Young Arthur sat in the back of the town library, clutching a tattered, printed stack of pages he’d found online titled How to Draw Caricatures
by Lenn Redman. To Arthur, it wasn't just a PDF; it was a treasure map to the human face.
He studied Redman’s "The Law of Constant Mass." It taught him that if he stretched a chin like a sourdough loaf, he had to squash the forehead to keep the balance. He began to see the world in "action lines" and "primary shapes."
His first victim was Mr. Henderson, the grocer with a nose like a ripe bell pepper. Following Redman’s advice to find the "rhythm" of a face, Arthur drew a nose that took up sixty percent of the page. Underneath, he tucked a tiny, surprised mouth. When Mr. Henderson saw it, he didn’t get angry. He let out a belly laugh that shook the canned peas on the shelf. "I didn't know I was that much nose!" he wheezed.
By the end of the summer, Arthur’s digital copy of the book was digitally "dog-eared." He had learned that a caricature wasn't a mean-spirited insult, but a way of finding the most interesting part of a person and turning the volume up. Armed with Redman’s classic techniques, Arthur didn't just see faces anymore; he saw stories waiting to be exaggerated. breakdown of the specific techniques Lenn Redman covers in his book, or perhaps a practice exercise to start your first sketch?
Redman teaches you to first understand the "average" or "classic" proportions of a human face. By establishing this "In-betweener" as a baseline, you can more easily identify what makes a specific subject unique—whether their eyes are wider apart, their chin is more prominent, or their forehead is shorter than average. The 5 Basic Shapes:
The method simplifies every face into five primary components: Circle/Sphere for the head. for the face structure. Two Ovals/Circles for the eyes. for the mouth. Exaggeration vs. Distortion: Redman emphasizes that a good caricature exaggerates the relationships how to draw caricatures lenn redman pdf
between features (size, distance, and angle) to capture a likeness, rather than just distorting features randomly.
He suggests a set of guidelines to determine which parts to minimize or maximize, a technique that can technically be applied to any subject, including bodies. Where to Access the Content
If you are looking for a digital version or a physical copy of the book: How to draw caricatures : Redman, Lenn - Internet Archive
Lenn Redman's How to Draw Caricatures is widely considered a foundational text for aspiring caricature artists, established by an artist who drew over 200,000 live subjects. The book's primary breakthrough is shifting the artist's focus from mere anatomical accuracy to the relationships between features, using a standardized "average" face as a baseline for exaggeration. Key Concepts & Techniques
Redman's method relies on logical observation rather than random distortion. How to Draw Caricatures: The 5 Shapes - Tom Richmond
Before you search for the how to draw caricatures lenn redman pdf, you need to understand the "why." Lenn Redman wasn't just a caricature artist; he was a philosopher of drawing. He worked at major theme parks (Disneyland and Magic Mountain) and drew thousands of faces. Young Arthur sat in the back of the
Most art books focus on anatomy—skulls, muscles, and proportions. Redman focused on personality.
His core philosophy was simple: "A caricature is not a distorted portrait; it is a truth amplified." Redman taught that every face has a "theme." The nose isn't just a nose; it is a "structure of character." The eyes aren't just windows to the soul; they are the exclamation points of emotion.
If you find a PDF of this book, you aren't just getting line art tutorials; you are getting a masterclass in human observation.
The "How to Draw Caricatures" by Lenn Redman (PDF) is a digital scan of the out-of-print textbook. Because the physical copy has become a collector’s item (often selling for $50–$150 on eBay), the PDF version has become the lifeline for students on a budget.
Key Features of the Redman Method:
Redman starts with psychology. He explains why we laugh at caricatures (the "recognition vs. distortion" dopamine hit). He teaches you to stop drawing "eyes, nose, mouth" and start drawing "the relationship between them." The Holy Grail: What is the "How to Draw Caricatures" PDF
The biggest mistake beginners make is thinking caricature is about drawing big noses and tiny eyes randomly. Redman’s book disabuses the reader of this notion immediately.
The central thesis of How to Draw Caricatures is that you must understand reality before you can distort it. The book spends a significant amount of time teaching you how to see. It breaks down the human face into measurable relationships.
Redman introduces a systematic approach to measuring:
Redman had a famous party trick: closing his eyes while drawing the first stroke.
After you draw a caricature, hold it up to a mirror. Suddenly, your "sure thing" drawing will reveal its mistakes. Redman used this trick constantly to reset his eyes.
Redman coined the term "Sell Point." In every face, there is one feature that leads the dance.
