Cartoon of Bruce Lee

I think the usual way people draw Bruce Lee is in fighting mode. So to be a bit different I picked a friendly-faced expression. This probably hurts the likeness a bit? It’s not the way we are used to seeing him. I’m hoping the 1970s hair, along with the distinctive pose is enough to make it recognizeable. The way he holds his hands.

And then the pose with the bloody scratches is from Enter The Dragon. Most people would name Enter The Dragon as their “favourite” Bruce Lee film. I think what they mean is that it’s the only one even halfway watchable. Because the rest are dreadful. It’s the truth!

He can be an icon of his genre and still have mostly bad films. Same as Elvis

bruce lee caricature by brendan o’rourke

bruce lee caricature by brendan o’rourke

Caricature Video

A quick highlight reel showing work on some caricature commissions I did. Most of these were ordered for Christmas 2020.

Caricature Sketch of Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson would be a good place to start for someone attempting their first ever caricature. Almost any way you draw him will at least be recogniseable. Especially if you are using colour and can do the blond hair. On the other hand though with ‘easy’ faces you end up not putting in enough effort, so ironically can end up with a weaker caricature. And on that note - here’s my attempt.

Boris Johnson’s hair is like a fibre optic Christmas tree.

Stephen King Caricature Sketch

I’ve only read one of Stephen King’s books, the anthology with The Mist in it. It’s fairly good. He’s a very distinctive looking man. When you go to draw him the thing that stands out is that gap between bottom of his nose and top lip.

Also his nose reminds me of that thing you might have in the kitchen to hang up tea towels. Where you stick the corner of them into the little holes? He could hang two tea-towels on himself and go to a fancy dress party.

stephen king caricature.jpg

A Few Caricature Sketches

Bill Murray, Dara O Briain, Johnny Cash, Luke Kelly, Panti Bliss, and a young Frank Sinatra.

What a dinner party

Caricatures of Athy Musicians 2

During the COVID-19 lockdown, a Facebook group was set up in my town where local musicians could post songs to entertain us. I did caricatures of some of the singers/players

Athy Sing & Sign Club Caricature Booklets


In Athy Sing & Sign Club they teach sign language by learning to sign along with popular songs. Every year they host an ISL (Irish Sign Language) Festival in the town and ask me to design a booklet. The booklet features basic ISL as demonstrated by the kids in the club.

So I draw a cartoon of each kid, and a few of the adults, demonstrating a sign.

We’ve been doing for 3 years now and have covered the sign language for topics such as Numbers, Seasons, and Space. And we always include something local to Athy as the middle page of the booklet.

Delighted to be a part of this.


The First Caricature Commission I ever did (in 2008)

Years ago I used to have an old website to put my random sketches on, and then one evening in July 2008 I got an email

Hi Brendan,

I was just looking at your drawings on your website, and I was wondering would you be able to do a caricature of myself and the missus? If you can do it I will send you pics of the two of us and an outline of the style we would like it. It will be us with hurleys about to clash them,in our wedding outfits.

regards,

Paul

And so I ended up drawing this cartoon.

It doesn’t really look much like my current work. I’ve learned a lot since then. But I still think it stands up as a good wedding caricature.

wedding_paul_hogan_shirley.jpg


Afterwards I received a note

shirley_and_paul_note.jpg

Bob Geldof Oil Painting Caricature

This was my first and only attempt at painting with oils. I never finished it. I got as far as the underpainting part, based on a digital sketch I had done. Browns and greys used to put in the basic shapes and the darks and lights.

The next step was supposed to be building up the skin tones etc. But to be honest - oils were a pain in the neck. Loads of cleaning up, took weeks to dry, and the turpentine stunk up the apartment.

So the project was abandoned in defeat until I could afford to live in a mansion with a separate airy studio for painting, at least 100 yards away from my bedroom.

(I definitely got a likeness though! I can see Bob Geldof in this)

Old Pencil Drawings

Back in the day I used to do the odd pencil drawing, mostly for friends. The church ones were for the cover of mass booklets

I also did a few random celebrities. The Ray D’arcy one has been on his Wikipedia page for at least 10 years and is still there as of today (Sat Nov 09th 2019)

George Hook liked his one when he saw it on Twitter so I posted it to him.

I put the Ray D’arcy drawing into an exhibition here in Athy when I heard he was going to be speaking at the opening. Here we both are admiring it.

Cocktail Menus Designs

A change of pace from drawing faces. These are cocktail and shot menus I did for Clancy’s bar here in Athy. This is a pub I go to, so it was nice to see my own work on the tables.

clancy's athy cokctail menu photo.jpg

Looking for ideas for your cartoon?