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Unique Corporate Gift Ideas – An Insight into Personalized Caricatures

Unique Corporate Gift Ideas – An Insight into Personalized Caricatures

Unique Corporate Gift Ideas – An Insight into Personalized Caricatures

Corporate gifting is a great way to strengthen connections with employees, clients, and partners, and organisations have leveraged corporate gifting for a really long time. 

In this blog, we want to talk about Caricatures as a mode of gifting for corporates.

Corporate caricatures make for a great and unique gifting idea as they are appealing and appropriate for any corporate occasion. For instance, the office staff can adorn a caricature of a retiring employee with handwritten wishes and personal anecdotes. 

Our team of skilled caricature artists can help you add a personalized touch by converting your imaginative ideas into a memorable gift. Moreover, we provide digital renditions of corporate caricatures and the actual original art on demand.

 

Shark Tank India Collage of personalised cacicatures

Unique Corporate Gift Ideas – Personalized Caricatures

Our experience in personalized gifting has enabled us to create a list of unique corporate caricatures

 

Corporate Gift Idea 1 – Boss Lady Appreciation

The multiple roles that a woman can play in society are tremendous. And to acknowledge the efforts of their boss, who plays each role with so much dedication, a group of juniors wanted to create a unique gift on her birthday. Therefore with the “multi-tasking woman theme” as recommended by our gifting experts, coupled with the creativity of our caricature artist, we came up with the following masterpiece!

 

Boss Lady Corporate Gifts - Caricature

Corporate Gift Idea 2 – Raavan, The King of Multitasking 

In the corporate realm, having a team leader who leads by example is a treasure worth cherishing. But how do you appreciate the leader’s efforts who motivate your team to perform better? A unique corporate gift is an ideal way to acknowledge such a leader.

Based on this context, one of the teams of a leading global company came to our gifting experts. They wanted to gift their multi-tasking team leader a farewell gift! Our gifting experts recommended having the team leader depicted as Raavan – managing ten different tasks in a way that shows ten different people are individually working on it simultaneously! 

And this is what our caricature artist came up with –

 

Raavan The King of Multitasking Corporate Gifts - Caricature

Surprise Caricatures for your team?

Corporate Gift Idea 3 – Forbes Edition “Best Performer Award” 

Our clients wanted to gift their best performer on his work anniversary. The idea was to portray the employee on the Forbes cover page as a caricature with a few quips. Our caricature artist – Chetan, created this masterpiece.

 

 

Forbes Edition - Best Performer Corporate Gift - Caricature

Corporate Gift Idea 4 – Team Superheroes Assemble!

Running a business is no less than a team of superheroes coming together to channel their skill sets and experience. They keep accomplishing unique projects while keeping their customers happy. And what better way to appreciate the efforts of such a team than by giving a personalized caricature gift

We got to work on one such exciting concept, where we had to represent the employees as superheroes and depict them in their elements. And the following is the snippet of a Marvel caricature theme –

Team Superhero Corporate Marvel Caricature
 

Corporate Gift Idea 5 – Football Fanatics Caricature

We had the opportunity to create a personalized gift for Tom, the (ex) VP of BCG London. He was moving to another consulting firm, therefore the BCG team decided to gift him something really special.

A group caricature with the entire BCG team dressed in football jerseys standing at the centre of a stadium.

PS – It was our first ever international order for caricature. 

 

Football Corporate Caricature
Corporate Gift Idea 6 –  Favorite Character Caricature

Affine Analytics wanted to gift their top-performing employees something unique and customized. They asked their employees the names of their favorite superheroes or fictional characters. The company approached us to make customized caricatures based on the characters and photographs of the employees who shared them.

 

Favourite Character Corporate Gifts - Caricature

Looking For a Personalized Corporate Caricature?

Corporate Gift Idea 7 –  Dream Team Caricature Ft Royal Sena

Yet another fantastic opportunity from BCG India Office, we had to create a unique gift for the team that worked with Schneider Electric.

The gift was to appreciate the team’s efforts, and the theme was to represent the team as Indian mythological heroes who were a part of the royal sena. 

We used different clothing styles and placed each team member in a particular role. And this is what we came up with

 

Dream Team Corporate Gifts - Caricature

Corporate Gift Idea 8 – Recreating PayPal Mafia Caricature 

Remember PayPal Mafia? A group of original PayPal employees who had difficulty adjusting to eBay’s corporate culture left the company, only to start their own companies and venture firms in subsequent years. The term gained popularity as it was used as a headline for an article in Fortune Magazine with a featured photo of former PayPal employees in gangster attire. 

Well, this was the theme for our next creation. BharatPe, a leading digital payment service company, wanted us to curate a similar image to that of PayPal Mafia. And this is what we came up with

 

Reference Picture

Manchester United String Art
Paypal Mafia Concept Corporate Gifts - Caricature

Corporate Gift Idea 9 – Retirement Caricature Gift 

One of our clients wanted to gift his retiring colleague, who worked as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), a unique caricature. Since the theme was fighter planes and the occasion of WSS retirement, we came up with the following creation 

 

Retirement Corporate Gifts - Caricature

Corporate Gift Idea 10 – Women’s Day Caricature

We had the opportunity to work on an exciting project for Women’s Day. A team wanted to gift their lady boss a personalized caricature on Women’s Day. The idea was to showcase their boss’s multiple roles in everyday life. From being a trained classical dancer to managing the house to being a fantastic cook, and a globe trotter, each of these roles was depicted as a caricature

 

Women's Day Corporate Gifts - Caricature

Get your Caricatures with Stoned Santa

Why Choose Stoned Santa for a Corporate Caricature Gift?

