Sardi's Caricatures - ehhhhhhhh...

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 9/12/09 at 11:42pm

The photo feature on Brian d'Arcy James's Sardi's caricature demonstrates yet again that Sardi's current caricatures of current Broadway stars are...kinda bland...there's no flair, no 'oomph' to them. Brian looks embalmed - the artist didn't capture any of his sparkle. Anyone else feel this way?

Sardi's could use Norn or Sqigs.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/12/09 at 11:48pm

I've never liked the most recent Sardi's caricatures. But when I was there I didn't care for a lot of the older ones either...

[sparrman]

Posted: 9/12/09 at 11:56pm

His real eyebrows actually take up proportionally more of his face than they do in the caricature. That's the opposite of how a caricature ought to be, isn't it?

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 12:03am

They're terrible. Terrible.

Posted: 9/13/09 at 12:11am

Brian even wrote on his twitter that he was surprised about the eyebrows:
"Impressed with the considerable eye brow restraint showed in my Sardi's caricature. They could have gone full Sasquatch."

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 12:31am

Yeah, if you're a caricaturist faced with those fabulous furry caterpillars, you definitely want to accentuate them! You'd also want to include some of that equally magnificent chest hair...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 1:02am

I think the James caricature is horrible. It doesn't really capture his essence. It's too generic. The artist should have rounded the face more and really emphasized the eyebrows and teeth.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 1:05am

Exactly, they don't understand that caricature is about exaggerating the features that make a person recognizable. These all look like some bad computer tracing program.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 1:36am

Yea, they've all been pretty bad over the last few years, but I guess it is still an honor.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 11:43am

I think the Sardis caricatures are kind of like how, when you're drawing a friend on their request, you minimize their unattractive features so as to not offend them. I think the artist is scared to bring out the not-so-attractive qualities of famous people. Of course, I have no proof that this is the case.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 11:45am

I think the Sardis caricatures are kind of like how, when you're drawing a friend on their request, you minimize their unattractive features so as to not offend them.

Then they're not caricatures.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 4:20pm

Yeah, I agree. It's pretty much the opposite of a caricature.

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 4:22pm

They aren't caricatures anymore, they're just cartoony portraits.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 4:34pm

Yea, they've all been pretty bad over the last few years, but I guess it is still an honor.

It's not any honor anymore. If Clay Aiken & Bob Saget can get one in their Broadway DEBUT before BDJ & Carolee Carmello do then it's not an honor.

[RogerBartFan78]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 10:14pm

I agree. I am an Aiken fan, but I was EXTREMELY surprised when he was honored with a Sardi's portrait on his Broadway debut, and BDJ had to earn two Tony nominations, a Drama Desk Award, and an OCC Award to get one.

[willrogers2008]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 7:39pm

I do not live in the United States.So,when I've visited SARDI'S at the first time,in the sixties, I was really disapointed because some friend said to me,by mistake of course, that all the caricatures in Sardi's were designed by Al Hirshfeld.What a chance they lost,don't you think ? And of course,nowadays, a new Hirshfeld would appear with a really observation skill to see body and souls with a few traces.Is there a Hirshfeld Museum in Theatre District ? I guess not.


Updated On: 9/14/09 at 07:39 PM

[bundy5000]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 8:20pm

I was very disappointed with Carolee Carmello's portrait.

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 8:34pm

Don't forget Geoffrey Rush, who got his for his debut the same day Carolee got hers.