|
| |
|
Though I like to rib Terry about his Pommy origins (and also that he likes Holdens), he really is an Aussie through and through ... and a really nice bloke on top of it. His enthusiasm and assistance with the Cartoon Art project has been greatly appreciated!
Artist: Terence Dunnett (Terry or Tel)
Business or Trading Name: Caricatures by Tel (Registered)
Email:
Business PH : 08 9298 8908
Address: 30 Lindsay Place, Glen Forrest, WA 6071
Region: Perth Hills, Western Australia
Age: Born early 50's - true blue Baby Boomer !
Origins: Ipswich England, came to Australia Feb '74 on a 'working holiday', now an Australian citizen.
Childhood Hopes and Dreams: Wanted to be a farmer (?)
|
|
Current Professional Engagements and/or Directions
To become a full time caricaturist, and luckily that has been achieved within 12 months - very pleased with the client response and in particular those that come back for another one. That tells me I'm on the right track. I attended the National Caricature Network convention in Tokyo in February 2007 (they even did an
) and am going to the main NCN convention in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA in November 2008.
Future Aspirations:
To maintain my business and continue to improve my caricatures - to really develop a distinct style of my own. I want my caricatures to be recognisable as mine.
An Interview with Terry Dunnett
How many years have you spent perfecting your art?
(and/or do you think you've perfected it yet?)
Perfecting ! No I don't think I'm there yet - don't know if I ever will be - I am very self critical of my work. If I look at one I'm really pleased with, the longer I look the more faults I see. That's me - clients have no idea how much 'fiddling' I do to achieve a good result. I'll always be trying new things, you've got to keep trying things. It keeps the spark going - I ran stale with the Police Artist career and retired early as that spark had gone, it became a job. It was a government job and the room to innovate, particular in the IT world, became restricted.
How do you see the significance of the artist in today's world?
(eg: purely for amusement, for social comment, etc.)
There's still room but you have to have an 'edge' to be significant. The world is getting smaller and people KNOW what quality is and expect it.
There will always be a place for art and the more sophisticated we become the more demand there is for original artworks. Caricature is certainly significant in this way and is being really 'discovered' in Australia as more than a quick cartoon.
What made you decide to turn your art into a profession?
It's something I love doing, I'd be drawing caricatures even if I wasn't paid to do it, being paid is just a wonderful option. I should probably have had the nerve to do it before financial security.
In what ways have you found becoming an established artist to be a challenge?
Finding a niche in the market and then pursuing a worthwhile price for the product. Not falling into the trap of many artists and undercharging.
People appreciate your abilities but have a perception as it looks 'fun to do' you should work cheap. Believe me there's a lot of angst that goes into creating an amusing caricature that isn't evident in the final product.
Is there any advice you would offer to aspiring cartoon and caricature artists?
(for example relating to education, studies, gaining experience, getting work, etc.)
I look at stuff I was doing 5, 10, 15 years ago and would throw it in the bin now. Never stop improving yourself, looking at your own work with a critical eye.
Seek advice and critique from those that you aspire to emulate. My wife, who can't draw at all, critiques all my work - and I listen she knows what I'm after.
Are there any personal traits or abilities that you feel help you in creating your art?
(eg: observational skills, sense of humour, work ethic)
Never give up on a commission, put it down, walk away and come back to it - in an hour, a few days - it's amazing how many times that works. I always have 5 - 6 commissions I'm working on and I hop from one to another. Amazingly I rarely sit down and do one job in one hit. That works for me.
How do you get most of your work?
(eg: advertising, referrals (word of mouth), internet, self-promotion)
Initially the internet was my prime source of clients. Now word of mouth referrals and returning clients are a significant proportion. I usually have enough work ( cross fingers) to be able to turn down jobs - I must train everyone to order them 2 months before they want it.
In what ways do you think the "Digital Age" has made life easier and/or harder for artists?
As an artist who has totally embraced digital creation - though they all start as a pencil sketch - it has vastly increased versatility over traditional methods, particularly in producing a stunning quality that is very difficult to emulate, at a reasonable price, by traditional methods.
I notice that some caricaturists now advertise their works as 'traditionally hand painted' inferring a 'superior' product - that perplexes me. I'd love to see some of the great masters with a Wacom - they'd have loved it. Having said that the next caricature competition I enter will be marked 'mixed media' not 'Digital' - it makes for a level playing field !!
Do you think that artists are all essentially "crazy"? (... and why or why not?)
It certainly helps ..... 'the worst day I have - I do silly drawings !!'
What things in life matter most to you?
(eg: work, family, hobbies, personal mission ... like saving the planet)
All of the above - my art is important and of course so is my family, I love gardening (true) half an acre of palms and ferns in hot, thirsty Perth is a challenge.
Time for a game of golf is critical. Travel is wonderful, there's so much to see. Saving the planet ( too late I think !) I just wish they'd call 'global warming' what it is 'gross overpopulation' - there's to bloody many of us gobbling up the worlds resources and bonking our way to oblivion. Baby bonus that was a joke wasn't it ?
Do you think the world "as we know it" will survive into the future, and why or why not?
See above - greedy self interest, party politics, the free enterprise system (constantly expanding markets), religions (all of them) will see Armageddon's arrival with no supernatural outside influences ... and the Greenies don't have an answer believe me. We're doomed Captain Mainwaring - doomed I tell you !!
Where would you like to be ... in say, five or ten years from now?
(places, accomplishments, anything)
Still living in the Perth Hills and drawing caricatures ... after seeing a lot more of the world ( before the aircraft fuel runs out - I'm selfish too ! )
back to top
|
All web site assets are
All artist provided images remain the copyrighted property of the interviewed artist
|
|
