Tuesday, August 10, 2010

GET YOUR AWESOME AVATAR DRAWN BY ELGIN BOLLING











My name is Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling, I am a professional illustrator/cartoonist/caricature artist who has been creating these avatars for years for many satisfied clients. Let me create YOURS Today. All you need do is email me at

cartoons4u2@aol.com

Explain to me your business, product or concept, along with a photo of yourself, (front view side view three quarter view) and I will create your personalized cartoon logo/avatar that you can use to advertise your products and services just like OPRAH does!

Once you receive your AVATAR the promotional possibilities are endless! Flash animation! Periodicals and personal correspondence! Tee shirt and apparel design! not to mention other forms of print advertising from coffee mugs to Mousepads! Best of all,

IT'S Affordable!

Check out a few avatars Ive done for myself and a few clients

LET ELGIN BOLLING HELP YOU MARKET YOURSELF LIKE OPRAH DOES

TV CARTOON AVATARS
OPRAH WINFREY
HAPRO PRODUCTIONS AVATAR



Bewitched
Elizabeth Montgomery Dick Sargent


I Dream Of Janne
Barbara Eden Larry Hagman



THE NANNY
Fran Drescher

.
OPRAH WINFREY needs no introduction.
She is The Undisputed Queen of daytime talk,a Philanthropist,a Humanitarian, a magazine mogul, and let's not forget all that money! Oprah truly possesses the proverbial Midas Touch, and has at her disposal, the most talented minds that keep her on top of the financial food chain.
It comes as no surprise that she is a marketing genius who also uses a very simple marketing/branding idea that has been utilized in Hollywood for decades, and the best part about it is that it is

TOTALLY AFFORDABLE and I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU!

Curious as to what it is? Once I tell you, you're gonna say OF COURSE!!!

AVATAR

At the end of each Oprah show, this little cartoon/caricature of her comes out, pulling the HARPO productions logo and takes a bow. That little cartoon represents her brand, and is just one of many marketing tools she, and many others in Hollywood have used to promote shows. The producers of Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Nanny, etc. have used this tactic for Years with great success. In this age of internet marketing , flash animation etc. What BETTER way to advertise YOUR business, product, or just plain YOU with your very own, customized, personalized caricature cartoon logo?

My name is Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling, I am a professional illustrator/cartoonist/caricature artist who has been creating these avatars for years for many satisfied clients. Let me create YOURS Today. All you need do is email me at

cartoons4u2@aol.com

Explain to me your business, product or concept, along with a photo of yourself, (front view side view three quarter view) and I will create your personalized cartoon logo/avatar that you can use to advertise your products and services just like OPRAH does!

Once you receive your AVATAR the promotional possibilities are endless! Flash animation! Periodicals and personal correspondence! Tee shirt and apparel design! not to mention other forms of print advertising from coffee mugs to Mouse pads! Best of all,

IT'S Affordable!

Check out a few avatars Ive done for myself and a few clients

Friday, August 6, 2010

Top 10 Tips you need to know when choosing a Party Artist


1 Do you like his style?
2 Does he have pictures of his LIVE work?
3 How FAST can he draw?
4 How Personable is He/she?
5 What VIBE do you get from him/her?
6 How much experience does he/she have?
7 Is he/she affiliated with other companies?
8 Are his/her prices reasonable?
9 Is he/she willing to travel?
10 Has he/she worked your type of venue before?

Ive been a Professional party caricature artist for over ten years, folks, worked every conceivable venue from Anniversaries, To Zoo openings, and Ive seen this ONE thing happen over and over.
After spending time to get just the right decorations, table settings, DJ's< Party Place, etc. When it comes to hiring the best ARTIST they just get "anybody"

Ive actually heard people complain: "He didnt draw me right" , "he was rude" , He was slow" etc. etc. Believe me folks having a Poor caricature artist at your party ruins the event! WHY? well because unlike Cake that is EATEN, Wine that is DRUNK Music that is DANCED to, the CARICATURE DRAWING is a KEEPSAKE. It's a memento that is "frozen in time" pointing to that event. It's not "just a picture" it's a MEMORY.

BUT HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A GOOD ARTIST OUT OF THE HUNDREDS?
Let me go through EACH STEP"
1 Do you like his style?
As the consumer you have the right to choose an artist whose style appeals to you. If you are comparison shopping, and Im not against it, you SHOULD Do this, look for an artist whose style of work you would like to have on your wall. FEW artsits are able to deviate from their "HOME" style . If they draw wild and exaggerated, chances are they will draw YOU wild and exaggerated, and MAYBE you dont WANT that. Since you're BUYING the service you deserve to get what you want, no?

2 Does he have pictures of his LIVE work?

ANY artist worth his salt can draw an excellent picture WHEN HE HAS TIME. look on their site to see if they 're live work actually LOOKS like the person they're drawing. Ask them HOW LONG IT TAKES for them to draw. Remember you are PAYING them by the hour. If you have 20 or more guests and you get an artist who draws one picture every ten or twenty minutes then you're in for empty pockets, unsatisfied guests and a long night.