Stoned Santa has several years of successfully serving thousands of clients with unique customized gifts. And personalized caricatures are our hot-selling gifting line, and for all the right reasons – 

  • You can go wild with your imaginations with a pinch of sarcasm, and our artists can add their creativity to incorporate them into the caricature.
  • Caricatures make a unique gift for any corporate occasion, be it retirement, awards, etc.
  • Caricatures have a comic effect, which can tickle the funny bones while being a memorable souvenir.
  • Caricatures are available in digital prints and original art pieces.

Our gifting experts are here to guide you through the originality of the corporate gift, through the work in progress, until the timely delivery! Get in touch with Stoned Santa gifting experts today.

 

Looking for the perfect gift?

Look no more, our gift experts will get in touch with you and help you with all your requirements.

 

11 Illustrators In India

11 Illustrators In India

11 Illustrators In India We Can Vouch For!

India has always been the home to exquisite arts and creativity, giving birth to several talented and renowned artists worldwide. Illustrations are one such art form that has garnered the attention of many young and aspiring artists in India, thus introducing a new wave of change in the Indian art industry. These artists are revolutionizing every aspect of life, from content creation to customized gifting. This article celebrates the art and achievements of 11 such illustrators in India while highlighting their daunting journey amidst the career stereotypes in India.

An illustration by Uday Mohite, an inspiring Illustrator in India

What is an Illustration?

Illustrators are incredibly skilled artists who specialize in creating depictions or visual representations from scratch. They might use various tools, including pens, pencils, colors, acrylics, etc. There are several types of illustration art, such as pencil art, lithography, charcoal and more. Oftentimes, the terms designers and illustrators are used interchangeably. However, designers rely on pre-built templates and offer limited creativity, while illustrators have no limitations.

Chaaya Prabhat: One Day at a Time

In the realm where color speaks louder than words, the prodigal Chennai-based artist returned to India from Hong Kong to depict everyday life through a new lens.

Some find their passion after exploring various fields, while some are born with the clarity and the talent to compensate for that vision. Chaaya Prabhat inspires several illustrators in India as exceptional artists and a professional who are challenging traditional career roles one day at a time. Having amassed a follower base of eighty-four thousand followers, Chaaya is creating waves as a renowned illustrator in India. 

Her works vary from quirky concept illustrations to book cover illustrations, leaving viewers with a new perspective of mundane everyday life events. Undoubtedly the most well-deserved Graphic Artist of the Year, 2023, in our opinion!

 

An illustration by Chaaya, an inspiring Illustrator in India
Chaya Prabhat, a promising illustrator in India

Ranganath Krishnamani: Vintage to Facebook

Where stories unfold through colors that weave a rather beautiful reality of life, viewers are sure to fall prey to the beautiful canvas of the multi-disciplinary art director from Tamil Nadu. 

As a headliner in the art community, Ranganath founded LiquidInk Design, which caters to several corporates but nurtures aspiring artists through inspiration in design and careers. 

Managing a follower base of sixty-two thousand followers through his company page Liquid Ink, the inspiring Bangalorean never fails to mesmerize his followers with captivating posts.  From vibrant narrations to unparalleled precision, and concept illustrations, there’s no doubt that Krihnamani’s works have attracted the attention of corporates like Facebook, Google, Adobe, Cure.fit, and more.

 

The master illustrator and trend-setter, Ranganath Krishnamani

Looking For Personalized Illustrations?

Satish Gangaiah: The Chatpatta Affair

The tricky art of creating captivating yet meaningful concept collage illustrations comes easily to this freelance designer, Satish Gagaiah

Boasting 15 years of design experience as an Illustrator in India, Satish Gangaiah has worked with several creative companies and ad agencies, highlighting an impressive and versatile work portfolio. Behance is one of the many platforms where one can find, get inspired, and even buy from this talented mind. 

Comic book illustrations might be one aspect of his service provisions, but viewers might be in for a treat should they ever let Satish’s imaginations run wild through concept collage illustrations. ‘The Chatpatta Affair’, an artwork displayed on his Instagram profile with five-thousand five hundred and forty, is an exquisite yet quirky illustration that paints the love for India’s favorite snack, the ‘Gol-gappa’, in a new light.

 

A collage by Satish Gangaiah, an inspiring Illustrator in India

Answesha Paul: Realism Redefined

The combination of thought-provoking imagination artwork, compensated with intricate details, highlights the nurturing and protective nature of womanhood subtly. Answesha Paul, a twenty-three-year-old illustrator in India, is striding forward to appreciate femininity through the lens of an experienced illustrator. 

The young illustrator in India loves showing her consideration for details with the playful use of watercolors, acrylics, and seasoned finesse in various artworks. Her designs range from everyday concept depictions of individuals, animals, and folklore, sprinkling life to their emotions in a surreal manner. If you want to get inspired, Answeha’s artistic prowess will surely fill your creative, hungry mind and help you look at the world differently.

