By Mike Smith

Published Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 | 4:28 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 | 4:33 p.m.

I like faces with prominent, overbearing features. Drawing caricatures is an art form that is dependent on being able to exaggerate facial features. And exaggeration is easier when the subject’s face has noticeable features.

My favorite person in the sport of NASCAR to caricature is Mike Helton. Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon run a close second. When drawing Helton it’s all about the moustache and the eyebrows. I could draw a circle and if I execute the moustache and eyebrows correctly, the caricature will undoubtedly resemble Helton.

Here are a few simple steps to show you how I approach drawing a caricature of NASCAR’s president. I know there are a few readers of this blog who have picked up a pen from time to time, so if you are feeling artistic, take a run at producing your own Helton caricature. Send your drawing to smith@lasvegassun.com and I will publish a few of them in an upcoming blog post. Feel free to add a word balloon if you have something for Helton to say.

Good Luck!

I always start with the nose, since it’s the center of the face. Once the center is established, all the other features can be built around it.

Draw downward from a starting point and make a fishhook type shape to complete the nose.

Next, draw the heavy eyebrows. I draw with a brush, so I can complete the eyebrows with two broad strokes. You might have to include a few more strokes if you are using a pen or pencil. Make the eyebrows point slightly downward from the nose and make the eyebrow to your right a little higher than the one to the left. This adds a little expression to the face.

Now you can include the outline of the face. Start above the eyebrow on your left and draw downward though the eyebrow finishing with a curve to the right at the bottom.

Draw the chin with a half circle motion.

Complete the right side of the face by drawing a half circle for the ear at the level of the eyebrows and draw downward, finishing with the turn to the left and connect with the chin.

Now include the moustache. It must droop downward slightly and dip below the mouth at each end. You can start with an outline of the shape and then fill it in.

Draw the hair with broad strokes, starting with the first line coming from the forehead. Continue drawing lines from the forehead around the head and down to the back of the ear. Helton’s hair is slightly raised in the front and includes a little hair at the bottom of the ear.

Add lines at the bottom of the head for the neck.

Helton usually wears an open-collared shirt as you see here.

Once you have this complete, move on to drawing the outline for the jacket and then fill in the jacket area.

There you have it. I always add color using the computer.

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