The Art of Tony Smith

Growing the Biz!

2011-09-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

Greetings all, and Grace to you! I am back to post a few more photos of live work. But I am really focusing on learning as much as I can about marketing and various ways to grow my art business overall. I've mentioned this before, but I am trying to be more active and put more hours into it. Growing a business takes a lot of effort and tenasity, and up to now I have not put nearly enough energy into it as I should have. I have been waiting for opportunities to fall into my lap. The Lord does provide, most definately. He provided mana for Israel every morning when they were in the wilderness, but they had to get up, go out of their tents and gather it. I need to go out and make good use of my time and resourses, trusting in His guidance and provision. Anyway, here are some more photos.

Late Night Post

2011-09-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Just posting a few pics, but more to come.

Looking into Teaching!

2011-09-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

    I have actually desired to teach caricature for quite a while. Even though I am still growing and improving and expanding my own skills, I love the thought of passing on to others any knowledge I have gained. I love art, people, and the idea of teaching, and would do it for free! But as a single dad, I need to use my skills to support my family; you know, pay the bills! Of course I still am trying to learn how to build my live event gig business so that is more consistant, and I would like to break into illustrative caricature for magazines and publications. I also wouldn't mind selling fine art caricature like the great Sebastian Kruger one day! But alas, I need immediate income!
    Well, I have been contacted by an artist in South Africa who is willing to pay me to teach her. There are a couple of others who have also expressed interest. So it is time for me to get going with this. I am researching and working on the best way for me to teach online or through email. I also need a good price point for my services that is affordable, but also worth my efforts. You will hear more as this developes.
   In the mean time, here are a few more photos from my work at the GA Aquarium. C&Cs welcome! By the way, even though I have a decent camera, many of my photos are a bit washed out which diminishes the vibrancy of the color. I'm still working on the ideal setting for my camera. Grace to you all!

Still striving.

2011-09-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

Greetings out there. Here I am after being away for a while again. As much as I want to post on a regular basis, it it tough because I have much to deal with in my everyday life. You know how it is. Any way, I am posting some more recent pieces done at the GA Aquarium. Summer was great for me because I was able to work alot of hours there, but now business has slowed down and I am not getting nearly as many hours. I really need to find ways to make my business grow not just doing party caricatures, but illustrative work as well. I know that this is the issue for many caricaturists, but I also realize that there are those who do very well, so I know it can be done. I have tried to ask a couple of the ones doing well what they do to bring in consistant business, but I was told little to nothing. I think that there are artists out there who believe that if they help someone else, that it will hurt them. They keep what they do secret. They seem to see other artists as the "enemy". I whole heartedly believe that even in this down economy, there is business enough for all of us and when you help someone else you also wind up helping yourself. I hope that I can become as successful as I wish to be, because it would be my pleasure to help other artists trying to grow. We all had to start somewhere.

Anyway, here is some recent work. Comments and cits welcome!

Striving to improve

2011-06-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Well, as promised, I am trying to post more often. As I draw, I hope to sharpen and improve my skills. This may seem to be an obvious and unnecessary statement. After all, don't all caricaturist strive to improve their craft? Many, maybe even most do. But there are those who's skills and technique don't seem to change even after many years. They seem to have lost the joy of the art. It becomes just another way to make some money. But while I do not scoff at the money making aspect of drawing caricatures, I feel that if you are blessed to be able to do caricatures, you should always seek to take your art to new levels. This principal, of course, applies to any aspect of life. More on this later. Here are a few more pics from the GA Aquarium and a couple of corporate events.

Keeping it coming!

2011-06-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

Here is some more recent work.

More Work

2011-06-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Here is some more from the Aquarium and from a gig I did Saturday in Chattanooga, Tennesse with fifteen other caricaturists for six hours. It is a great pleasure of mine to draw along side of other caricaturists. We have a lot of fun (though it was 95 degrees!!) and I get to admire and learn alot. Can't wait for this years ISCA convention. Because of my steady work at the Aquarium and some increased gig work, I have high hopes to make it this year. It has been too long and I miss my extended "family" of artists.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but accordind to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit," Titus 2:5 Do not trust in yourself for salvation, simply accept what Christ has already done for you! Grace to you!

Busy again!

2011-06-03T00:04:00.000-07:00

Man! It has been very rough for me the last few months, but I am starting to get back on my feet. Since I am working more regularly, I should be able to post more often. Here are a few recents from my work at the Georgia Aquarioum.

