Qitt the Sand Cat found some new friends at the Parkhouse English School

.

The kids were super cool, asking clever questions and totally engaged. They were lots of fun and made me laugh.

Afterwards they coloured in drawings of the animals

from my book.

Never were desert animals so colourful!

www.joannebrookerbooks.com

My FANTASTIC new web page to showcase all my picture books!


www.joannebrookerbooks.com

Bahrain Caricature Family Fun event

Just had a week drawing SIX HUNDRED plus, caricatures of kids in Bahrain,. For the first time I worked from a screen where the kids photos were sent to me. It was so each caricature would appear like magic as they didn't see me drawing. I had the pleasure of working from a coffee shop!
It was challenging with long hours and a drawing every few minutes..but that's what I like!

Brooker Caricature and Cartooning!

My Caricature Entertainment is kicking off ! !

This form of Art Entertainment has taken me all over the world and brought me all sorts of amazing and sometimes strange, experiences ..and  yes....money. :)

Its funny how drawing funny pictures, makes people smile and I get paid to have a good time.


Here is my new web page

www.brookercaricature.com

Caricature Entertainment in Doha!

I am drawing everyone in Doha at so many amazing events. The last few months have seen my work as a Caricature Entertainer become quite the fashion! Here is just a few happy customers!

Qatar Tribune Feature Story

Brooker Caricature

I'm going back to my first love...caricature.

Its fun creating caricatures for people either "live" as entertainment or as a commission. Every one has its owns challenges and when it works and makes people smile...job done.

New web site

www.brookercaricature.com

SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA!

 

Yes, I am off to draw caricatures in SAUDI ARABIA!

I have been booked to draw at an event in Saudi in September.

 

 

 

I have drawn in many countries and within many cultures around the world and this will be a great one to add to my list.

 

I love how ART can take you into so many fascinating adventures.

 

I don't know if I can get you pics but I will certainly tell you all about it!

Mermaids of the Gulf Oil Painting workshops.

Arousset El Bahr Workshops

The Hamad Bin Khalifa University gallery will host the

Arousset El Bahr workshops

APRIL 7, 9,14
6pm to 8pm

2014.

 

This is an opportunity for students to experience the pleasure of oil painting and to explore the legend of the Arabic Mermaid.

www.elbahrstudio.com

Introducing my NEW Doha based Art Studio El Bahr Studio.

elbahrstudio.com

El Bahr is Arabic for The Ocean.


The theme of the ocean is echoed in my upcoming workshops and display Arousset El Bahr (The Mermaid) to be held :

 March 17,  2014
at the Hamid Bin Khalifa University Gallery
Education City Doha.



Details will be released as they are confirmed.

Studio in Doha

My studio is up and running here in Doha! Eight canvases gessoed  and ready to go. Forth picture book coming together..Qit The Sand Cat. Lots of interesting projects lined up. This year should be very interesting.

Dubai One Interview

http://youtu.be/gyG21bCKwow

My world: Caricaturist Joanne Brooker

 

Joanne Brooker is a caricaturist, illustrator and painter. She lived in Dubai until recently, but is currently based in Doha Qatar.

• By Anupama V Chand for Friday magazine
• 

• Image Credit: Supplied picture
• During her stint in Dubai, Joanne Brooker taught caricature at several schools.

Me and caricature
I still remember the instance when at the age of five, I was trying to draw a rose. My final drawing comprised several round scribbles with a stick stem. But when another child commented that the scribbles looked like petals I was amazed. From that moment on all I wanted to do was to figure out how to make lines into objects. I used to draw all the time at school, even when I should have been working. The most obvious thing to draw was the teacher! That was how I learnt caricature and its various nuances. I was constantly surprised by the praise I received for my drawings. Doing caricatures professionally wasn't a difficult move for me - from drawing teachers I simply went on to draw politicians at the News Limited newspapers. I worked for ten years under the name Applegate! 

