Caricatures by Angella - Models With Wit

My drawing of caricatures is developing into a distinctive style.

1 I draw large heads and small bodies (which is quite common).

2 But also very colourful, using watercolour pencils.

3 Often whimsical or humorous.

4 Not stick figures like Lowry but overweight people, plump and jolly, like myself, emulating the paintings by the late Beryl Cook who showed people eating and dancing, enjoying themselves.

5 She often did several characters and although I mostly have one sitter, I am now starting to do pairs of people, with one looking at the other, either affectionately or admiringly or in surprise.

6 I try to include something which epitomises or symbolises their main interest, work, sport or hobby, such as a tennis racquet.

7 I wanted to add humorous rhyming couplets, using alliteration, combining their name and trade or profession alliteratively. I did that for my friends, twin doctors, Derek and David.

8 I asked Dorothy what she did. She was retired, but had lots of interests. I asked how she would like to be described on her gravestone. She quipped, 'I want lover on my gravestone.'

Lover seemed to be inappropriate to put on a drawing of her. But the whole phrase, 'Put lover on my gravestone' seemed a good caption.

9 I then thought I should have a saying from each person, summing up their attitude to life, such as a glass half full, or, if they could not come up with something original and witty, their favourite proverb. That would be a great souvenir of each person, much more interesting as a collection of characters from each decade. It's a way of making the drawings more interesting. 10 Alternatively a way of subtly getting across common sense and advice to youngsters in the form of a humorous art book.