maybe we just have to learn how to make our "mistakes" work for us. the computer is a blessing when it comes to money work with dozens of corrections and lots of people changing their minds in the process under time pressure imho! for me a good picture tells a little story or needs a strong expression. Often we try to achieve impression by rendering the heck out of it because most people favor the photorealism over other styles. and you end up with a clone of an already existing photo and lots of comments how great you rendered the shadows etc ;-) there are not many people out there, including me unfortunately, which have fresh and odd ideas-computer or not computer

Recently someone saw one of caricatured illustrations, ( done completly by hand for over 40 years ), and wrote asking what software I was using to get the effects I did ! I was astounded because this person just assumed that everyone MUST be using a computer to do caricature, ( and everything else. for that matter ), and has ceased to comprehend that good work,can be done without a computer. That`s sad. In fact, I contend that unless you really know how to "render", ( meaning turning a photograph into the look of oils, acrylics, charcoal or pencil ), then learn to draw first by hand, ( no matter how many years it may take ), before you can completely understand the actual medium and technique you`re using in order to replicate it properly using a computer and software. And, by then, why would you even need a computer to do what you`ve learned to do by hand ? I don`t know what the advantages are in using a compter anyway. To me it seems much more difficult than simply taking out my pencils and paper and drawing. Is it faster ? Is it easier to make corrections ? ( Perhaps that`s it, the reason for using a computer to 'draw' ), it`s easier to correct a mistake. However, if you spend years learning how to render by hand, there will be very few, if any mistakes. And hasn`t everyone one of you learned how to repair a mistake, whatever medium you use ? I have. I think it`s one of the first things we master. And, after a while, as I said, your mistakes become fewer and fewer until, perhaps there are none. I like that it`s taken me years to get to the level I am today...the journey of learning is not only important as a foundation, but it`s an enjoyable trip. You have to travel the roads we`ve traveled, and met the trials we`ve met and conquered along the way, to reach a place where you feel good about what you`ve accomplished; But knowing you are still on that wonderful journey, and still looking forward to the road ahead and wondering where you will be in a year or two or five.That`s the joy and the struggle of drawing. That`s what makes you come to love it and live it. Things that are learned too quickly are often abandoned just as soon because of the lack of experience that we`ve discovered and have gotten past ; The roads we`ve travelled, and the fun and heartbreak we`ve had along the way keep us fresh, alive and loving what we do each time we pick up a pencil or a brush. And, it`s less expensive !

told me..."A monkey can be taught to render it takes an artist to make a good picture!" Jason Seiler said that in a recent blog post.

I think photo manipulation is fine but it is deceiving because so many photoshop paintings look too much like photos! If you want to stand out in the crowd remember that you are an artist and your art should have a point of view and style and don't get caught up in trying to achieve a photo-realist style as it virtually makes your work style-less. Try and develop a new style that's all your own! I always remember what a friend of mine told me..."A monkey can be taught to render it takes an artist to make a good picture!"

I think I may have had some of the same concerns as Phantazmo...I started messin' around with PhotoShop on my caricature work but became quickly concerned that the work became too realistic. A few years ago, I began 'drawing' with my mouse and after some time (although I was pleased with my efforts) I actually missed working with pencils, colored pencils and ink. Now looking at some of the work that's being rendered I think I can better understand how some of the traditional artists with Disney felt at the birth of Pixar....

A nice story on the famous Tony Rafty

Okay I feel bad now!!! Vkatman if you want to learn to draw good caricatures buy yourself a book on anatomy a pencil and a sketchbook, go to your local coffee shop or park and spend the day sketching what you see, study the work of people whose you enjoy, smudging photo's will never teach you to be a better artist, it's a bit like being great at say FIFA 10 on the playstation and going out on pitch and expecting to play Cristiano Ronaldo of the park.

I am new to art and caricature and struggling to learn to draw, identify the key facial features, the software, the tablets, ... while it is certainly easier to use a photo, I am thinking to start w/ that to allow me to focus on the facial features recognition and getting comfortable w/ the software. I was hoping to post my work here just to get feedback from the vast talent on this site. Trying to get some fun while learning too. It's frustrating at times that I need to master so many things to do one basic drawing.

There are many ways to all its criticisms and accept with humility but I do not want to feel bad about that. It is true that there is little effort blended with photos and I think made a fist carituras have more value. So I will withdraw my cartoons and upload photos handwork. Thanks for all your criticism and hope to compete with talent and effort. Greetings to all ...

LOL, I recently spent hours and hours on a piece for the Oprah contest, only to have it come out so good it looked like a photo manip. This isn't the first time I've done this, not on purpose, but in the end I just ended up scrapping them.