both of my kids are victims too - ' ssshhh Dad - the souffle is a winner !!' - strewth.
This bloke, Matt Preston is one of the judges, they're all pompous bastards who really deserve to 'wear' a dish or two. Anyway here's my rendition of the said Mr Preston - I don't know why but my first view of him reminded me of Mr Creosote.
............ did I mention I wasn't really keen on the show !!!

For those that don't know Mr Creosote here's a clip - he's a food expert too.



Friday 30 July 2010

'Send Off' commission ...

A 'send off' caricature for a long time employee in the AV industry - they loved it.
Did a four hour corporate 'live show' on a river cruise last night - usual trick, forgot my camera and my watch and my mobile ...

Saturday 24 July 2010

Live work ....

Just a couple of samples from a corporate show for a mining company at the Breakwater Tavern, Hillarys Boat Harbour - finally remembered my camera.
Worked with fellow ISCA member Jeremy Goodchild - no one was game to tell him he had a tea cosy on his head all night !!

Tuesday 20 July 2010

.. another ho hum job !!

I try and make a genuine effort to keep the old Blog populated with some recent stuff, but, of late it's all been fairly hum drum jobs. This one turned out well with limited input from the client - ' here's a couple of photo's, put him in a nice suit and a glass of red, oh and no background'.
They were really happy with it but you can't help feeling apprehensive when given no direction - been there before !
I want one of those Gillard Goose jobs ..........

Friday 2 July 2010

A few more commissions ............

A few recent commissions - the faces anyway - just so the 'ol Blog doesn't rust up !!
All Photoshop - of course !!!
One for Queensland, one for New South Wales and the four good looking ones for West Australia - you can't work them out can you ?

Thursday 24 June 2010

Our new Prime Minister .....

A historical day for Australia, we're out of the World Cup and we have our first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The seriously 'on the nose' Kevin Rudd has gone and Julia is now the boss - it'll be interesting to see how her very Aussie accent goes down overseas. Probably subtitles !!
This is an 'oldie' - I must start another now.

Thursday 10 June 2010

Down on the farm ...

Part of a current commission, which I spent way too long on, but as a Tractor Boy, I had to give it due respect. 1962 Ford Super Dexta, for those in the know, adorned with Holden Monaro badging ........ long story !!



oh and the Staffie too ! Not very detailed but it's only in the background. Lovely dogs.
I've also got three of these, well known for their great intelligence and calm disposition - yeh right !!!

Friday 4 June 2010

Jean Marc Borot

This is a quick caricature of one of my favourite caricaturists and fellow ISCA member Jean Marc Borot - does some wonderful work check out his Blog HERE.
He has that warm 'welcome to Paris' look that you get when it's discovered you only speak English !

Monday 31 May 2010

John Worsfold

This will sail over the heads of our overseas readers but Perth has two Aussie Rules Football teams - the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles. The Dockers - of which I'm a follower - have not had a very glorious history. That is until this year when they are joint top and the accursed Weagles are very close to the bottom.
Things can't be much better for Dockers fans, winning most weeks is great but the icing on the cake has been the Weevils fans - oh they really handle it badly. It's wonderful, my thanks to this man John Worsfold, the Eagles coach, Monday mornings can't get much better. Thanks Woosha.

Tuesday 25 May 2010

Boy George, Michael Jackson and friend !





I'm doing a 40th Birthday caricature for a client. The gift is for a big fan of eighties music so these two will be snuggled up to him in the final collage. Tight deadline, a couple of days for both and the birthday boy, great to have some extra celebrities to populate the new website ( I know I'll finish it one day ). I couldn't convince her to have Rudd and Abbott in similar dress as I've got them half finished.
Abbott as MJ in that pose with budgie smugglers - what a thought !


Here's the final ........... the party I'm told features a Boy George impersonator - the things people do for a crust !!

Sunday 23 May 2010

That's a big 'un !

A recent commission for a fisherman's 50th birthday - the fish is a Spanish Mackerel which are caught along the Indian Ocean coast North of Perth. Great fighters and BIG !
If all that sounds like I'm an avid fishing fan you couldn't be more wrong - I catch mine with $2.00 worth of chips and a crab stick.


... and another 50th Birthday caricature for the owner of a crane hire company.
1960 was a busy year !!

Saturday 8 May 2010

Man Utd fan ..........

Here's a new commission I had to be sedated for !!
I can handle the Union Jack BUT Manchester United strips should incur a double fee penalty.
Can't stand the club or Chelsea or in fact any of the greedy big money clubs that have turned the EPL into, at most, a four horse race in the last ten years. Gee and we used to joke about the Scottish League !!
Soap box session over - quite enjoyed putting it together and the client was really happy.

