Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma White.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always loved doodling since I was in kindergarten, particularly cartoons. In 2021, I saw an ad to draw caricatures at Six Flags for the summer. It seemed like a very intimidating, yet rewarding job. After that summer, I fell in love with the art style, as well as the whole weird, fun process of having strangers sit in front of me and drawing them on the spot, warping them into cartoon versions of themselves. I currently draw at St. Louis Union Station for spring and summer, and run my own seasonal business during Christmastime at the West County Center. At the mall, I offer caricatures on paper, or ornaments for your Christmas tree!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Drawing caricatures was certainly a learning curve for me. In my experience, I had only ever doodled in notebooks, or drawn digitally. I didn’t have a strong background in art or know many techniques, I just loved doing it. Exaggerating a portrait into something more creative was a tough task, not to mention the mediums which are considered standard for caricature artists (pastels and woodless colored pencils) were hard to get used to. Now, I prefer drawing caricatures over other forms of art, and prefer traditional to digital! As far as my art style, I’ve finally become comfortable within the last couple years, but I’m always looking to improve as I don’t think I’ll ever be truly satisfied with it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a caricature artist and draw caricatures full-time through my work and also through online commissions, and event work. When I’m not working at Union Station and providing tourists with a funny memory of their trip, I draw at parties, wedding receptions, and corporate events. I always want to work on improving my art style, but the countless times I’ve revealed my live caricatures to my clients has been a real treat. There is nothing like making people laugh at themselves—it’s such a great experience!
What matters most to you? Why?
The happiness of my clients matters most to me. Caricatures can be somewhat sensitive as people tend to be self-conscious about certain aspects of themselves. Everyone has something they don’t like about their appearance, and many people are hesitant to get a drawing in fear of being laughed at. But I try to keep my caricatures more of a cartoon version of the client; there can be likeness and exaggeration without being too offensive! As long as they are able to look at the drawing and smile or laugh at themselves at the end of it, I’m happy.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/battleapple/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caricaturesbyemma/