3 How FAST can he draw?
If he cant draw with a Three to Five Minute time frame he is SLOW.

4 How Personable is He/she?
The artist, unlike the hot dog vendor at the food cort is an LIVE ENTERTAINER. You WANT someone who is going to be able to entertain your guests and be personable. He should be "part of the event" This is one reason I go out of my way to interact with people Im drawing. I LOVE to engage them. It makes the whole party experience a night to remember.

5 What VIBE do you get from him/her?
Does the artist REFUSE to meet with you prior to the event> do they rush you off the phone, or are they "all business?" Sometimes this is an indication that they are "all about the money" and while it's TRUE they are working professionals, you want someone who you can work with. Ive heard accounts of people who have been insulted by artists, ignored by them, and even ridiculed all in the name of "fun" Trust your instincts if you get a weird vibe dont hire them.

6 How much experience does he/she have?
How long has the artist been doing his job? While we all must begin SOMEWHERE do you really want a novice to try their skills at YOUR event? While there are some novices who are very talented, the dynamic of a live event makes some of them fold. Ive SEEN it happen! You want your event to be a success, not some "NEW JACKS" experiment.

7 Is he/she affiliated with other companies?

While it's true most caricature artists work as independents I find that it's good to find out who they are or have been affiliated with in terms of other company's. For example I have worked with numerous event planners in NYC and across the United States for many years. Having worked with these individuals has helped me establish a track record with them for being dependable, professional, one time, courteous and fun. ANY artist off the street can tell you "they're good" how would YOU know? Professional affiliations help you to ask artist employers how good they are. Testimonials from reputable clients also fall into this category.

8 Are his/her prices reasonable?
As fun as it is, Party Caricature is a business , and yes I want to get paid. After all Ive developed some annoying habits over the years like eating, wearing clothes and having a roof to keep the rain off me. Having said that are the artists rates REASONABLE for YOU? that's the key question. Is the artist willing to negotiate? granted, some things cannot be negotiated , but find out how your artist feels about their price. You might be pleasantly surprised. Ive actually come up with many ways my clients can save money by booking me for different types of events and have even thrown in free additional specials at no cost whatsoever.

9 Is he/she willing to travel?
This is self explanatory. Be up front with the artist and tell him/her where the venue will be. Some area are either remote, hard to access or, from the artists position, dangerous!(come on , we live in NYC, we KNOW where those places ARE) Nevertheless, your location IS your location so find out if the artist is WILLING to go there and if there is additional travel costs involved.

10 Has he/she worked your type of venue before?

Every event has it's own dynamic. Ive seen artists show up at formal events wearing jeans and a tee shirt and utterly ruining the "vibe" of the event just because they aren't accustomed to working in that venue. Some artists DON'T work well with children, some do. Ive even met one artist who "didn't like" to draw the elderly! You would be surprise how many artists "cant draw Black people" It doesn't hurt to ASK the artist the truth, and to ASK FOR SAMPLES .

I hope these tips help you in choosing your artist... which of course I hope is ME..hint, hint! ... feel free to email or phone me at 347 424 5349 if you have any questions!

Buy Subwaysurfer Caricature Book By Elgin Bolling



HERE IT IS FOLKS, THE EXTREME CARICATURE DRAWING ADVENTURES OF ELGIN SUBWAYSURFER BOLLING CAPTURED HERE IN 100 PGS IN THIS BOOK. JAMMED PACKED WITH FULL COLOR PENCIL AND MARKER DRAWINGS OF MTA NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY COMMUTERS. THIS IS WHAT I CONSIDER THE TRUE ART OF LIFE DRAWING, CAPTURING PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE BEING THEMSELVES. THIS IS THE 2ND VOLUMNE IN AN ONGOING SUBWAYSURFER CARICATURE ART SERIES. GET YOURS BY CLICKING HERE
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/439457/?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=140x240

YOU CAN ALSO PREVIEW THE BOOK!

Look at NYC Caricature Art samples of Elgin Bolling












Lets be honest, there are hundreds of caricature artists you can hire for your party, so why SHOULD you hire ME? well, I'll give you one good reasons, and it's summed up in this little phrase that has become a cliche'

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

meaning that the few samples you see featured HERE were drawn live at various events in five minutes or LESS. Ad you can see also, even though they were drawn fairly quickly, the likenesses are excellent, and there is no loss in quality.
Truth be told about this caricature industry.

A LOT OF ARTIST ARE FAKING IT.

Oh, they have EXCELLENT samples on their websites and printed materials they send you, but what they dont tell you is that they spent anywhere from TEN to TWENTY MINUTES drawing these masterpieces. And these pictures are GOOD from an artistic standpoint, but can you imagine PAYING BY THE HOUR an artist that takes THAT LONG to do a single picture??? You'd be not only throwing your money away, but your party guests who had the tenacity to wait in line would come up short and disappointed and would blame YOU for hiring the artist.
I've seen these "abominable slow men" draw at parties STILL on their FIRST picture while I'm on my third.

