For this week's post, I found this compilation of presidential caricature's drawn by Mike Barnett, an amusement park caricature artist. Last class we were talking about the processes and decisions that the cartoonists must go through in order to make these drawings. We all know that the drawings are emphasizing on a few select features, exaggerating them for humor, however we also know that none of these presidents actually look like these drawings. Sure, there are similarities between the presidents and their caricatures but not enough to recognize the characters if we weren't familiar enough with the presidents through photographs. Yes, George Bush' ears might be a little larger than some of the other presidents, Abraham Lincoln has a long, skinny face and George Washington's hair was an outstanding feature of his, not enough to recognize the caricature's based solely on those, yet somehow we can still figure out who they're depicting.
I think the fact that they all look alike speaks into what we were talking about last week, how a caricature flattens a character out. Also I think they might all look the same because at one time they were all the same person, the president of the free world.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I agree with what both of you are saying, I disagree on that they look the same.. Looking at each of these sketches I see different characteristics of each president within the drawing. I mean you look at Reagan or Kennedy I see them almost instantly through these sketches which makes them different and unique..
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