 

An amazing illustration by Anwesha Paul, an inspiring Illustrator in India
Anwesha Paul, an inspiring Illustrator in India

Dejeshwini: Canvas, Colours, and Quote-play

Enchanting strokes, intricate sketches, and unending creativity is the perfect replacement for Youtube shorts and Instagram reels for your inner art-hungry philosopher. Depictions of the vibrant and fading Indian society with a token of color play can be found on Dee for drawing, which Dejaswini manages.  

Using her art as a medium to speak with 41.6K followers on Instagram, Dejaswini is crafting a new form of story-telling, through her work as an Illustrator in India. As one of the most talented illustrators in India, Desjawini also has a knack for writing, which allows her to play with imagination, canvases, colors, and quotes, thus leaving her viewers spellbound and wanting more.

An amazing concept illustration art by Dejaswini

Chaitanya Limaye: Chai, Crackers and Breathtaking art

Enter into the world of breathtaking artistry intricately coiled with exceptional digital artwork by Art of Chai, or the person behind the page, Chaitanya Limaye. 

Indeed a perfect name for an Instagram page, which viewers can enjoy with some chai, crackers, and mesmerizing depictions, helping viewers to lose themselves in a spiral of thoughts. Adding a creative sprinkle of mermaid illustrations to depictions of Dad as a superhero, Chaitanya uniquely expresses his empathic nature through his timeless illustrations. Rest assured; you’ll have some quality time on a breezy evening when you enter his art realm with a chai in hand with sixty-thousand other followers.

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Chaitanya Limaye, an inspiring Illustrator in India
An sketch by Chaitanya Limaye, an inspiring Illustrator in India

Order from the Best Illustrators in India Today!

Bhavya Desai: The Illustration Puzzle

Collage in a frame might be standard, but converting the whole page into a gigantic collage is a feat only a few talented illustrators in India, like Bhavya Desai, have accomplished. 

Illustrators often enjoy the freedom to perfectly convert their imaginations into depictions without constraints. However, Bhavya Desai is one such illustrator in India who combined his imagination to create art and arrange it on his constraint-specific Instagram wall, resulting in a visual treat. Such feats mark the ability of Bhavya to leverage pre-built designs and imaginations to create outwardly designs worthy of appreciation. While making his mark in several illustration arts, Bhavya’s artwork often depicts a sense of free-flowing messy yet beautiful watercolors.

 

An illustration being created by Bhavvya Desai, an inspiring Illustrator in India

Uday Mohite: Master of students and portraits

The master artsman and teacher who can convey stories through realistic portraits in real and digital formats is famously the Indian_Illustrator by more than seventy-thousand art lovers on Instagram. 

The visual odyssey, intricately crafted by Uday Mohite, is a treat for art and non-art lovers, as portraits made by the master are sure to catch the attention of every wandering eye on the social media platform. Even so, realistic portraits are just one piece of the puzzle, as Uday Mohite is also famous for creating banner illustrations, thus offering some stiff competition to digital artists online. However, be it a competing digital artist or an aspiring student, Uday Mohite is always ready to spread this unique talent through his classes. Indeed, one of the most promising illustrator in India!

 

An illustration by Uday Mohite, an inspiring Illustrator in India
An couple illustration by Uday Mohite, an inspiring Illustrator in India

Diah Chakraborty: Transitioning pens to timelessness

The transition of an ink spot to a line to create a timeless piece from the unending library of imagination is already creating waves in the illustration community. 

Nicknamed the ink_isto_paper, Diah Chakraborty has the uncanny ability to use pen and paper to convert her imagination into an exquisite yet simple artwork. Even so, Diah’s pen art is just the tip of the iceberg, as the community of more than twenty-thousand often tends to relive the past through Diah’s illustration of the traditional Indian lifestyle with a comic artwork style. 

Even though Diah loves creating children’s book illustrations, there’s no doubt that the young illustrator in Kolkata can add a unique color to mundane everyday life events in a fun way.

Be madly in love with what you do and do it, irrespective whether you do it full-time or on the side. And lastly simply have fun and enjoy the process.

Diah Chakraborty - An inspiring Illustrator in India

Ashwini: Illustrations, Stickers, and Quotes

Art never fails to mesmerize, but few arts often tend to leave a smirk on your face due to their mischievous and quirky nature. Such is the case for more than four thousand five hundred followers, who love to receive their daily dose of inspiration with sprinkles of humor. 

Ashwini, or the Grummpy Doodler, often sticks to the basics with simple designs with deep meaning. Unlike several illustrators in India, Ahwini likes to get creative by using various objects such as strings, cards, and stickers. Her knack for creating designs with objects and adding words with a fine spray of mischief always offers her viewers with laughs and amazement and the same time.

 

A card illustration by Ashwini, an inspiring Illustrator in India

Conceptualize Illustrations on Various Gifting Objects!

Shraddha Piche: Where Simplicity Meets Affirmations

Simple illustrations coupled with positive messages can often light up one’s day in a rather creative way. One such page named, Just_add_doodles came to life with this enlightening vision and now has a follower base of more than seventy-five thousand.

Doctor and counseling psychologist turned illustrator Shraddha Piche wavered from her traditional career route to enlighten the minds of content consumers through her creativity and positiveness. With a beautiful message stating, “I hope you get everything your heart desires”, Shraddha’s page reveals a simple and cheerful design, further enhanced through her minimalist illustrations and quotes. 

Next time, when you’re feeling lost, you know where to wander around!

