Event Live Caricaturist

Can a caricaturist who do live drawing for events during dinner and dance, family days, production launch events and etc able to making big money? In my past years experiences till today, the answers is no; I repeat again: not every day every month having events that need caricaturist.

If you really thinking making lots money by doing fringe activities through event's booking, then you probably have to do like this new immigrant family from China, they really charge low rate and do all kinds of fringe items that demand by the event market which are: caricature, silhouette cutting, Chinese calligraphy, henna painting, airbrush tattoo and whatever known event fringe arts items, varnishing foods and whatever fringe art items that within and beyond your imagination, I guess that if for sure you can make big money.

So you will be always occupied event booking because any events companies sure need one of your fringe art service for their event.

I only emphasized on doing live caricature for such events, and since events and entertainment is a show business, most of them hired mainly to create the atmosphere for the events and expect us produce a big volume of drawings for the guests during our booking. So I always challenge myself with "minimum time frame to produce a maximum quality" of live caricature during the event working hour. I always try to complete it within 2-3 minutes for each A4 size black & white drawing with my familiar medium.
Within 2-3 minutes live caricature, try my best to produce a look-alike drawing in my style, just try to create some fun in this show business.I am not tend to offend any one, but just try to highlight that you definite can't compare your studio drawing's quality with my 2-3minutes live drawing, it is totally different thing, you only shown your childish jealous character, not professional at all and will be laugh be many other professionals in this trait. Just like a Restaurant Chef would never compare his dish with the standard of food that bought from hawker center. Unless you not deny you are an amateur artist that totally unable to differentiate what is live drawing for the show business, what is chargeable personal live drawing and what is called studio drawing.

If you believe you are an established and famous artist, you would not try your best to grab such little income of event live drawing job by talking bad of other artists, or do whatever bad thing or throw whatever black magic to kick anyone out.

Just by doing only live caricature drawing in events, can't make big money, just for example during 6.30pm-7.30pm at the weekend you can only do one job at place, so how much you can made during this day on 6.30pm-7.30pm?

For example like established and famous caricaturist Mr Einstein, he emphasize on his Media production or stage live drawing performance, or like our Singapore's famous portrait artist Mr Siew Hock Meng, a piece of artwork cost $1000- $10000 or more, you would never see them appear on dinner and dance or family day events doing free drawing for the guests which hired by the event company.

Just Some Dishes with My Old Classmate

10th December, Friday, 6.30pm-7.30pm

10 December, Friday, 6.30pm-7.30pm is one of the super hot date and timing on the demand of live caricature drawing artists, seems whole Singapore Island was asking caricaturists in this date at timing.

As I mentioned, no matter how famous how high or how low rated you are, or how strong / how best / how top level you are, unfortunately you can do 1 show only at 1 place at 6.30pm-7.30pm (or 6.15pm-7.15pm / 7pm-8pm) for 1 event company only.

Even if the whole Singapore’s event companies request your service for the mentioned hot date and timing, you still only can go 1 place to do 1 show.

I already mentioned this in my posting in 2007. This is is what we need to compromising.

This is because live caricature drawing is a unique skill and people like it because it is an art, need a skillful professional to handle, not like other items eg.pop corn, as long you have the machine, you just send someone there and do it, no need and special skill to handle, hence the event manager categories a caricaturist as "Talent".

You might realized, you already booked for this date and timing, no matter how many event companies calling you, it doesn't mean you are damp good business or damp popular, is because there are so many last minuted client asking the event company provide this item, and you are only can do one show during 10 dec Friday 6.30pm - 7.30pm.

Clone as many of yourself so can do many jobs in different places at the same time?
Unless after that you can "join back" became 100% of you just like one of the "X-Men" Movie, otherwise, let say you cloned 5 of you, means you need buy 5 pack of paper, 5 time of transport fees and related expenses, it doesn't make sense right?

Lets Increase our Live Caricaturist Booking Rate for Event?

According the economy news, Singapore's economy was doing very well, that was really good news! Hopefully we getting more jobs coming in.

As an event entertainer, a caricaturist, I only know November and December is our peak booking period. After the peak period of November and December, maybe January, Caricature booking will be slowing down any will be slowly going back to the quiet period till the next school holiday period.

Thought many caricaturist was having many inquiries from many event companies and direct calling be various firms, in my personal view, and based past year's experience from 1990 till now, my conclusion as below:

Many companies was celebrating their dinner and dance during year-end, which are November and December, of course one of the pre-event (or Fringe art activity) which is Caricature service was became highly demand, it did not represent the market really have such huge demand during the future following months.

I don't have any obligation your guys can try to increase your caricature charging rate during this period. But do not forget there are more and more new caricaturists and new immigrant try their lower rate to share this cake as well.

Increase your services rate higher? It only suitable to peak period only, or unless you do it only for hobby, hence only high rate you then accept the job, or you might be someone famous and great reputation in the market, you only serve high-end clientele, meanwhile you can't take any lower rate job, it only spoiling your artistic reputation.

I believe there everyday in a year sure have celebrations and events in this First World Singapore, maybe it could be more and more?

The I don't think life drawing of caricature service only depend on certain period and also based on certain theme only.

During peak period, big volume of jobs were looking for artists to do, but during low booking seasons, that will be artist looking for job.

Try to train many caricaturists to feed the November and December (or January)'s need? Then all of us will be facing problem later. I had mentioned this in my previous posting before.

Increase caricature charging rate? I will do it during certain special day's only: XMas Eve, New Year's Eve, certain day of Chinese New Year, and some special and additional request for some special event.

Some Photos of Pattaya, Thailand

Walking Street!

Event at Pattaya, Thailand

That was real great I had a change doing a private event at Pattaya, Thailand! I was arrived Pattaya and manage to catch the Loy Krathong Festival.I bought this wishing flower at the beach side in 20bahts(about S$0.85), some of the wishing flowers could sell in to 60 to 100bahts or more.I booked Sunshine Hotel & Residence at Beach Road, Soi 8 which near to the beach.and realized there are so many pubs and bars extremely close to me hotel ;pMany girls was dressed traditional costume for Loy Krathong Festivaland busy taking photos.

Caricature at Regent Hotel Event

Did caricature in Charcoal requested by client for a dinner and dance.This is a "Fairy and Wonderland" theme eventEveryone was dressed in nice costume and taking glamorous shoot.The string quartet added up the great atmosphere of "Fairy and Wonderland" theme event, that was really nice!