New Craigslist advert

Craigslist.com has somewhat of a deserved reputation in that many of its readers are looking for cheap/almost free goods and services. In the 'Artists', 'Creative Gigs' and 'Event Gigs' sections, which are the ones I frequent, there are always ads seeking out student photographers, muralists, graphic designers and what-have-you. The potential customers desire to pay little or nothing in return for experience or the career-enhancing "you'll have something to put in your portfolio..." not realizing or caring that the quality of work they get from a beginner will not measure up to that of a professional.
While I am all for student artists of any type learning their craft and temporarily asking for commensurately less in compensation, my philosophy is that the artists themselves (and now I particularly mean caricaturists) should choose their beneficiaries. When I was starting out, I did free caricatures for my children's schools and friends and branched off into paying work from there. That way, one's inexperience is not detracting from the whole profession, since your family and friends know that you are just starting out. The downside to working for next to nothing for real clients is that it causes an expectation that all caricaturists be in that pay range...
That being said, I still post ads on Craigslist and have gotten some gigs from it.
My most recent one is reminding people that summer parties and caricatures go together perfectly!

More internet marketing....

Gigmasters - Booking Online Since 1997

My caricatures now have another internet outlet for clients to find them. I just listed with Gigmasters, an online event booking site. It will be interesting to see how it stacks up against my other online caricature agencies...of course, if you're reading this blog, you have no need for the middleman and can just hire me directly! ;-)

Fun at a campground!

Yesterday, I spent my afternoon drawing campers at a nice campground in rural Pennsylvania, alongside a talented face-painter and a moonbounce.

Many of the kids wanted to be drawn in full-face paint, so I obliged and was rather pleased with the results. It's a challenge to get a likeness when their features are obscured!



Not everybody was wearing face paint..here are a few more...

Project Graduation

Last night/early this morning was yet another lock-in high school post-graduation party. Once more, it was an eight-artist event, although I only knew three of my colleagues--Pat Harrington, Angie Jordan, and John Sprague. John warmed up on my face!


This is a composite photo from my vantage point...we were once again ( this was my second year for this gig) drawing in a college boardroom with a large glass wall so that the line could see in while they were waiting.
Pat even had kids shooting cell phone pics of his hilarious work and screaming loud enough for us to hear:

We drew non-stop and here are a few favorites of mine:




I always marvel at how some events end up with me drawing predominantly guys OR girls. At this one, the guys won...

Fundraiser!

For my third and final gig on Saturday, my caricatures were helping to raise money to fight AIDS. A restaurant on the waterfront in Wilmington, Delaware hosted the event, which was both indoors and outdoors. I was seated on the deck, which was beautifully breezy and pleasant, on the longest day of the year, too--so I didn't need my easel light til the very end.







Update: The caricature agency I was hired through for this event, just forwarded me this email from the client--

Hi --
I just wanted to let you know that Emily, our caricaturist for our
event, was FANTASTIC! She was busy all night and did a great job of
capturing our guests in their pictures.
Thanks again and let her know she did a wonderful job!

Backyard birthday party

On Saturday afternoon, I helped a family celebrate their one-year-old daughter's birthday with caricatures. Two years ago, I'd done the same thing for their son; they wanted to keep up the tradition, and I was able to draw people this year who hadn't gotten one then...




I asked the mom who had taken this pic on her own camera, to get one on mine too!

The party hosts brought out the one I did of them two years ago B.B. ( before blog) so I could get a photo!

Grand Opening

Saturday started off with a festive grand opening for a bank. It included a DJ, face painting, moonbounces, Philly soft pretzels, caricatures ( me!) and a visit from one of the Phillies (Shane Victorino) to sign autographs. All of these enticements brought out crowds of happy people, some of whom I drew!