BIG
BIOGRAPHY
We
have always been surrounded by caricatures! My name is Beth Hebert. I graduated
from Sulphur High School in 1981 and I live in Sulphur, LA. I have worked full-time
as a graphic artist for a screen print shop since 1989.
Caricatures
have always fascinated me ever since I was a child. I loved watching the opening
and closing commercials on television shows such as I DREAM OF JEANNIE, BEWITCHED,
THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW, THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, I LOVE LUCY and more recently,
THE NANNY.
I
found THE JETSONS, THE FLINTSTONES, and the SMURFS to be caricature-like with
the big heads on little bodies. I love to collect TV Guides when they have any
caricature on the cover. One of my favorite caricaturists is the late great Al
Hirschfeld for his economy of line and kindness in style. Sebastian Krüger
has my vote for the wildest execution of a likeness.
People
ask me how I got started drawing caricatures and I have to say that this was covered
in only one lesson of one chapter of one illustration course when I was going
to Sowela Technical Institute for Commercial Art back in the early 1980's. But
I just couldn't get enough of it. By chance, some of us students were asked to
demonstrate at the Spring Arts Fest which was hosted by the Calcasieu Arts &
Humanities Council at Bord du Lac Park on the Lake Charles Civic Center grounds
where Millinneum park now resides. Some of us did calligraphy, but I did caricatures.
It was all in ebony pencil back then and really rather slow.
Fortunately,
I met the artist named Kitty who used to work for Six Flags and could draw them
in black markers. She encouraged me to give it a try so, at her kitchen table,
I experimented with Sharpies for the first time. She also introduced me to stick
graphite and how to do some gray shading techniques. I still use these today.
After
several years of doing the Spring Arts Fest and building my confidence, I began
doing a few parties here and there on the weekends. This led to drawing in night
clubs. Now THERE is an experience. I distinctly recall standing in front of my
work area with my arms stretched out guarding my easle as some bouncer dragged
an intoxicated patron by the neck past me and out the door of the establishment.
When
Player's Riverboat Casino opened, I managed to draw at their grand opening and
for a few months after that. I also enjoyed working at the Isle of Capri for awhile
around Mardi Gras. I still draw in night clubs from time to time but I prefer
drawing at private parties.
I
did my full-time job at the print shop with no computer for many years and did
it well, but when we got a MAC at work, I learned how to do vector graphics with
Adobe Illustrator® and everything changed for me. I learned how to streamline
my black and white drawings and produce digital, vector graphics which can easily
be edited. These are useable for a variety of purposes such as printing, websites
or television.
For
now, the caricatures I do in Adobe Illustrator® more than meet the needs of
my corporate clientelle. I still do the fast, cute caricatures live for the private
sector and look forward to doing this every weekend.
Caricaturistically,
Beth Hebert
