Caricature live sketching for XL Insurance Cocktail Party

A 3-hours (6:30pm- 9:30pm) event at River Room, Asian Civilisations Museum.
Upon arriving this place, it reminded me of the 3D project which I have done about 2 years ago.

The client requested for 3 caricaturists for this event.
I got Reggie and Kamal to partner me in this job.

The client's initial plan was to have each of us to spend one hour on capturing the atmosphere/scenario of this party, in the form of caricature on one big piece of paper.
They will auction off this drawing subsequently.

The next 2 hours will be sketching individual guests, who will sit in front of the artists, which we usually do for events.

First thing which strucked me was - we will have 3 different styles of drawing on the paper.
How to blend them nicely will be a problem. Kamal told me that he once did that for his client. That time was rather disastrous, as client's expectation and what the artist can do for live sketching cannot meet easily, since the guests would not stand still in front of you.

I can understand that. I can foresee the problems and difficulties too.
However, the client insisted to have that, as her boss like the idea.
No choice, and since Kamal has voiced out, I will take up the job alone, while the 2 of them handle the individual guests.
Thus, I told them that - be prepared that the resemblance wouldn't be there, as the guests will not keep still. They agreed, but I can still tell that they have rather high expectation for this big drawing. Sweat......
This will be a challenge to me. But I was rather excited, as it was something different from what I usually do. I don't like to repeat similar jobs, as it will become too mundane over time.

This was the paper provided for me, ablut A1 size.
I did some rough sketches (on site) on how to approach this drawing before the event started.

The guests started to flow in around 6:30pm.
And now I found another obstacle.
Besides of moving around, the subjects were blocked by other moving guests.
Headache.....

I did 1-2 persons at a time, from pencil sketch to inking.
Thank goodness that I brought my brush (newly bought) for this event, and nt the fountain pen alone.
Right after the first guest( the boss) was drawn, I knew that I can't use the fountain pen for this job.
It was too slow, as the lines were a lot finer.
To complete this job within 3 hours, I have to use a bolder strokes, with the help of my brush.

After years of experience drawing group caricatures, besides the problems mentioned above, to fill up the space (aesthetically) on the drawing was not a tough job for me

I just need to make sure that nothing will go wrong to this drawing, and going at the speed which I was drawing, I should be able to complete it within 3 hours.
As the guests started to crowd around, my only worry was that they (and handbags) will knock my table and ink bottle accidentally.
Thus, besides full concentration on the drawing, I have to watch out for them.

Some photos of me working, snapped by Reggie's friend Henry.

They were emailed to me by Reggie after the event.
Thank you, Henry and Reggie.:))

Occasionally, while I was sketching halfway, the guests came around.
To my surprise, they can see the resemblance in the drawing, and most of the time, they can tell who they were. Wah!!! Seriously, I was thinking that I was drawing cartoons, and not caricatures for this event before this.:)))

Job completed in 2hours and 40 mins. Phew!
Reggie gave me a thumbs up, and said good job.
Thank you.

Some of the guests found out that they were not in the drawing.
They requested for me to put them in.
They stood still in front of me! Haha.......

The 2 bosses of XL Insurance.
The big boss on the right, told me that he wanted another group caricatures of him and his staffs yto be drawn by me after this event, as he likes this drawing. Thank you.

Reggie and Kanal at work.


Kamal told me that we have yet to have a group photo.
Let's make it the first time then.:)))