What is a caricature?

When we gaze upon each other we notice particular features about the other person, these may be ones which we find beautiful or that stand out, they are the predominant features of a person. We all have these yet we are all different from the next person because these features are unique to us. When our image is captured by a camera or video, these features can be accented by the photographer through choice of lighting or position of the subject to give a desired effect. When an artist draws a caricature they exaggerate certain features, the ones that stand out in the individual this can give a comical or even grotesque appearance to the finished picture.





Imagine a photograph of a cute little baby whose features are soft and maybe a little wrinkled, an artist producing a baby caricature may exaggerate those wrinkles and folds, draw the mouth larger or extenuate chubby cheeks to give a comedy picture of the new-born. As kids grow though their features change they may have missing teeth or stuck up hair, their features are growing but are not yet fully adult. Here the artist could exaggerate the gap in missing teeth, harden the edges of jaws and give the eyes a steely glare so a kid caricature becomes a fighter or a hero or even a grotesque evil queen! You see the caricature can really take on any nuance that the artist wishes.





The caricatures are popular and often the individual will give the artist free reign with the design and here the fun really starts, the artist may choose features that the individual dislikes about themselves, a knobbly chin or larger than average nose, these are the ones they exaggerate with hilarious consequences. That’s why many people choose to give them as gifts imagine the fun giving a caricature for birthday party or anniversary or even a leaving present, laughs all around no doubt!