A concept by Shraddha Piche, an inspiring Illustrator in India

Why buy Customized Illustrations From StonedSanta?

Selecting the perfect gift is a rewarding and daunting affair at the same time. With several options inside and outside the digital realm, making a choice gets tougher. However, could you imagine one of these illustrators sitting with you on the opposite end of the call, brainstorming to create the perfect gift for your loved ones?

These illustrators can add their spin to create the perfect gift, but they come with a specialty that no one can ever provide. Whether your loved one is having an eventful day or is resting on a calm Sunday morning, they’re sure to enter a blissful spiral of thoughts every time they see your gift. Is there a price you can put up for that smile and happiness?

StonedSanta is a custom gifting company made from this simple thought to gift happiness and memories for you and your loved ones without breaking the bank. With various options and experts to help you prepare the perfect gift, gifting has never been more effortless! 

Furthermore, with the express shipping options, the company has proven its efficacy in working under pressure to ensure your loved one is left with a beautiful smile that never fades for years to come. Fill in the form to join the community of more than 5000 happy customers who created their perfect gift with love from StonedSanta partnering with the best illustrators in India.

 

 

Looking for the perfect gift?

Look no more, our gift experts will get in touch with you and help you with all your requirements.

 

10 Digital Artists in India

10 Digital Artists in India

What is Digital art?

Today, the world is defined through technology, and Digital art is a part of it. Digital artwork can be defined as any artistic creation that incorporates technology and digital media as an integral part of its creative process. 

Anything produced using digital media and devices like animations, illustrations, video animations, portraits, caricatures, and many more can be classified as Digital artwork. 

People who create these magnificent pieces of art are known as Digital Artists. Everything goes in the spectrum of Digital Artworks and Digital paintings, from AI-generated art to digital photography, computer graphics and pixel art.

Typically, digitally created art can be used to create advertisements, Graphic designs, animations, videos, movies and much more.  But digital art is not limited to high-end commercial use; we can use digital illustrators and software to produce personalised art, digital portraits, caricatures, and e-invites to weddings and other events.

Stoned Santa brings you a network of incredibly talented digital artists to take your pick from. Every artist with Stoned Santa is a master of their craft and can help you cherish your memories forever. 

 

couple caricature frames

Neha Sharma- Digital artist, animator and story-teller 

Neha Sharma, famously known as Neha Doodles, is a freelance digital artist, animator and storyteller. She gave up her studies in CA to pursue her creative dreams. She boasts a following of over 3 Lakh followers on her Instagram page.

As a digital artist, she has been published on various digital platforms like Huffington Post, The Delhi Times, Times of India, Cosmopolitan etc. Her digital paintings are in the form of doodles, animations and intricate illustrations. 

She uses bold colours throughout her designs and has collaborated with brands like Dunkin Donuts, The Body Shop, Costa Coffee and many others. 

 Her speciality lies in the ability to illustrate real-life stories and characters in digital art, which makes her work stand out!

Neha Doodles making digital art

Akanksha Agnihotri- Illustrator, Animator and Digital artist

Akanksha Agnihotri is a Delhi-based freelance artist with a following of over 1 Lakh on Instagram. She has worked with companies like Google, Amazon, Times of India and many more.

 Her work has been published in various children’s books as well. Her Digital art is mainly in the form of cartoon illustrations and involves drawing cartoon portraits of real-life people and mythological deities as babies. She also creates motivational digital illustrations on topics like Monday motivation, friendship etc. 

She creates beautiful wedding cartoon caricatures of people to use as wedding gifts or wedding mementoes. Her art is a reminiscence of youth, happiness and motivation, making her Instagram page enticing and engaging.

akanksha agnihotri;s digital art

Chetan- Caricature artist, illustrator, and animator

Chetan is a Yogi and an outstanding digital artist specialising in caricatures and animations. His digital illustrations revolve around creating animations or caricatures of famous movie characters, both Hollywood and Bollywood. and anime characters. He also shows his Digital art skills by creating animated versions of Hindu mythological gods and scenes from Hindu Festivals. 

His artwork is perfect to put on personalised cards and invitations. His digital caricatures can be made into posters to hang on our walls or to gift someone a digitally made personalised piece of art they will love.

He has been working with Stoned Santa for the past 4 years and has created some fantastic digital personalised and fan art pieces

Shailly Gajjar- Illustrator, Comic Artist and digital invites

Shailly Gajjar, a digital artist who initially set out to become an engineer, decided to give it up and follow her dream path in graphic design. She was introduced to the field when she decided to design her wedding card, which has now become her full-time job. 

She has been able to form her own niche and style amongst all digital artists. Her artwork concentrates on Digital invites for weddings, family events and any other occasion. She also specialises in creating personalised portraits, which are guaranteed to put a massive smile on the person who receives her artwork.

Since her start, she has collaborated with various big-name brands like Snickers, Google India and many more.

 

shailly gajjar digital art illustration

Abhishek Samal- Digital Portraits

Abhishek Samal is a digital creator who is brilliant at creating not only Hyper-realistic Portraits and artwork but also breathtaking Digital art pieces and illustrations. He uses digital art software known as Procreate, to develop such enigmatic art pieces. 

His digital artwork mainly consists of portraits of famous movie stars, sportspeople, singers etc. He takes his inspiration from Hollywood and Bollywood and draws the character as he sees them.

