Just about a year ago, I got together with several of my Archie Comics cohorts for an ad hoc summit meeting (really just a lunch) at the High Street Cafe in Hamilton, Ohio. It was a great place to eat, surrounded as we were by kitsch and pop culture memorabilia.
Here are the Kennedy brothers, Pat and Tim; Jeff Schultz (all top-tier Archie Comics cartoonists), and yours truly Craig Boldman.
Sadly, the pandemic took its toll on the Cafe during the past year, and they no longer offer sit-down dining, but have placed their emphasis on take-out, and catering service. They’re also leaning into memorabilia sales.
Not to brag, but the badge below signifies that Craig Boldman is a TOP PERFORMER for event caricatures for the third consecutive month! Click it to be transported to my GigSalad page.
What is GigSalad? It’s a resource for event planners and for individuals who are interested in hiring talent for their parties, wedding receptions, corporate events, etc. I don’t mention my live caricature work often enough, but I can be available for such appearances.
I customarily draw my popular super- caricatures at comic conventions, but I also do these fun side hustles, and enjoy interacting with people outside my customary circles.
Another great booking agency for me is The-Nose, which is where I originally took the plunge into live event caricatures. Tell Tad I said hi!
So, keep me in mind for your upcoming event. Caricatures are always very popular keepsakes and make occasions even more memorable.
Alternatively, I do commissions from my home studio, and you can find more information about that on my COMMISSIONS page.
Below are a few photos of my work at a recent event.
As many of you know, I’m a longtime creator for Archie Comics. I’ve worked on most of their titles, but am best known for my efforts on the Jughead comic book, and the Archie syndicated newspaper strip.
Since this year is also Archie’s 80th anniversary, I decided to pay homage to the cover of Archie Comics #1, cover dated Winter 1942. The original cover was drawn by the great Bob Montana. This update is a rare acrylic painting by me!
My auction art and the classic Archie cover that inspired it.
The online auction, which runs from October 27 through November 3, 2021, features original artwork from about 150 cartoonists, including such greats as: Cathy Guisewhite (“Cathy”), Dik Browne (“Hi and Lois”), Greg Evans (“Luann”), Jeff Keane (“The Family Circus”), Jerry Ordway (“Captain America”), Sergio Aragones (“Mad”), Jim Borgman (“Zits”), Joe Staton (“Dick Tracy”), Ron Ferdinand (“Dennis the Menace”), Marcus Hamilton (“Dennis the Menace”) — There really are too many to list. I may just come back and trade out a few names every day or two.
This is your great opportunity to own a fun piece of art and to help a good cause. Christmas is coming, by the way, and this might be a perfect solution for that comics geek on your friend list.
Share this info around, please! Thanks and good luck!
Here’s a little demonstration video, in preparation for doing digital caricatures at events in the coming year (up to now I’ve strictly done pen/paper caricatures). This was drawn on my iPad Pro.
My caricatures tend to be fairly mild, not too exaggerated. I intend to push that area of my drawing this year and hope to find a more extreme caricature style that I’m satisfied with.
There has been SO MUCH happening during the second half of 2019 that I’ve kept my focus on the drawing board, rather than here. But, it’s time to get back on-line, and over the coming weeks I’ll write about some of the projects and events that have kept me away from the blog.
Today, let me just mention that CuppaComics is the imprint I’ll be using for a variety of projects that I’ll be managing from the home office. Before long I’ll spin Cuppa off onto its own website, but for now this will work fine. With all that’s going on I don’t want to overwhelm myself, so, baby steps.
Meet me at Cartoon Crossroads Columbus, the free, citywide arts festival hosted by people and places with a passion for cartoon arts. CXC 2018 is in Columbus, Ohio, and the dates are September 27-30.
I’ll be signing and selling books and art at the National Cartoonists Society table (table #55) at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, 96 S Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio. I’m there on Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, and Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 pm.