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 speaking of Christ.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and are having a great new year. Even though I am not into making new years resolutions as such, the new year is a great time to reflect on where you have been and where you are going. It is a time to thank the Lord for past blessings and for challenges as well, as those are sent to increase our dependence upon Him. It is also fine to use the new year as a time to evaluate and set goals, or to change direction if needed. Making a "resolution" involves a promise, a guarantee, which is broken the first time you mess up or deviate from it. I like the idea of setting goals. And as believers in Christ we are told to
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all
your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

and to

"Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established" Proverbs 16:3

Therefore, the focus is not on you, but on the Lord.

On that note, one of my goals is to update this blog more often. January and Febuary are typically painfully slow months for party caricature gigs, but I am starting some new pieces to build my portfolio. I'll post progress reports on those as I work on them. Untill next time!!

The picture above is me drawing at a past covention.

2010-05-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

I don't know why the photos from my last post do not enlarge when you click on them, but I've reposted them for the who wish to enlarge.

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T15:33:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. We honor those who payed the ultimate price in the protection of our freedoms. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." Personally, I believe that the families of those who have died for their country should be amply provided for in honor of the one who died. But that is a different subject.

There is one, though, who is to be remembered everyday for paying for freedom and victory over sin and death, The Lord Jesus Christ. He sacrificed His Life so that we could have peace and everlasting life, freedom from the penalty of sin, which is eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15), and also freedom from the power of sin in our lives. He payed this price for EVERYONE, but only those who accept what He did will benefit from it. We accept it by simple trust, or faith in Him and what he has done. That's it! You do nothing because He has done EVERYTHING!

Simple, right? Too simple for some. There are those who want to add sorrow for sins. Is there anything wrong with sorrow for sins? No, but that sorrow does absolutely nothing to save you. What about good works? Good works are wonderful, and as a matter of fact, part of our salvation is the fact that we have been called unto good works tailor made for us to walk in after salvation, Ephesians 2:10. As a matter of fact, any good works we produce in our own ability is said to be to filthy rags by God! The ONLY work that saves anyone is the work of Christ on the cross, when He died to pay the price for the sins of the world.

What about promising t o change ones life? This also worthless for salvation, as it is simple a mental work; an attempt to gain some sort of merit before God. God the Father only honors the work of His Son. Salvation comes through faith alone in Christ alone, based on His finished work on the cross ALONE! (John 14:6, Acts 4:12)

You know, I really did not plan to write any of this when I sat down to post. I was just going to honor Memorial Day and post a few pictures. But the Lord knows that there is someone who comes to this post who needs this. Who? I have no idea, but if you have not trusted Christ through faith in what He has done for you, then this was for you. I do not mean to make this blog about being a Christian, or to come across as some sort of "Bible thumper", and I will not mention spiritual issues all the time. But my life is not compartmentalized, Christ is Lord of every aspect of my life, and if He leads me to write, I write! I am thankful for all of you who visit my post, and my wish and prayer is for all of you to come to a saving knowledge of Christ. If anyone wishes to talk about salvation or the spiritual life, please email me at tonycsmith2007@yahoo.com.

Any way, here are a few more pics from recent gigs.

Larger pics of the Atlanta Contingent

2010-05-20T20:52:00.001-07:00

Click on picture for a larger view. For some reason the pis on the previous post did not enlarge.

The Atlanta Contingent!

2010-05-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

I recently drew at a couple of events fo Holiday Inn where they hired twenty caricaturists! (One gentleman left early, before the picture was taken.) There was another one the next week, but they only had a few of us that time. It was great to be able to get together with a group like this. I only wish I had a chance to get around to watch the others draw, but we all were practically non-stop for the entire event! At the end of the smaller gig, a few of us thought that it would be a great idea to form some sort of Atlanta area caricaturists guild to meet once a month or so at a coffee shop or where ever, to socialize, draw and network. We are trying to work out the details. I would also like to organize a Mini-Con for the ISCA (formally the NCN).

Edward L. Bouie Elementary School

2010-05-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of drawing a wonderful group of fifth graders at Edward L. Bouie Elementary School in Lithonia Georgia today along with fellow artist Don Harden. He happened to have his camera and snapped a few pictures every now and then between his drawings. He sent these to me today. At the end of the gig, they gave us a round of applause, which we returned to them being such a great group of kids!

2010-05-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all! I have just been the worst at keeping this blog up to date. The has been so much happening in my personal life that has distracted me from it. Well, I have not given up. I have been so motivated by fellow artists like the ones that I have on my list here, and many others, that I hope I can be a motivation to someone else. It has been and continues to be very tough for me financially, but The Lord has kept me and I know that He has a wonderful plan for my life! I want to share more of my art, but also my Love for Christ. Some of you may not trust Him as your Saviour, but please do not allow me mentioning Him to keep you from visiting this blog. I will not beat you over the head with my Bible (smile!), but maybe the Lord will draw you to Himself through something I write. At least I hope my art inspires you. And of course I welcome any comments or critiques. Here are some gig pieces.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T21:15:00.000-08:00

This past year has brought many blessings as well as challenges in my life. But God has continued to provide for me. I will strive to add to this blog on a regular basis instead of only every few months! May God bless you all and I pray that you allow the Lord to draw you to a closer relationship with Him through Christ.