His Digital portraits bring out the character’s inner emotions on their face. He has created his niche in the market by appealing to the various fandoms of movies, famous people and comics. 

He also creates personalised hyper-realistic portraits of real-life people on commissions. His artwork will leave your mouth wide open in amazement and surprise. His Instagram page and Youtube channel are a testament to his unique digital artwork.

abhishek Samal drawing a digital illustration of Lord Shiva

Priyanshi Dhawan- Personalised portraits & E-invites

Priyanshi Dhawan is a Lucknow-based artist who started her design studio, “Designs by Inaara,” with her elder sister Divi Dhawan. They decided to pursue their dreams of creating digital art during the Pandemic and saw a need for digital wedding invites. Since then, they have been growing rapidly in their niche.

They specialise in personalised wedding invitations and e-invites for all occasions, from birthdays to formal events. They also create personalised digital portraits with bespoke backgrounds and clothes. Clients can order their invitations as static, video, or animated invitations.

Their artwork celebrates their clients and helps them to cherish their memories. 

designs by inaara digital invitation illustration

Anirudha Lele- Illustrator and concept and caricature artist

Anirudha Lele is a freelance caricature digital artist based in Ahmedabad, Gujrat. As a digital caricature artist, his artwork revolves around his clients’ requirements. He creates intricate pieces of exaggerated personalised caricatures, and he can also create an illustration or caricature that is simple and cartoonish.

He makes digital caricatures of Hindu mythological deities, famous movie characters and representations of various favourite shows etc. He is also a published Children’s books illustrator.

His Instagram page will leave you wanting more with his realistic, intricate pieces or artwork.

Aniruddha Lele digital illustration for children's books.

Niharika Singh- Illustrator, Digital Artist and Educator

Niharika Singh is a freelance digital artist who specialises in Personalised Digital portraits, Invitations and is also a Children’s books illustrator. Niharika Singh is not only an artist but also an educator. 

She comes up with intensive courses on how to make personalised digital art like her. In her workshops, she also teaches the use of various digital art software like Procreate and trains students in concept design and character development. 

Looking at her Instagram page, anyone can tell that nobody captures a moment like she does through her artwork. She creates pieces based on movies, shows and real people.

Niharika SIngh, DIgital artist and illustrator

Shweta Singh- Wedding Card Specialist and Educator

Shweta Singh is a freelance Digital artist specialising in Digital Wedding Invites and invitations for other occasions. Her artworks are incredibly intricate and full of minute details. Every piece she creates is unique and moulded to suit her client’s requirements. She is known for her realism and minute detailing in clothes and backgrounds.

She is also an educator and releases tutorial videos and workshop classes to teach people how to create digital art pieces. The scope of her artworks ranges from subtle to absolutely extravagant.

 

Shweta Singh's digital art illustrations

Ankita J Mehta- Digital illustrator

 Ankita is an exquisite freelance Digital artist, well known for her powerful works displaying femininity and women. Her art revolves around celebrating Indian culture and women. Beyond this, she also specialises in wedding illustrations and digital fan art. 

Her digitally created art stands out because her illustrations of women are as powerful as they are delicate and as enchanting as they are enigmatic. She can capture the essence of a strong Indian woman in all her digital illustrations and paintings.

Ankita Mehta sitting down to make her digital illustrations and art using her digital devices

Are you considering obtaining a custom Digital art for a friend, colleague or your family?  

Look no further; Stoned Santa brings you a vast network of incredibly talented Digital artists in India. We are here to string together your memories and dreams so you can cherish them forever. 

Stoned Santa has been a quintessential part of the handmade personalised gift, art and decor industry for over 5 years. The artists with Stoned Santa have successfully created over thousands of Digital Art paintings for wedding gifts, corporate events, home decor and much more and have delivered them on time all over the world.

Through Stoned Santa, You may discover various artists who are proficient and connoisseurs of different art forms who will meet your needs and budget and deliver your Digital portraits and paintings within your time frame.

 Stoned Santa makes it incredibly simple to find a trustworthy and professional artist for you according to your specifications!

Looking for the perfect gift?

Look no more, our gift experts will get in touch with you and help you with all your requirements.

 

Everything you need to know about Caricatures

Everything you need to know about Caricatures

Most Indians will relate to the cartoons of the common man by RK Laxman published in the Times of India, and the political cartoons that adorn the cover page to engage the readers, and present them with “News of the Day”. 

If we look carefully, it is easy to notice that the increasing popularity of caricatures stems from our ability to relate to them at a subconscious level.

As kids, it used to be fascinating to see large-headed, tiny body versions of so many renowned people from politicians to movie stars and recognize them despite their weird shapes. Most of us found out only much later, that this particular format and style is known as Caricature. In this article, I attempt to answer some of the questions you might have about caricatures. Let’s start with the basics.

Concept Digital Caricature for a client where the client wanted us to portray them as Shiva, and Parvati. 

 

Shiva parvathi  digital caricature - gifts for couples
Customised Caricatures - Unique gifts for friends

What is a caricature?

A caricature is a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.

If you too skipped through the dictionary definition, let us understand it in simpler words.

A caricature is a drawing of a real person with features dramatized absurdly to entertain or make fun of (all in good humor) of the person so drawn. Some ways for dramatization are an oversized nose, squinted eyes, really large or too small lips, etc.

