Young Beautiful Souls
One of the truly beautiful things about caricature is being able to show someone how beautiful they truly are. In my line of work it is assumed by the majority of my clients that I am there to stretch and contort all the embarrassing extra large features. Thankfully the people who sit down assume that and have mentally prepared themselves for that moment. Then, I come in and show them what a caricature truly is.
So what is a caricature?
- It is an exaggeration of essense,
- It is an exaggeration of spirit,
- It is an exaggeration of emotion,
- It is an exaggeration of likeness.
Yes, we move the face around, but I’m not hunting for your zits, missing teeth, and lazy eyes. I am looking first for what your heart shows me, your essence, what makes you, you. It is an honor as soon as you sit down, to watch your body have a quiet conversation with me, and trust me before you even start speaking. Your body tells me your concerns, the parts of yourself you dislike, and it shows me who you are, and within seconds I can tell what will make this caricature special for you. Then we start talking, your mouth tells me what your body already said, confirming my theories and showing me your spirit, your drive, your ambitions and passions, That pushes my marker further into the caricature as I get to know you on a personal level, hear your life experiences, and share with you that we stand on common ground and I am here as someone who will treat you as an equal, not as someone out to hurt your spirit.
The further we go the more I refine my image, and the more I press and pull gently at your emotions, making you laugh in one second to see if your smile represents your heart, watching how your eyes squint, and seeing if the joy your smile shows makes its way into your eyes. Then I remind you of the discomfort you are feeling, and watch how you feel, does it make you excited? Like the climb up the steep slope of a rollercoaster before the fall that reminds your body you aren’t in control, or does it cause you anxiety, and remind you of memories that you feel less than the person you truly are? That tells me how far I can push your likeness into more cartoony contortions. But, I already have you on my paper, and in my head before I even begin considering exaggerating you in more intense ways.
The most amazing part of this whole process is I know everything I need to know in a matter of seconds, within about 1.5 minutes I know exactly where we need to go, and by minute 5… I’m done, or very closely nearing the finish line, and I have formed a relationship of trust with you that is about to be rewarded.
No, I can’t make you skinnier, (well, I can very slightly lessen your weight…) but the skinnier I go, the less it will look like you. Friends become unrecognizable when they lose a lot of weight.
No, I can’t make you younger (well, I can draw a few less wrinkles) but age creates new definition, and that definition makes you, you.
But yes, I can make you more beautiful. But, that beauty isn’t fake, it is truly yours. I am simply showing you what you have forgotten to see in a while, and we do it in this fun format so your heart is more prepared to accept the truth I am about to reward you with. That is caricature, and that is my passion, and it is my greatest joy to make you laugh, take you on a rollercoaster, and then when we get off that ride, you receive a gift that makes you catch your breath, just like the moment the harness releases you from the seat of the ride and you feel your heart beat slow down.
So next time you sit down for a caricature in front of me, know that we are about to have a great time together, and this will be a moment you will never forget, and I’ll send you home with a parting gift that will be one of the few things in your life that you will actually think, “Wow, I really want to hang this up somewhere!” and it will be a daily reminder to you that your spirit, is so much more beautiful than you give yourself credit for.
I look forward to seeing you soon!
Tim Lee