Grace to You
Tony

More pieces

2009-08-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings everyone! I hope and pray that all is well with you. Gig work is slow for me right now, but I still get a few days at the GA Aquarium. I'm in the process of trying to market myself better, which frankly, I've never done. But the Lord continues to sustain me as I find my sufficiency in Him. Here's a few more pieces!

Text for last post

2009-07-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

This text was supposed to post with the previous pics.

Greetings all, and grace to you! I know I said before that I would post more regularly, but so much has come up, some good, some not so good, but the Lord is always in control. Always!! One occasion of note is that on June 28, I was ordained as a minister of the Gospel of Christ! It is an honor, privilege and duty for which I am most grateful, and I take very seriously. I do not pastor a church yet, but I am waiting for the Lord to guide me. Meanwhile, I continue in my seminary and with the other blessing He has graced me with; my art.
Here are a few recent pics I drew at the GA Aquarium. I'm always working to improve and I've recently started adding a little shading to my black and whites using a black Prismacolor art stick.

Back, AGAIN!!

2009-07-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

Gr eetings all, and grace to you! I know I said before that I would post more regularly, but so much has come up, some good, some not so good, but the Lord is always in control. Always!! One occasion of note is that on June 28, I was ordained as a minister of the Gospel of Christ! It is an honor, privilege and duty for which I am most grateful, and I take very seriously. I do not pastor a church yet, but I am waiting for the Lord to guide me. Meanwhile, I continue in my seminary and with the other blessing He has graced me with; my art.
Here are a few recent pics I drew at the GA Aquarium. I'm always working to improve and I've recently started adding a little shading to my black and whites using a black Prismacolor art stick.

A few current projects

2009-04-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

I like to have different projects going at the same time. It not only allows me to step away from a piece to get a fresh perspective, but insights or ideas gained from one piece can apply to others.

plus it just keeps my mind fresh. Here are a few I'm working on now.

Finally!

2009-04-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Greetings one and all! I finally am back to posting and hope to stay fairly regular. I'm working on several pieces to build a portfolio of work. I'm trying to devote more time to creating and producing a variety of drawings. I'm even practicing some digital work, though it's only with a mouse and fairly old version of Photoshop (6.0). Money is tight to say the least. I hope to soon be able to purchase a Wacom of some sort. Also, of course, I NEED to up date my software. But anyway, here's a piece or two with more on the way. Crits and comments welcome!

Where have I BEEN???!!!

2008-10-08T22:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting in so long! There has been so much going on in my life that posting has been the last thing on my mind. But I do wish to start back up. Stay in touch!! Here's an oldie for now!

First of a series

2007-04-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a work in progress that is the first of a series of caricatures I am doing of fellow caricature artists. This gentleman is Brian Vasilik. I am working on building a portfolio of work including colleagues and celebrities. This one is graphite, but I plan on using a variety of mediums. I can't wait to get a Wacum tablet!!

At the GA Aquarium

2007-04-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few caricatures done at the Georgia Aquarium. I'm still trying to grow and push myself. I want to exaggerate more, but stay within a style that I like. All comments and critiques welcome!

2007-03-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my first post, one of the things I do is caricature. I draw for private and corporate events and have been doing so for quite a few years.
I am a member of the NCN, National Caricaturist Network, a group of artists and illustrators from around the world with a focus on the art of caricature, of course. Once a year they hold a convention where the members come to learn, share and be inspired. It is truly an amazing event. One of primary parts of the event is the competition, when art created over the course of the event is posted on the walls of a large ballroom and the artists vote for their favorites in a variety of categories.
Well, it has been my honor to be voted first place in the Best Black and White Technique category at he 2005 and 2006 conventions! I also won second place at the 2001 convention. It is an amazing experience to be among such a wonderful and talented group of individuals. I have grown leaps and bounds as an artist since being a part of this organization. Hopefully I can be as much of motivation to others as they have been to me!

Greetings!!!

2007-03-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting my blog! My name is Tony Smith and I am brand new to blogging. I am an artist residing in Snellville, GA which is in the greater Atlanta area. I'll be posting my art for your enjoyment, comments and critique. It may be any kind of art, but the focus will mainly be on portraits and caricature.

You can view my caricature work at Caricaturesbytony.com.

I'll try to post as frequently as I can, so visit often!