There IS no School that teaches you how to "draw fast"

You either HAVE the ability

Or you DON'T

I happen to HAVE it.

I am not bragging. Simply stating an measurable fact.

If you live in the NYC area you can even TEST me on it.
Call me at 347 424 5349 to set up a meeting
Bring your stopwatch.
Watch me draw YOUR face absolutely FREE
In 1-3 minutes.


Hire me for your next party and I will keep the line moving, keep your guests happy and entertained, AND give YOU your money's worth.

After all, You're Paying for it.

Need a NYC Caricature Artist? Call Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling


Need a NYC Caricature Artist? Call Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling For YOUR next Party or Special Event!

There are HUNDREDS of very talented caricature artists in the NYC area, so WHY should you hire ME??? I can think of FIVE reasons:

1) IM FAST

Caricature at a party should be FAST.

Look, you go to a party to enjoy yourself, eat the food, make a love connection, and dance! why would you WANT to spend the MAJORITY of your precious party time in a Loooooooong line waiting to MAYBE get drawn. It takes me 1-3 minutes to draw who ever is in front of me. FIVE MINUTES TOPS and if I take THAT long Im reallllly taking my time.

The great thing is if you get drawn by me you can get your pic FAST and enjoy the rest of the party.

2) I WILL MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU

The ugly truth is that there are a LOT of caricature artists who can draw a decent picture at a party that just doesn't look like YOU.

They cover up their lack of art skill by excessive shading and lots of color hoping that because you see blond hair on the character in the drawing that it MUST be YOU because you have the same color hair. When I draw you, it LOOKS like you. Sometimes HILARIOUSLY so!

I am committed to giving you something that is INSTANTLY recognizable to everyone. You will be proud to hang my picture on your wall, or your office.

3) IM EXPERIENCED

Ever have a novice plumber fix your kitchen sink? If you're not careful, you'll have an indoor kitchen pool.
While this doesn't apply to ALL novices, Experience really IS the best teacher. I have over 10 years of it working every kind of entertainment venue. Working these different venues have given me a certain "feel" for particular parties that a novice just doesn't have yet, and NEEDS if they are going to handle themselves with poise and professionalism. Unlike "studio drawing" which most artists are accustomed to, PARTY CARICATURE is a "live animal" full of noise, crowds, and energy that I’ve seen lesser artists fold and crumble under.

Don’t let that happen to you. Go with an artist with experience...er... that would be ME.

4) I’M MULTI TALENTED
man.... this isn’t even FAIR to say....Whenever you hire an artist to entertain your guests, if they are FAST, ABLE TO GET A GOOD LIKENESS, and EXPERIENCED, then technically they've done their job... what MORE could you "legally " ask for?

How about a TOTAL ENTERTAINER???

I believe that a caricature artist should be MORE than a person who stares blankly at you and hands you a picture.
I feel that he is a part of the ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE and he should be multi talented.
IS HE INTERESTING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING??? CAN HE ENGAGE AND ENTERTAIN YOUR GUESTS WITH CONVERSATION??

I CAN.

CAN HE DANCE?

I CAN.
And DO. In fact, upon occasion I've even Taught an entire waiting audience how to break dance, moonwalk and do "tutting" all while not skipping a beat or losing time drawing...

CAN THE ARTIST SING???

I CAN.

I frequently break out spontaneously in song, encourage singalongs and other such antics while drawing..

I CAN EVEN BUST OUT A FEW RHYMES OR TWO...

I realize these things are not required, but they are just a few things I do spontaneously because I LOVE what I DO. When your guests leave your party I want them to say, “MAN! THAT WAS A GREAT PARTY!!”

5) I UNDERSTAND THAT A PARTY IS A REFLECTION ON THE HOST

If an entertainer does something crude, rude, or lewd at an event, it’s going to reflect on the HOST, NOT the entertainer. Folks are going to say, “WHY THE HECK DID THEY HIRE THAT JERK FOR??”

If you are a Businessperson, throwing great parties are crucial to your success, as they are reflections of YOU.

I understand THAT.
MOST artists DON’T.

Most are in it to sit down draw a picture, and LEAVE. Often times I’ve seen them cruelly make fun of a party guest just to feed their own ego, leaving the guest angry embarrassed, and humiliated in front of their friends and people they wanted to meet and impress.

I’m not saying that a Caricature drawing “should NEVER be exaggerated” after all, exaggeration of facial features is an essential part of the art form. What I AM saying is that an artist SHOULD have the SENSITIVITY and COMMON SENSE to be able to “read people” and know when it’s appropriate to do an exaggeration and when it is NOT.

When I exaggerate at parties my goal is to have you LAUGHING WITH ME Not ME LAUGHING AT YOU.

I make it a point to realize this is about entertainment. I’m there to make YOU the HOST look good and to make your guests feel great about coming to my stand.

That’s why I want to do it for YOU.
Let Me Entertain YOU!
Call ELGIN AT 347 424 5349 today!

Looking forward to entertaining YOU!

Elgin Bolling NYC Caricature Artist