In the words of caricaturist Greg Bigoni, “A caricature gets to the essence of who someone is and not just what they look like, but what their personality is”.

Concept caricature we made for a client who wanted a unique Mother’s day gift. 

How are caricatures made?

If you look at any caricature you’ll notice a pattern. In every caricature pretty much all of the features of a person’s face or body are artistically modified, yet one can still recognize that person, and this is something that makes the art of drawing a caricature so unique. 

One key element of drawing a good caricature is the ability to truly observe the key characteristics that define someone’s face. This is what is referred to as likeness. In other words, when we see a person, we see them just as we know them but a caricature artist can notice highlighting features of a person.

When caricature artists draw a person, they exaggerate the most prominent features and reduce the size of other features, bringing, even more, focus on the features they want to highlight. These along with a fine knowledge of how to balance overall distance, angle and proportions are few secrets of drawing caricatures.

Along with facial features, caricature artists also make use of how a person is shaped or holds them if they have any distinct props from tattoos to anything they carry with them in making the caricature really identifiable. Think of Abraham Lincoln’s Stovepipe hat, Mahatma Gandhi’s round spectacles, or Charlie Chaplin’s mustache. Staple associations like these, act as great props for fun caricatures.

Concept digital caricature we made for a client whose friend is an entrepreneur, and he wanted to surprise him with something really unique. 

Forbes Magazine themed Caricature - Personalized Caricature

What are the various types of caricatures?

While caricature as an art form is centuries old, there isn’t a standard form of classification of different types of caricatures. Here we will talk about two methods of classifying caricatures; based on style and based on the method of execution:

Classification based on style:

Portrait or definition This type of caricature relies on knowledge of sophistication of making a portrait and combining it with the knowledge of creating comical effect through inflation and deflation of features.

Satire This form is most commonly used in political cartoons. It makes use of not just physical or personality traits but also draws attention to statements by such politicians. The purpose of such caricatures is more often than not to bring attention to political issues of the time.

Grotesque – As the name suggests, in this style, the face of a person is unnaturally distorted to make it look ugly. Grotesque art was the earliest form of distorted drawings which evolved later into caricatures.

Classification based on the execution method:

Traditional Caricatures This is how caricatures started and charcoal, pencil, pen, and ink drawings were the methods that were used. These are the tools that are used by street artists across the world for an instant sketch. So next time, when you visit Paris, remember to ask the artist if he is going to draw a portrait or a caricature of you 😉

Digital Caricatures– Graphics programs like adobe illustrator are numerous drawing tablets are becoming more and more popular these days. Digital caricature comes with the advantage of offering richness in color and feel of caricature making them an excellent option for gifting your friends or as digital wedding caricature invitations.

How much time does it take to make a caricature?

The old idiom, “The devil is in the details”, does not have a better suitor than this question. A professional caricaturist can make a sketched caricature of a person’s face in even under 5 minutes. However, the more details you add like body structure, surroundings, colors, etc., the longer it can take. 

A hand-painted caricature with portrait-like details can take as much as two days. In short, it boils down to the intricacies of each piece that is being made.

What is the process of getting a caricature made?

There are two ways in which an artist makes a caricature –

1. Live Caricatures – Live caricatures are drawn for a live audience in real time. Live caricatures are less common and you’ll see street artists only in very few cities and tourist spots. Live caricatures are a hit or miss experience for most people because you can not check the artist’s previous work.

Working on Live caricatures is very challenging for the artist, and usually, live caricature artists are hired for corporate events and weddings.

2. Drawing a caricature from a picture, and presenting a custom theme – Most caricature artists these days practice creating caricatures in their free time where they are free to think and act creatively on a project without the constraint of time, and expectations.
For example – When you select an artist from us at Stoned Santa there is a certain process the artist will follow to bring life to the ideas as specified by our clients –

  • Our caricature artist requests reference pictures of the subject, ideally clear front-facing pictures with a clearly visible face, and other facial features

     

  • Based on the picture received, and the desired theme in which the caricature is to be made, the artist recommends suitable styles, and color combinations best suited for the provided story, and reference pictures.

     

  • Once the artist starts working, they share the work in progress with our clients, and we seek feedback to further improve the caricature.

     

  • Post completion, the work is shared with the clients, and upon approval, the digital files are shared with the clients. 

How to hire a Caricature artist?

If you are thinking of getting a birthday caricature for your friend at work or a digital wedding caricature for your special day, you can find a caricature artist that suits your requirements and pocket at Stoned Santa.
There are many independent artists who can draw one for you as per your specification, but Stoned Santa makes it very easy to find a reliable and experienced caricature artist for you no matter which part of the world you need your caricature to be delivered.

If you want to hire a caricature artist from Stoned Santa, all you need to do is fill up this form, and our gifting experts will reach out to you.

how to order couple caricature

What is the cost of a caricature?

Art is subjective and so are the prices for any art piece. As vague as it may sound the prices of a digital caricature are dependent on factors like – 

1. The number of people or characters to be drawn – This includes humans, pets, and any other objects such as monuments, and buildings that are to be drawn with precision, and care.

2. Experience & Work Portfolio – Senior artists with years of experience, and expertise may charge 10 times than that of a beginner who’s just begun their journey as an artist. There are many caricature artists in India, and the costs vary dynamically from artist to artist.

