Winners have been announced...

Well high there, if you have been sitting on the end of your seat wondering how you did in the "Outrageous Video" competition, well wonder no longer.

Check out the winners circle online at : http://www.learn-to-draw.org/

Win A Free Caricature Course

Hey everyone,

I hope you have an entry in the "Outrageous Video" competition, as time is ticking away and there is only a day or two left to get your Free copy of "Fun With Caricatures".

Don't worry you don't have to make a video just watch one. Easy hey!

More details are available on the home page, www.learn-to-draw.org you could be the winner of the $350 prize if you are the "highly connected" online social butterfly type ; )

But HURRY, times is running out!

Caricature Yourself With This Cool Facebook or Twitter Avatar Maker

Have you ever wanted to make a cartoon version of yourself? Perhaps you have seen other people's profile pic's on Facebook and thought that it looked pretty cool and you were wondering how to do one for your page, well this video below is one way I have demonstrated how easy it is, especially since the tool you use is free.

Interesting profile images standout and get tons of clicks, that is a fact
that you can use to gain more online popularity. OK it is a little old school
and low tech but it works – every time.

So what is a cool image that makes people click? If you have done any profile
surfing you will know what I mean. You see the cool, standout images and you
click. It may be someone who looks attractive or repulsive. It may be someone
seen from a long way off or super close up.

One of the ways to standout is by putting up a cartoon version of your photo
or mugshot. If you are the creative type, a cartoonist or illustrator like
myself this is a pretty easy task. But I imagine that for most people the idea
of drawing themselves is a pretty daunting task. Thankfully there are some
really cool tools that make this a total no-brainer.

One of them I had fun with recently is MyWebFace. You can make a cartoon of
yourself by selecting from a bunch of different facial elements and other character
bits to make up a unique look.

You do have to be careful though, it soooo easy that most people kind of stuff
it up, so this is why I have made the video below to show you how to get the
most out of this free application.

So if you want to get my tips on creating something out of the ordinary that
is going to get tons of clicks and interest then watch my video to see what
I do at the end of the process that will give your cool facebook avatar,the cut
above the rest.

Greg Gillespie is a freelance illustrator and owner of learn-to-draw.org where
you can find out more about learning cool tips and tricks with drawing that
anyone can learn. He also teaches how to create caricatures for those
who want to learn to draw caricatures. Check it out, worth a look.

If you want to take your facebook avatar right out there on the edge and beyond, then this next video will show you how to that as well. You will need a piece free software if you wish to try it yourself. You can get the Funpix photo distorting application by clicking
here to download the free Funpix Maker from Magix.

Here's A Neat Way To Improve Your Caricatures

Hey Everyone,

I know it has been a while since my last post but life is what happens when you are busy making other plans, (now who said that? I know do you?) reply if you know the answer.

Anyways I was chatting to a good artist friend of mine, Mitch from the Drawing Coach the other day and he let me in on a bit of a secret. He is giving away some cool free tips on improving your drawing and your caricatures and I thought that you guys and gals might just like to check out what he is is up to.

He has some cool videos and tutorials and the quality of his instruction is great. So if you have a little time and are keen to learn from another professional artist, then head on over to Mitch's webiste to take a look.

You may be able to find Mitch's Caricatures Secrets by clicking this link but warning the last time I checked it was sold out. I am not sure when Mitch is going to release this course again, so you may want to hit the back button if you cannot get your hands on this course.

Enjoy.

Do you know who made that famous quote I mentioned?

I will give away a free ebook on drawing to first correct answer.

Cheers and happy drawing,

Greg.

Airbrush, ah my Old Friend...

Ok, so why is an airbrush my old friend ( I can hear you thinking..tick..tick..tick)?

Well it's easy really, you see I started my career as an airbrush artist in the commercial art game back in the early 1980's, yeah I know I know, that makes me about 50 or something. Hmm pretty close.

So airbrush what is it?

It is a tool for spraying small areas of paint on to a drawing to create the most smooth effect you have ever seen. 

The very first time I saw this being demonstrated in real life was at the Hot Buttered surfboard factory in Brookvale in about 1974. There was this guy creating the most spectacular surf scenes on surfboards before they were fiberglassed.

We are talking about sunsets over the ocean in beautiful oranges and pinks, crisp spray flying over the back of classic offshore days that you mostly can only dream of. This just bleeeeew me away.

I asked the dude (Martin Worthington) 

what he was doing and he told me he was airbrushing! Woow! How do I get to do that, I asked? He told me I needed to get a compressor to supply the air and an airbrush to blow it through and then start experimenting.

So that is what I did when I got my first job 

after leaving school in 1979. I picked up my place of employment in Brookvale as a surfboard fin maker. It was there that I got to experiment with their airbrush on some old bits of surfboard foam and from that moment I was hooked, if it hadn't been from the time I first saw Martin Worthington doing this back at Hot Buttered.

After doing a year in surfboards, and incidently making the very first set of "Tri-Fins" for Simon Anderson in 1980, cira October (the fins that have changed the surfing world forever), I decided to go and study Graphic Design so that I could become Australia's best airbrush artist.

I guess you are wondering, "Did he do it?" become the best?

Well it is a matter of opinion but some would say that I was up there with the top 5 in Australia.

Now if you would like to see some of my st

uff, here is an image I did for Coca Cola. It was used for a calendar and some advertising. All done in airbrush, (oh and a teeny tiny amount with a 000 brush for the small lettering on the bottle). What do you think?

So what else has this got to do with learning to draw caricatures, which seems to be the topic of the moment?

Well I have just got the coolest video of a "dude" who creates his caricatures with an airbrush.

You have got to see this as it is another way of standing out from the crowd. And I might add it is a very fast way to work.

Check this out and let me know what you think. Post a comment if you like...?

This Guy is Good! Just Watch Him!

Three really is no such thing as too much exaggeration!

Enjoy and learn!

Learn To Draw CARICATURES

Has anyone tried this "Serious Fun With Caricatures Course" yet?

Must say it looks, good, if you can learn how to do caricatures like Graeme in the video, he makes it look easy.