10-06-11 Caricature @ Cal State University East Bay Concord

Colleges are a blast to draw at.
Last night was my 3rd time at Cal State University East Bay.
The first 2 times I drew there I did black & white. This time all caricatures were drawn in color.





Big Al Caricature can draw at your next college event! Check out BigAlArt!

One of my busiest Septembers ever.

This September found Big Al Caricature here, there and everywhere. Sonoma, Colma, Union City, San Francisco, Pleasanton, Gilroy and San Pablo to name some places.

Here's some images from this amazing month!

Drawing in Brentwood this Saturday & Sunday, August 27 & 28!

Big Al Caricature will be drawing complimentary caricatures at the Art, Wine & Jazz Festival in Brentwood, CA 94513. 11:30am-2:30pm Saturday & noon-3pm Sunday, August 27th & 28th.

More info on the festival at Brentwood Art Society.

June and July have been very busy.

I need to post some of the caricatures I've snapped in the last few months.

In the meantime here's a video of me drawing a caricature at Chase Bank in Chinatown San Francisco this afternoon, Friday, July 8, 2011. Many thanks to the videographer.

Big AL Art draws a caricature at Chase Bank San Francisco.

Here's the finished image with the subject for comparison.



I had a fun day of drawing caricatures. I started out at 10am drawing children in Danville at a Growing Room site before drawing at Chase Bank in SF.

Here are a few of the drawings from The Growing Room.



Adios until next time.

June's always busy with grad nights and other events ...

Nine grad nights this season (end of May to Mid June): 5 have been regulars (4 I've drawn at over 10 years - the local high school proved this means nothing by opting out this year), 3 were brand spanking new for me, and one I believe I may have drawn at once before.

These girls were the last drawing at Ygnacio Valley High's Grad Night, Friday, June 10th (actually Saturday morning around 3am).
Although I usually prefer natural poses this has to be my favorite caricature portrait capture of the 2011 Grad Night campaign.



... more grad night photos to come.

May's been busy just haven't had time to post.

Big Al Caricature had the pleasure of drawing at a twins 1st Birthday (cruise on SF BAY), a combo Junior/Senior Ball (on Treasure Island - Pavilion by the Bay), The new Dublin Farmers' Market at Emerald Glen (I'll be there again June 16 & July 21), and another Senior Ball (cruise on the Bay)! Plus the Artists' Open Studio Tour last weekend.

All events were a pleasure. Here's some images.

I did a watercolor & ink caricature of these twins which they had printed on the cake and framed with a mat that the guests could sign.


Here are a few images from the birthday party. Drawing on Bay cruises are a piece of cake. The roughest part is when going near the Golden Gate Bridge. Also drawing on the cruise was René Pulido an excellent cartoonist out of Napa.



The same evening as the twins party I drew at Ygnacio Valley High School Jr/Sr Ball. Here's some images.




The next weekend I drew at Amador Valley High School's Senior Ball with fellow caricaturist, Shannon Bird.




Tonight's my first Grad Night of the season out in Hughson between Modesto and Turlock. This'll be my 10th year drawing Hughson High graduates!

Artists' Open Studio Tour - This weekend - May 20-22, 2011

Check out the tour website at ArtistsOpenStudioTour.com.
The Tour is a unique experience, an opportunity for the public to meet forty-two Artists in twenty-six locations in one weekend. Visitors get a chance to meet artists personally and enjoy their work in a studio or working environment. Children welcome.

Big Al will be showing and drawing at Calculated Punkture Studio . 8065 Brentwood Blvd #8, Brentwood, CA 94513. Studio Q on the tour.

Big Al will be Drawing Caricatures and other things Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday 11am-3:30pm, Sunday Noon-5pm.

Raul Ugarte, the host/owner of CalPunk, will be tattooing and showing his art also.

Official Tour Guides available at the Artists’ Open Studo Gallery at 741 Second Street, Brentwood from May 5 through May 22. The Gallery will be across from where the new City Hall is under construction and next to Yogurt Island.

