If the subject has a strong jaw, you might make their face significantly wider or more angular.
This comprehensive guide explores Lenn Redman's revolutionary approach to caricature, breaks down his core methods, and explains how you can apply his work to your current digital or traditional art practice. Who Was Lenn Redman?
If you have the PDF, you have the keys to the kingdom. But you need to turn the locks. Here are three advanced drills from Redman’s philosophy that aren't explicitly in the book but are implied by his exercises. how to draw caricatures lenn redman pdf work
In the digital age of Procreate and Photoshop, you might wonder why an art book from the 1980s is still highly sought after in PDF format.
Redman instructs the artist to visualize an "average" or "ideal" head. If the subject has a strong jaw, you
Lenn Redman’s classic text, How to Draw Caricatures , is a staple for professional artists. While I cannot provide a direct PDF download link, you can often find it through: : For digital lending. Used Bookstores : Look for the Dover Publications reprint.
While modern digital tools and software offer automated caricature filters, they lack the artistic intuition taught in Redman's text. Understanding why a feature should be exaggerated is what separates a professional artist from a digital filter. Lenn Redman’s "How to Draw Caricatures" provides the foundational logic required for editorial cartooning, character design for animation, and live event entertainment. If you have the PDF, you have the keys to the kingdom
Because How to Draw Caricatures is an older text, the scans often found online (PDF work) vary in quality. Here is how to best utilize a digital version of this specific book:
Modern caricaturists (e.g., Tom Richmond, Court Jones) cite Redman as an influence but note that his style is softer and more cartoonish than today’s “likeness-first” school. Still, his structural approach remains a classic starting point.
| Step | Name | Action | |------|------|--------| | 1 | | Draw the whole body’s action line in 5–10 seconds. No details. Just flow. | | 2 | The Block-in | Add basic shapes (head as egg, ribcage as barrel, pelvis as wedge). Keep loose. | | 3 | The Caricature | Now exaggerate attitude : stretch the gesture, tilt the shoulders/hips, enlarge what expresses mood (e.g., slouch, chin lift, hand on hip). |
Dedicate practice sessions to individual facial features. Practice drawing 10 different types of noses or 10 different jawlines using Redman's construction methods.