Caricature Portrait: Detailed Tutorial

How to Make a Caricature Portrait?

The caricature portrait, also called a satirical portrait, is a drawing style meant to be humorous. To provoke emotion—most often laughter, but sometimes anger too… That's the goal of caricature.

This type of artistic work is appreciated by many, and most people enjoy playing along for the fun of seeing their features humorously exaggerated. Besides "leisure" caricature, it's also a way to express opinions and ideas, and is often found in the press.

Here are our tips and tricks for making a perfectly balanced caricature portrait!

The Concept of the Caricature Portrait

A Bit of History

Let's start at the beginning: caricature appeared in the 16th century and became popular in the next century thanks to the rise of the written press. The years following the French Revolution especially ensured its success with the public. From that time to today, caricature has been used to criticize current events.

In France, it even has its own law: any public person can be caricatured, and the caricature portrait can be published, as long as it doesn't incite hatred.

A Short Definition

A caricature portrait is a grotesque and satirical representation of a public or ordinary person. The artist works their drawing to exaggerate the main features of the face and body of the person represented, making it a humorous work.

The Prerequisites for Drawing a Good Caricature Portrait

Caricature portrait is an art that's far from easy to master. Don't be fooled—it's even more complex to make than a realistic portrait!

Master the Basic Rules

Before you start caricature, you absolutely must master portrait techniques. You'll then be able to twist them into caricature much more easily. So start by studying the "Reilly method" of portraiture. This method consists of schematizing all the lines of a face, focusing on their shapes and values.

The steps to draw a human face using this method:

1. Start by drawing a circle.
2. Divide it into four by crossing a horizontal and a vertical line.

Note: these lines help you define the face's axis.

3. Extend the vertical line by half the sphere's length and draw the jaw and chin accordingly.
4. Place your eyes below the horizontal line.
5. Use the vertical line as a guide to place the nose and mouth axis.

This structure lets you draw any type of face! Practice drawing realistic portraits from photos with this technique before starting caricature portrait. The more you practice portrait art, the easier it will be to approach caricature technique.

Develop Your Sense of Observation

A good caricaturist has an excellent sense of observation! To draw a good caricature portrait, you must be able to spot the unique details of the person's face.

Learn to Know Your Subject

For resemblance, knowing your model's main character traits will help you a lot in making their caricature! You'll then be able to more easily highlight the little specific details that make them unique.

For example: an optimistic and cheerful person should be shown with a big smile.

Whether you're caricaturing a friend or a total stranger, take the time to learn about their passions. You can then use them as inspiration for your caricature portrait, and even reference them in your (humorous, wacky, or simple) scenes.

How to Make a Caricature Portrait?

Once you've mastered the basic portrait techniques and understood your subject's personality, it's time to move on to caricature drawing itself.

Caricaturing the Face's Features

Creating a caricature portrait means exaggerating your model's features without making them inhuman! Again, the Reilly method will help you master your drawing.

1. Draw a first sketch of the caricatured face using this method, as described above. The characteristic features of your model's face then become relatively abstract lines.
2. Now focus on these lines and accentuate them. Don't hesitate to mark your shadows now, as these give more volume to the face and also make it more dynamic.

Tip: Faces with regular features are often the hardest to caricature. For a convincing and funny result, proceed in two steps:

1. make a first caricature of your model;
2. caricature your own drawing!

Caricaturing a Body

In caricature, the character's body always appears very small compared to their head. By extension, you adjust the neck's proportions, an essential element that connects the two body parts. To help, simply give the caricatured person's neck a funnel shape (wider to narrower).

There are two methods to caricature a person's body.

1. Some artists, very comfortable with body movement, directly sketch the body from imagination. This method lets you give any pose to the character.
2. Other caricaturists prefer to draw the person's body from a photo. When starting out in caricature portrait, this method is the easiest to execute.

Tip: To practice, don't hesitate to draw your model's head and body on two different sheets! This little trick lets you try different poses, outfits, compositions, and backgrounds… Before finally choosing the scene you like best.

The Finishing Touches

Depending on your inspiration, you can leave your caricature portrait as a sketch, or go further by inking your lines, or even adding color to the work.

Different techniques allow for coloring:

• oil pastels;
• colored inks;
• paint;
• colored pencils;
• etc.

Ultimately, it's up to you to choose your favorite. In any case, remember to fix your colors so they stay intact for a long time.

Another very trendy option: you can digitize your caricature portrait and add color using your favorite graphic design software.

How to Develop Your Own Caricature Style?

Every caricaturist has their own style. Their unique work is thus easily recognizable among all.

Like in music, an artist's style is born from their own influences, which can be many: realism, manga, animal art, and many more. Also, while some caricaturists focus exclusively on their subjects' faces, others like to represent their whole bodies.

So, to help you develop your own style, take the time to look at other artists' work for inspiration. Luckily, there are plenty of sources of inspiration thanks to press drawing. The bigger your visual culture, the easier it will be to create your own style.

Tip: List the details that most interest you in each caricature that inspires you. You can then reuse them in your own portraits.

Be careful, being inspired by others' work doesn't mean you can copy their creations exactly! The goal is to spot stylistic elements that will help you give more artistic personality to your caricature portraits.

All that's left is to practice regularly to gradually improve your drawings and refine your caricaturist style.

Conclusion

Whether used as a polemical tool in the written press, or as a fun and decorative element for individuals, the caricature portrait is an art appreciated by many. Many people love to lend their features to the caricaturist.

But caricature is a unique art, which first requires mastering the basics of portraiture. A well-developed sense of observation is also necessary to spot the most striking features of the face—those that especially deserve to be accentuated.

Would you like to give a caricature portrait to a loved one for a special occasion? Why not use a professional? By posting your project on the Cartoonely platform, you can be sure it will be handled by a specialist, recognized for their outstanding caricature skills.