Artists on the Tour are: Laura Allen, James Allison, Sue Arkwright, Ron Beatty, Nikki Bernacchi, Alyssa Casey, Bill Chelseth, Bonnie Cichosz, Jane Connelly, Sherry Cummings,Betty Espindola, Isaac Fikre-Sellassie, Jennifer Fink, Sheila Fisher, Jenny Floravita, Miguell Flores, Jack Gaughan, Rosalinda Grejsen, Michael Grejsen, Brenda Kauffmann, Barbie Koncher, Mary Lamb, Martin Lasack, Gary Lindsay, Big Al Lopez, Vera Lowdermilk, Louise Massante, Inna Montano, Ann Muench, Karen Nelson-Kelly, Josie O’Malley, Bill Paskewitz, Marilyn Pellouchoud, Lynn Peterson, Alan Peterson, Nancy Roberts, Raul Ugarte, Bill Weber, and Anthony Woodruff.

05-07-11 Birthday Party, Discovery Bay, CA - Delta East Contra Costa

A Saturday night and just a few miles from home. It's always nice to have local gigs.

Here are some of the results of my quick caricature portraits.

Pardon the glare. The drawings were hung behind the subject in their bags so everyone could see them when I took the images.

05-06-11 Big Al at Inkwell World Tattoo art opening, Oakland, CA - East Bay

Friday, May 6th found Big Al on Broadway in Oakland at Inkwell Tattoo, Piercing, Gallery and Boutique, 2400 Broadway,
Oakland, CA during Oakland's First Friday Art event.

Big Al has over 30 pieces of art on the walls - caricatures, pinup, tiki, figures from Livermore, Pittsburg and selections from Dr. Sketchy's sessions.

On opening night Big AL offered a free caricature with another art purchase. Not just a standard black & white caricature, but something that took a little more time and effort. The 2 drawings below are the result of those special patrons who purchased a figurative work form a Dr. Sketchy's session and a rendered caricature study.

Thanks for a great show!

The rest of the work will be up through the end of May.

05-01-11 Company BBQ, Sonoma, CA - Wine Country

Sunday I drew in Sonoma for a catering company that does a lot of picnics and weddings.

Here are some of the results.






Thanks to Sandra Leathley, party entertainer extraordinaire, of Sandra and Friends for booking me on the gig.

Check out my Caricature service on Thumbtack!

Check out my Caricature service on Thumbtack!

Event Caricature Portrait Sketches since 1985!

This is my first time signing up on Thumbtack it'll be interesting to see how it works.

This past weekend I did my first event through gigmasters.com. I've only been on a month and already it's paid for itself. Pretty good if you ask me!

04-27-11 Embarcadero 3, San Francisco, CA

Week day events are always fun. I've had 13 event days that have been on a Monday - Thursday so far this year.

Last week found me in downtown San Francisco for an office enrichment event with a carnival theme.

Here are some of my caricature portraits from the event.






I hope to draw you soon at your next event.

Thanks,

Big AL

04-17-11 Fairmont, San Francisco, CA

Sunday, April 17 found me in San Francisco for part 2 of the Alcatraz themed to the event..
Drawing caricatures with me Sunday were caricaturist/illustrator Zach Trenholm and Jon Casey.

Again I drew my caricatures utilizing the theme for effect.
Here are some examples of my caricature portraits for the evening.




Just like on Thursday a few times during the event Jon and myself ended up drawing the same guests simultaneously.
Here's a pair of portraits!

04-16-11 - 4 Year Old Birthday Party, Oakley, CA - East Bay

It felt good to have a gig close to home.

I forgot my normal camera so I only took one shot with my cell phone.

Here's a caricature portrait of a family that was in attendance.



Tomorrow it's back to San Francisco for another trip to "Alcatraz".

Big Al Caricature can draw at events large or small.
Today's event was a backyard party, tomorrow's a huge soirée at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

04-14-11 Fairmont, San Francisco, CA

Thursday, April 14 found me once again in San Francisco.
Drawing caricatures with me were caricaturist/illustrator Zach Trenholm and Shannon Bird.

There was an Alcatraz theme to the event. I drew my caricatures utilizing the theme for effect.
Here are some examples of my caricature portraits for the evening.







A couple of times during the event Shannon and myself ended up drawing the same guests simultaneously.
Here's one of the doubles doubly drawn!