LIFE AS A PERTH CARICATURE ARTIST

Cheeky Perth schoolboy to pro cartoon and caricature artist

From a cheeky Perth schoolboy drawing cartoons of my teachers, to the International Society of Caricature Artists convention in the US (via a shopping centre in Norway), read about my life as a caricature fanatic.

*NEWSFLASH* I’ve recently appeared on the radio station Nova 93.7 – you can listen to the full interview here.

Starting out as a mini cartoon artist

My life as a caricaturist started at the back of a classroom at my school in Perth, drawing cartoons and caricatures of my classmates and teachers. The more cartoons and caricatures I drew, the more my friends laughed. The more they laughed, the more I drew. I’m proud to say I’m a Perth caricaturist, born and bred in Perth. Not many other caricaturists you find in Perth can claim this!

My first caricature gig… in Norway

I carried on working on my cartoon and caricature skills as I grew up. After school I left Perth and went travelling in Europe (as you do), eventually ending up in Norway, rapidly running out of money. With no other work opportunities in sight I decided to bite the bullet – I bought some materials and headed to a local supermarket for my first cartoon and caricature gig.

I was nervous, but it went well. Really well. I earned some much needed cash, but more importantly I came away with the confidence that I could actually make a living as a cartoon and caricature artist.

Still learning, still making people laugh

In 2009, I attended my first International Society of Caricature Artists (ISCA) convention in the US – it’s THE place to be if you’re a caricature artist. The caricatures below are of some of the other caricature artists I drew on my “wall” at the convention in 2009.

The convention really opened my eyes to the possibilities. I was rubbing shoulders with my caricature artist idols – the best caricaturists from all over the world. The experience taught me that there’s always more to learn and inspired me to push the boundaries, whether I’m providing live caricature entertainment in Perth or highly crafted studio commissions for clients across Australia and overseas.

Find out more about how I work or explore my caricature gallery to view my studio caricatures and cartoons, including my celebrity caricatures which are available as prints.