3. The style to be chosen – Physically made caricatures cost more than digitally made caricatures. Often, the artists offer varying levels of detailing in their caricatures, which is a big factor in determining the costs.

4. Time Required – If clients have an urgent requirement, in such cases the artists usually charge a higher price, but if the timeline isn’t a problem in such cases it’s easier for the artists to accommodate their requests, and the artists usually offer discounts. 

couple caricature frames

Usage of caricatures

A caricature is a historical form of art. Caricaturists have been using this form to draw attention to political issues through political satires and to show their admiration of people they admire across fields. 

From being used as a medium by artists, and poets to voice people’s opinions on newspapers, and magazines to being used as digital wedding invites, and gift for bosses, Caricatures as an art form has evolved to cater to the gifting requirements of individuals, and companies. 

At Stoned Santa, we help you create unique caricatures that are designed as per your choices, in the timeframe that you desire.

Book your personalized caricature only at Stoned Santa.

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Interview with Rohit Chari, Red Canvas Studios

Interview with Rohit Chari, Red Canvas Studios

Born and brought up in Goa, Rohit Chari is an illustrator, artist, and artpreneur who runs Red Canvas Studios, a venture he started in 2016. In this creative studio, ideas come to life in art on different canvases such as walls, frames, and memories. 

Rohit started playing around with sketches early in his school days where he’d draw, doodle, and soon enrolled into a full-time fine arts course where he learned traditional art forms and techniques in a formal setup. Today Rohit caters to special art commissions where he draws beautiful caricatures, paints on walls, has his line of merchandise; in short, he’s found his passion and made a living out of it. 

In this interviews, Parth interviewed Rohit, where they talk and explore the world of being an artist, an entrepreneur, and suggestions for the fellow community of artists and creators.

Rohit Chari Skateboarding Caricature artist

Story of your first customer? 

Well, the first few projects were majorly for friends, and I did them for free. But the first paid project came to me as a surprise. I had made a digital caricature for a photographer friend, and I think after minutes of it posting, it went viral in our little friend circle. 

Everyone wanted to know who made this caricature, and there I was flooded with requests, most of them free, but some of them translated into orders, and that’s how I kick started my Freelance career as a Digital Caricature artist

Freelancing and the early challenges 

Under pricing and not being able to strike that early balance where I get quality clients who pay decently were the initial challenges I faced. I think the first few paid projects, I was underpaid, but then I guess that’s all a learning process. 

When I realized I was charging lesser, I decided to increase my prices, but then the clients stopped coming in. With time, I reached a sweet spot where the clients are comfortable, which allows me to be satisfied. I think the sweet spot of pricing your art “just right” can be determined only by talking to customers, and this process takes time. 

How do you explain Digital Art to your customers?

I was introduced to digital art years after graduating with a degree in Art, so I am very empathetic to my customers when I explain to them about Digital Art or Digital caricatures to help them understand and appreciate the process of creation. 

Many people think making caricatures digitally is when the artist uses some apps or simply traces it, but that’s not how it works. Usually, when I encounter clients who do not know much about Digital Art, or the creation process, I educate them first about this art form because this helps set the expectations right and makes the process of creation and approval smoother. 

I walk my customers through the process, share the work in progress pictures with them, answer their queries before starting work; I think this has many advantages, and the client’s chances of negotiating to go down significantly.

 

Boy Caricature by Red Canvas Studio

How do you price your digital caricatures? 

I decide the cost of my caricatures based on the combination of the following factors, and a lot of times, if the order is to required urgently, there’s an added cost. 

    1. The number of characters – A lot of my customers think that the price of caricature quoted can include as many human figures, but that’s not how it works. Therefore one of the criteria for deciding the price is the number of people/characters drawn.

       

    2. The caricature style – Is it the Realistic Caricature or Flat(2D) Caricature? It takes me more time to work on the realistic caricature. Therefore this one is charged higher.

       

    3. Background – Clients often demand unique backgrounds, such as the Eiffel tower, or the Taj Mahal, or other requests, and to accommodate such requests, I charge extra.

      In India, it’s a little tough to find clients who will not negotiate and respect the price you quote, but it’s so much easier with foreign clients, and I can charge them higher too. 

Drawing a celebrity caricature vs. Drawing for customers 

With celebrities, I have the freedom to experiment, exaggerate, and let my creative juices flow, but I have to be very careful with client projects. People want to look cute but not funny. 

I think there’s a nice balance, where I get paid for the commissioned work I do and the time I have left after such projects; I experiment, play around with colors, strokes, and let my ideas flow without being constricted by the client’s expectations. 

(Rohit has created fan art versions of famous Netflix TV shows like – Money Heist, Scared Games, etc.)

 

Wall Murals vs. Digital Caricatures 

I like both forms of art – Making digital caricatures and murals, both of their unique charm, and I thoroughly enjoy working on both mediums. 

Still, the outcome of completing a mural is much more gratifying than a caricature, primarily because of the heavy hard work required to create a mural. 

First, we prepare a design based on the input given by the client and then get the digital design approved; post this, the digital design is transposed to the wall. This process from idea to execution takes 3-4 days, or more, depending on the size of the wall. But I love working on murals. I usually start early and work in sprints to finish it as per the agreed timelines. 

When the project is big, I collaborate with other artists, and it’s fun working on such projects.