Wednesday 5 May 2010

'Live' caricaturing .....

I did a recent 'live' caricaturing job for a major bank at the Old Swan Brewery - a great location on the river - the photographer took some shots of me at work ( or play ! ). Great crowd there and I enjoyed myself , not many shots of my drawings but take it from me they were really good !
The T shirt a souvenir from the 2008 ISCA convention, my uniform, gets lots of comments. The hat - cuts down on glare !
Thanks to Peter Phoenix Photography for the shots.


The shirt is a Rock Kowulz (ISCA Member) original !
I'm amazed how many people don't know what a Proctologist is - 'Opposite to Dentist' !!

Saturday 24 April 2010

The flying mother in law !!!

This client was particularly brave wanting his mother in law depicted flying on a broomstick for her 60th birthday - softened the blow by giving her a 30 year old's body !! ( I'm guessing it won't save him though !)
I've done a few of these 'march of time' picture galleries up the side of caricatures celebrating significant birthdays - cuts down on the 'clutter' clients often want to pile into a caricature !!

Just received the photo - she's over the moon !
It pays off to some times be 'nice' in caricature ........................

Thursday 22 April 2010

America's got talent - 1944 version.

Nothing at all to do with caricature ... watch from about 1.00 on. These dear ladies are now in their 80's, filmed in 1944.
Amazing - I wonder if they have back problems !!

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Camels and Pandas !!!

A couple of new commissions - a little bit out of the ordinary - a 21st Birthday caricature for a Panda lovin' girl and a wedding job for a couple getting married in Broome.
Broome is in the tropical North of West Australia, a popular tourist destination. Magnificent Cable beach is famous for sunset camel rides.

Wednesday 14 April 2010

How will it look ?

Wonder how your website will look on the iPad here's a site where you can check it out

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Headline shot ....

Another corporate job - in this one a Sydney bound executive is portrayed in a bogus front page story in what 'could be' a well known local newspaper.
Magazine and front page 'stories' are really working as a concept - everyone I've suggested the theme to has gone with it.
You're on a winner here Tel !!

Monday 5 April 2010

35 year anniversary !

Today - April 5th - is our 35th Wedding Anniversary ( I know, I know you get less time for murder !) - Nola and I tied the knot way back in 1975. I wouldn't say never a cross word ( .. and I don't believe others that say it either ! ) but she's certainly my best friend and deserves a medal for putting up with this grumpy old bastard all those years !! Two wonderful children are testimony we did something right - now if only they'd hurry up with grandkids.
Photo was taken on a Mediterranean cruise in 2008 and we're off for another one in September - Nola reckons she wished she knew sooner that she was actually designed and put on this planet to go cruising !!
This is going to be expensive ..... sigh.

The iPad cometh .......

Now anyone that knows me knows I'm a total devotee of Apple - a 'Machead' if you like - if you're going to spend all day working on a computer it might as well be a bloody good 'un !
The release of the iPad had me perplexed - I couldn't think of a reason to get one. I've got the big MacPro in the studio and a 13" MacBookPro for 'out and about'. I hide my Samsung mobile phone - let the side down there !
I've now found out now that the Sketchbook Pro iPhone App works on the iPad and ISCA compatriot Angie Jordan has been caricaturing on it on release day in the USA.
Very interesting check it out on her Blog HERE.
Release date for Australia is the end of the month.

Here's a caricature I did of Angie about 18 months ago .............


Sunday 4 April 2010

Tel - Caricature - Circa 1989

This was sent to me today - a copy of a caricature I did of a workmate some 21 years ago - 1989 ( and still a good friend today - despite the caricature - all true BTW !) I've blurred out all the captions mostly personal and obscene - that was the style of the time. Rotring pens and coloured pencils as we'd never heard of Wacom's and such things.
Scanned off the original - isn't that nostalgic !

Tuesday 30 March 2010

" What about the workers ? "

This is a caricature of a genuine union 'heavy' - Joe McDonald of the CFMEU. An old fashioned union official who I think was brought in the Tardus from the early 70's !!
Throughly enjoyed exploring painting with textures in PS - another one for the new website.
Some cosmetic finishing off to do, I might earmark it for the Michael Collins Award later this year.
The slippers - they just seemed to suit him !!

Monday 29 March 2010

Happy clients .....


One of the great things ( over and above getting paid !) is getting feedback from clients. I love receiving photos of the presentations and hearing people saying nice things about my work ( thankfully that's the majority !!)
Beats working for a living ....................... top one a Sydney architect and the bottom one a Dentist and Dental nurse.

Friday 26 March 2010

Photoshop CS5


I'm a big Photoshop fan but some of the new features in the upcoming CS5 are really in the 'blow 'em away' category !
I'm going to have to redo all my panoramas.
Stunning stuff.

