Some More Live Work

Another day another wedding, I managed to keep up the pace of the last live post I made, which is a good sign that it wasn't a one off. I might slow down next time and add some more detail, but we'll see what happens when the pressure's on!

Here's Something New

At the end of last year I did some "Graphic Facilitation". It sounds swanky and essentially I was working live illustrating the ideas brought up in a focus group. It was great fun and last week the same company got me in to do a "live farewell card" for their retiring boss. I did a big caricature in the middle an then employees came up and told me stories about the boss' time at the company, which I illustrated.

I had a blast and did the biggest caricature I've ever done and if I could do more of these I would jump at it.

Recent Live Caricatures

Here's a selection of live caricatures from the weekend. It was a wedding so everyone was in a good mood and ripe for the exagerating. They came out pretty well and I worked faster than I ever have drawing 36 people in two hours.

Pity about the photos I had to rush them at the end of the job...

Commission

Just an update on recent comissions. This one came out well, 100% digitally drawn and was finished in around 3 hours.

RTR FM Interview

I was invited to do some live caricaturing in Perth earlier this month. As part of the promo for the event I was intervied on local radio. Being my first interview it went pretty good I'm told, although I haven't listened to it since...

They asked me to knock up a caricature of the presenter during the interview which would've have been fine if I wasn't sitting at a weird angle to talk into the mic, it turned out okay-ish.

If you want to have a listen to Luke 'Media Whore' Watson, click below:

http://www.rtrfm.com.au/stories/type/interviews/category/arts/1080

Watson House Warming

I promised my brother a painting as a house warming present in July 2007.

I just finished it.

It came out well, it's the biggest thing I've done so far measuring a good 1000 x 750mm (unframed). I did the base colour blocking digitally and then got a matte print done, then I did the details with gouache and ink over the top. It's a techinique I've wanted to play around with for a while to try and bring some traditional originality to digital work, stay tuned for caricatures using this idea.

The Great Wall

Well for all of those who were eagerly waiting to see if the giant stone wall would be a success, behold the wonders of the gravity retaining wall!

Heartfelt thanks go out to Stace, Jade, Seth and Jorja for all of their help.

Now for the house...

Christmas Season Live Cariatures

Here's just a few live caricature examples from the Christmas period, also known as the busy season. I was part of a long promotional deal with Glenfiddich which saw me and many Australian caricaturists doing jobs all over and I managed to squeeze out of few rippers.

The Stanley Awards 08

Well November 24th ish I was in Coffs Harbour for the Stanley Awards. It was a great weekend I got to meet up with guest of honour and cartooning big wig from the US Jim Borgman (Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist and co-creator of Zits). He's a lovely and humble guy and managed to wow him with a caricature I did of him and then, in the photo below, I accidentally felt his arse.

As a side note to the drinking and feeling of men's bits and pieces I was nominated by my peers for caricaturist of the year. The award was taken out by David Rowe (The Financial Review) and the other photo is me stealing said award.

Level of Work: Outstanding (and that's just me!).
Venue: Subtropical, but a bit 80s, all in all very nice.
Nibblies: Good at all events, even happy hour at the pub, except these weird fish cakes...not good.
Number of free drinks: As many as the waiters could carry.





Mr Borgman rocking a Hawaiian shirt
The caricature I did of Jim




The Rotary Cartoon Competition in the Bunker Gallery Coffs Harbour (I had two pieces exhibited).

I'm Back Baby!

Well,

I've either been incredibly busy or slack, boths ways means no posts since November! Ye Gods people, I hear you screaming "what the devil has he been up to?!".

Well here comes the back log...

The House that Luke Built (and Stacey...and the builder)

This post is more for the people who would be interested in the house we're building. Although it does have some artistic merit and all are welcome to have a look.

The plans are through council and are getting to the building permit stage. I'm getting ready to start building a 36m long retaining wall. There's a first and last time for everything.

Commission 14-11-08

Just a couple of photos of a recently commissioned caricature, this with the added feature of a signed matte board.

It came up pretty nice... if I do say so myself.

Budding Caricaturists

After posting Pascoe's caricature of me, I thought why should he get all the glory? I've kept a couple of rippers that budding artisits have done of me as I've worked different jobs.

Various ages, various mediums, and various sizes, but all gold! I'm going to frame the one by Kampi, she was only about 5 and took about 10 minutes to do this great caricature. The lines are really precise and she thought my hair was the defining feature.

Clinton

8-11-08

Here are some examples of live work I did over the weekend. Pretty happy wth how they turned out, especially as it was blowing a gale!

Yours Truly

Here's a caricature that Anthony Pascoe, Melbourne caricaturist, did of me while we were under-worked at a job recently.

He's a smart arse. Check out more of his smart-arsery at http://www.anthonypascoe.com/

Ahh, McCain

While watching the US election, trying to avoid work, I put this together for a bit of fun. Poor McCain, he just wasnt very good, I guess we'll just have to see what strife bush gets the US into before January when Obama takes over!

Who's that handsome Devil?

I got to do some cartoon workshops recently, the first since the move to Victoria, and it was great to get out there and do a bit of teaching. Plus I got my mug in the local paper, can't argue with that.

Beard Envy

Well I've been flat out, but I did have the pleasure of heading to the opening of an exhibition by a childhood friend of mine a few weeks ago. His name is Neils (Nails) Oeltjen and we hadn't seen each other for 13 years or so. He's always been a great artist and is making a name for his work around Australia. It's, not to sound too arty farty, really bold but delicate, using spray paint to add depth and colour and then layering detail and texture on top. Very cool.

Anywho below are a few photos and sorry they're such low quality my camera phone sucks in dark rooms.

Well I suppose I should do a review, it could become a standard thing here.

Level of Work: Awesome, if I had some spare dollars I would've have bought a couple.
Venue: Nice, Somewhat of a fire hazard with cardboard walls and all.
Nibblies: Only lamingtons - awesome.
Number of Free Drinks: Endless and Little Creatures too!

Not a winner...

Last night I was at the opening of the first Out of Controller Exhibition/Competition in Melbourne. I entered, but to my dismay didn't win (not even a door prize, which I think was jinxed by my brother saying "I never won a door prize, never will."

The exhibtion was based on what Nintendo characters get up to out of the games. It was good to see a smattering of digital art work getting amongst the winners.

Here's my review:

Level of work: Good
Venue: Fire Hazard
Nibblies: Average
Number of Free Drinks: Only 1! terrible...

Toshiba Event

I was recently invited to help toshiba promote their Tablet PC range at a Teaching Conference. I was there to caricature using the machine and found it a great new way to do live gigs. I had a great time at a great location (Lorne, Victoria). Stay tuned there may be more to this story soon...