Awards are just a small part of artistic fulfilment
Winning awards has been a humbling experience. I was named the Best Artist at the Queensland Media Awards on four occasions; Best Artist, Best Caricaturist and Best Realistic Illustration at the Stanley Awards for Media and NSW Journalist Best Artwork as well as dozens of other media art awards.

After leaving the newspaper world in 2001, I was encouraged to take my interests overseas. From 2002 I worked in China as a caricature entertainer. I believe you have to be passionate about everything you do to do it well. I have also enjoyed exhibiting around the world, travelling to South America, India, Spain, China and Turkey.

Caricature is about facial recognition and a caricaturist understands that. We all have the ability to recognise faces but are not aware of the thought process that is instinctive to us all from birth. I look for the features on a face that I recognise in that person and then I exaggerate them. A caricature looks more like the person than a regular drawing as it mimics the way the brain sees faces. I then add my feelings and what I want to say about that person. If I feel strongly about the subject then the caricature is strong. That is what makes caricature powerful as it can be more honest than some subjects are comfortable with. Most caricatures take minutes to draw but there is a lot of thinking going on before I put pen to paper. Once the face is in my head, it is easily transferred to paper. There is nothing as enjoyable as to give a colleague, family member, friend or client a caricature of themselves! 

 

My Dubai sojourn

I used to lived in JBR at a time when it wasn't very populated and we often had the beach to ourselves. The apartment also offered great sea views.

 

My Dubai stint included teaching caricature at several schools, which was great fun. I found that the kids in the UAE are very open and confident. I also did caricatures at the Atlantis, which was a successful venture and I wish it could have continued.

My main project at that time was drawing caricatures of people across Dubai. I wanted to find a way to meet and connect with people of all nationalities and cultures. I and a fellow artist went around Dubai covering the fish market, souqs, clubs, barber shops, restaurants, building sites, camel farms and the Dubai Financial Centre. We drew caricatures and gave them away in return for a photo. 

Laughter is the best medicine

I don't think people have forgotten to laugh - in fact, we look for opportunities to laugh as much as possible. The stresses of life make it vital that we take time out to lighten up. As a caricaturist I love to make people laugh. 

 

Quick questions

One secret to living life to the fullest... Don't take yourself too seriously, no one else does! 

Who is your all-time favourite caricature artist? Sebastian Kruger who made caricature to be recognised as a fine art. 

Things that you love and hate about Dubai?I love the drama and its crazy originality. Hate is too harsh a word but I was disappointed that the financial crisis caused the worst to come out in some people. I hope that one day Dubai will welcome back people who wanted to be a part of the city in spirit or even if just for the money. 

Can computer animation replace the art of caricature?No way. Nothing replaces the hand of an artist.

Interviewer Anupama V Chand is a Dubai-based freelancer

DUBAI CARICATURE ENTERTAINER

Here I am..in DOHA!!

Doha QATAR!

Suddenly I am now living in Doha in Qatar a small country sticking out into the Persian Gulf. Why suddenly? The slow creep of the GST has finally snuck up on Australia and jobs, at least in Queensland, are disappearing all over. The best bet was to relocate back to the Middle East so here we are..tax free again!
I will be setting up my studio at my villa next month. I am already working on a book idea based on the Sand Cat, a local wild cat that is also ridiculously cute.
Expect some interesting pics and tales from my new Arabian Nights Adventures!

Book Books Books

So far I have written, storyboarded and created sample finished artwork for three books.
Two other stories written and characters created.


Other books are "Little Monkey" and "The Voice Box".
In then line are "GothGirl and Teddy Emo", "What if" and "Aunties".

Onwards 2013

2012 has been a year of stops and starts. I know I am not alone in wondering why so many clients are tightening their belts, downsizing and making it harder for us creative types! Art has become a cheap commodity since the internet made so much available and globally prices can be pushed down.
So , like many, I shall be casting further afield into new areas...lets get the teaching up and going again, get all those books out of my head and into the world, finish those oil paintings, clear out all the old rubbish that was clogging up my creativity and distracting me from improving.

A NEW YEAR and NEW START!
:)