Courtroom Artists

Lately, I've been obsessed with courtroom art and the idea of working as a court artist.  I pride myself on being able to quickly and effectively sketch people.  In fact, I spent about two years carrying a sketchbook with me everywhere and spontaneously drawing marker portraits in about a 15 minute range of time.  It greatly improved my drawing skills.

It may sound a little boring at first, but through a little research, I've found that courtroom artists can add as much personality and stylistic flair as any other portraitist.  Here's come of my favorites:

First, here's Mona Shafer Edwards, courtroom artist to the stars.  The above depicts one of Courtney Love's trips to court.  Formerly a fashion artist (it shows, no?), Edwards was the artist for the OJ trials, as well as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.  I really love the erratic black line work coupled with the light color.  She does a great job of exaggerating recognizable features.  

British artist K. Rubins was perhaps not as objective as possible when depicted a trial concerning police brutality visited upon protesters.  But I adore the whimsical, cartoony look.  It almost reminds me of Quentin Blake.

Here's another cartoony one of the unabomber by Vicki Behringer.  Reminds me of a political cartoon or caricature.  

Finally my favorite, Gary Myrick.  The saturated color!  The expression!  The flesh!  There is a lot of humor in his work, even though the situations are serious.  He works in Texas,and honestly, from the looks of his subjects, you can tell.  Everything is bigger in Texas (hair, boobs, whatever).  He's awesome.

You can find more of these artists' work by googling them.  I highly encourage it, especially for those interested in becoming figurative artists.  Our professors are always telling us to go out and draw from life.  Here's a group of artists who literally do that every day, completing many drawings a day.  After years of doing this, their skill is unparalleled.  So remember kiddies, just because someone gets a regular paycheck and isn't up in a museum, does not mean they are people to look down your nose at.  These people rock!