I want to like Ken Fallin's caricatures, but I dont

His latest, of Christine and Patti in War Paint is a case in point. Patti in particular looks more like something from the movie A Bug's Life, than the imperious, glamorous Rubinstein. He fails to capture a special sense of bigger than life theatrical magic the way Hirschfeld did, and Fallin's illustrations usually feel awkward and non-theatrical to me, and often bear little or no resemblance to the subject at hand. I guess there will never be another Hirschfeld...

https://www.google.com/amp/www.broadwayworld.com/amp/c.php%3Furl%3DBWW-Exclusive-Ken-Fallin-Draws-the-Stage-WAR-PAINT-20170623

Updated On: 6/23/17 at 03:42 PM

Agreed!

Every time I see them I think, "Oh. I miss Al Hirschfeld." They're Hirschfeld-eque without capturing the special spark Hirschfeld had... a willingness to take risks. I wish we had someone wholly original... or at least  someone who was more on the money with their attempt at copying Hirschfeld.

 

One word: Squiggs.

considering that one of his subjects is "responsible" for his current job, perhaps there is more to this particular drawing than meets the eye...

Sqiggs and Fallin are both preferable to the Sardi's artist.

Check out Matt Hirschfeld. Even though he doesn't do broadway. It's pretty incredible.

http://www.matthirschfeld.com/artwork22.html

I can't even call the ''portraits'' at Sardi's ''caricatures.'' They're hand-drawn versions of photographs, based on the performers' headshots. Apparently, the artists have been told to go this safe route, because no one wants the performers to be possibly offended if any of their features are exaggerated. ... Really makes you appreciate Hirschfeld. With only a handful of lines, he was able to evoke and capture the essence of an actor better than most any photograph.

Updated On: 6/23/17 at 08:43 PM

i kind of like Fallin. Squiggs is terrific. whoever does the ones for Sardi's is trash.

Wayman_Wong said: "I can't even call the ''portraits'' at Sardi's ''caricatures.'' They're hand-drawn versions of photographs, based on the performers' headshots. Apparently, the artists have been told to go this safe route, because no one wants the performers to be possibly offended if any of their features are exaggerated. ... Really makes you appreciate Hirschfeld. With only a handful of lines, he was able to evoke and capture the essence of an actor better than most any photograph.

 

Oh, so that explains why Norm Lewis' caricature makes him look like some white boy from Chelsea!!

 

The Sardi's caricatures are truly, shockingly bad--they actually play DOWN the unique features in everyone's face; anathema to the very concept of caricature. Fallin is just uninteresting. Agree Squigs is the best we have. Hirshfeld truly was irreplaceable. 

Updated On: 6/25/17 at 09:40 AM

Here's the latest:https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Exclusive-Ken-Fallin-Draws-the-Stage-COME-FROM-AWAYs-Jenn-Colella-20170707

Like the War Paint one, why is he doing this now? It would've been much better CFA's opening or the Tonys. 

Simply horrible.  Looks more like Mark Ballas in JERSEY BOYS wearing an airplane pilot costume. 

His new one looks more like Jack Nicholson as The Joker instead of a character from CFA