Thursday 25 March 2010

Peter Collier

It's great to have the opportunity to do some 'me' work. This is a shot at Peter Collier, the West Australian Minister for Energy. Responsible for a massive jump in electricity bills - really popular guy !
I've got about ten of these to do, all WA personalities, to populate my new website.
Next one is Alannah MacTiernan - who has just left State politics to aim for Canberra. She has a face that screams half a bottle of Chardonnay !!

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Chatfield 2 ....

Wasn't really happy with the first rendition of Ginger Meggs 'carer' - Jason Chatfield. I thought it too complimentary this was confirmed when Jason told me it was really 'nice' and he was going to give a copy to his mum !!
Revisited it and erased any 'Brad Pitt' elements to give a far more accurate rendition - what do you reckon ?

Monday 15 March 2010

Chatfield .....

I've had photos of Jason Chatfield to do a caricature from for a few years - messing around with some new brushes in PS put this together. He may have had an image change since the photos were taken but here it is anyway.
Jason, formerly from Perth, is now Melbourne based and is the cartoonist responsible for the Ginger Meggs strip. He still dabbles in a bit of caricaturing, particularly live stuff.
There's a link to his Blog to the right. Check it out, confuses the crap out of me, be warned read it too much you lose the will to live. Please someone blutac the lense to his phone camera !

Friday 12 March 2010

Mates rates ......

Too bloody hot to lay limestone walls so completed a caricature for a friend. Slim's as Aussie as they come. A renowned local country western singer who owns an EK Holden and a Bully X with three legs ( ... I didn't forget it !). As he says 'even bloody Poms are useful sometimes !'
This is the framed A3 size now we've got to rejig it for a CD cover.

Thursday 11 March 2010

Welcome aboard ....

A corporate commission with a difference. This is a 'welcome aboard' poster of the hosts for a 4 hour river cruise next week. Yours truly is also doing live caricatures of the guests throughout the journey on the Swan River from Perth to Fremantle and back.
Should be fun - they've been brilliant clients - would you believe paid up front on the quote !
That's a first ......................

Monday 8 March 2010

Another magazine cover !


This is another bogus magazine cover based on a major Australian financial magazine and featuring the subject , a local businessman for his 40th Birthday, depicted as Mr Money Bags from the Monopoly board game.
The punters seem to like the idea ............

Saturday 6 March 2010

Busy, busy ......

I've been steadily moving through commissions - here's a few samples - and I know the Aussie flag shouldn't be attached that side it just didn't look right blowing in reverse.
A 40th Birthday caricature, a 50th and a caricature to celebrate a cricketers 300 games !
Did a couple of 'live' shows in the last week - a wedding and a corporate function at the OLd Swan Brewery. A stunning location on the bank of the Swan River. Awaiting shots from the official photographer which I'll post here.
The weather has cooled and I'm going to have a break - 3 tonnes of limestone and a cement mixer beckon. After that I must finish my new website, play golf and maybe time for a celebrity caricature or two .......

Monday 15 February 2010

Magazine style caricature ...

Here's a caricature format I've been toying with for a while - the bogus magazine cover.
It's a great platform for those clients that want to 'hang' that little bit extra on. It's very versatile in that the client has direct input and seems to nullify the need for all the artifacts that detract from some caricatures - and are the bane of most caricaturists.
They certainly look classy framed up and the first two clients that received them were really pleased with the end result.

Thursday 4 February 2010

More weddings ......

Just finished this one - with all the cropped / no background extras for wedding paraphernalia.
They loved it - I most admit wedding caricatures are heading for 50% of the business these days.
You've gotta luv 'em !!!


The final collage is a compilation of all the 'bits' on individual layers. For a wedding commission I supply, in addition to the main 'final' (either framed or made into an A2 guest signing board ), an image of the couple with no background for invites, thankyou notes and table signs. Two 'Facebook' avatars and often the artwork, with titling, for stubbie holders and what's been popular a sepia tone version for wine labels.
In this instance I also get a '59 Cadillac convertible for my clip art library !
( ... do that in acrylic .... :0) !!)

The big CAT ...

This is the backdrop to a current commission I'm working on. A Caterpillar 793D one of those big beasties that keep the mining industry in this state churning along producing the $ !!! ( so their employees can keep buying caricatures )
It took a lot longer to do than the actual job justified but I can reuse it for similar jobs - I can hear the purists mumbling already - I know.
It's business my boy !




It doesn't look so 'pretty' up close - the original was done as a large 300dpi in PS4. I have bought Illustrator to do these, but, I still haven't got around to learning how to drive it yet !