Wall mural by RedCanvas Studio

How do you feel when people compare your work with other artists? 

I’ll be honest, early in my career, I’d get offended easily and react, saying, “if you like their work, go buy from them,” but now I try to explain to them the reason for the difference and explain to them my art process. 

Other Hobbies? Skateboarding? 

Well, I love to skateboard, and I represented my state in Skateboarding back in the days, and I think I found a lot of artists from the skateboarding community. Skateboards are usually hand-painted, uniquely communicating what the owner wishes to with colors and visuals. 

 

I’ve got many gigs because of the community, and I think having a hobby is an excellent release to your creative juices, but in a different environment.

 

ayushman khurana caricature

Future Aspirations

I aspire to work with more prominent brands where my skills are tested. I meet fellow creators, and I learn and grow while doing so. I have worked with some very famous brands in the past, and I look forward to working with more brands as I grow as an artist. 

Advice to fellow artists in the community 

Digital art is comparatively easy when you are tracing it, but I would strongly recommend against it. Try to draw it manually instead of tracing, and it’ll help you in the longer run. 

If you want to draw caricatures, don’t immediately jump into drawing caricatures. Start by drawing portraits; it’ll help you understand the human face anatomy better. Once you’ve mastered that part, it’s easier to play around with human facial features to make fun caricatures. 

Closing Notes

Rohit concludes the interview by saying, “I would just say, support all the artists, because this is a small business we are into, but when the audience supports us, we can prosper. And I would request you to respect the artists, try to understand them, and value their efforts.”

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Meet Sameera Maruvada – The creator of ‘Salt and Sambar’

Meet Sameera Maruvada – The creator of ‘Salt and Sambar’

Meet Sameera Maruvada, the creator of ‘Salt & Sambar’

Sameera Maruvada is a freelance illustrator based in Visakhapatnam who turned pastime doodling into her career. She is also the creator of a web-comic series called “Salt and Sambar”  through which she aims to spread awareness on different social issues in a humorous way with a bit of cultural touch.

She aims to inspire young artists to pursue their passion for art through her Youtube channel – Saminspire , which has over 3.8 million views.

Read on more to find out about Sameera’s artistic journey.

Were you inclined towards art, right from your childhood or did you develop the passion over the years?

Drawing is something that came naturally to me. Ever since I was a kid I have been engrossed in drawing and coloring. I used to love participating in art competitions, I also used to win a lot of them. This did not change even after I grew up.

How did you start cartooning? What made you pursue it?

Initially, I never had cartooning on my mind. I used to mostly experiment with oil pastels, and I’ve been creating YouTube videos for the past five years. 

After completing my interior designing course, I was extremely clueless about what to do next and that’s when I started drawing comics. I have always drawn cute characters for greeting cards, and I love storytelling. So, comics were the perfect mix of both.

Many of your comics are in Telugu. How have the audience reactions been?

When I started creating comics in Telugu, the primary reason was not to promote my culture or language, but it was mostly because I could express certain feelings only in my mother tongue. Adding on to it, certain phrases sound good only in a particular language.

When  I started making comics in Telugu, I never expected many people to understand it. However, many Telugu-speaking-people from different parts of the world could relate to it and I’m glad I could make them feel home. 

How did you come up with the name “ Salt and Sambar”?

I always wanted to give a south Indian touch to the name of the comic series. I initially thought of calling it “Idli & Sambar”, but that name was already taken. That’s when “Salt & Sambar” struck me.

There’s a phrase from a famous Telugu movie called “Aha Naa-Pellanta” which inspired me to choose this name.

Are you a full-time artist? If yes, how has the journey been?

Yes, I am a full-time artist. I take up freelance projects, conduct workshops and also have a youtube channel where I teach simple drawings with oil pastels, DIY art and crafts and the basics of coloring.

Although being a freelancer is definitely not easy, if you work hard enough it’s as good as any other profession.

Where do you derive inspiration for your comics from?

Most of my comics are based on real-life experiences. There are certain messages that I want to spread through my comics. For instance, I want to show how students are pressurised into taking IIT-JEE or similar entrance tests, and how girls are expected to marry after a certain age.

I try to address these social issues in a humorous way, with a cultural touch.

Who are some of the artists whom you look up to?

These are some of my personal favorites – Rohan Chakravarty, Alicia Souza, Bill Watterson, Foxtrot, Sarah Andersen and Marloesdevee.

What are the problems that you face as a freelancer, and how do you think viewers can help?

I strongly feel that in India, freelancers are undermined. Nobody views art as a lucrative career choice. This mindset must change.

When it comes to supporting artists, people can support artists on this website called ‘Patreon’. Again, this is a very unfamiliar concept in India. People are charged a nominal amount every month to support their favourite artists. In return, you will be given exclusive rewards, like newsletters, early updates, merchandise and more. This helps the artists to not depend entirely on freelance projects for their income and helps them focus more on creating original art.

What advice would you give to the budding artists?

No one should pursue what they don’t like just because they are being pressured by their friends, family or society. 

I wish that by looking at artists like us, they should realize that art as a profession isn’t less than any other, and if you are persistent you will do great. 

Even if you have to take up a day job to make your ends meet, you should always make time for doing what you love, and never let go of the passion.

Thoughts about Stoned Santa?

Helping artists get recognized and helping them reach many people is a wonderful idea. I really hope that Stoned Santa does well in the future.

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