Try to distill the character of your subject. Understand how he moves, thinks, acts. It's difficult to put into words. Consider each drawing as a problem that did not exist before, and then try to solve that problem to the best of your ability. That i what caricature is all about
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of understanding the essence of a subject in artistic representation.
Al Hirschfeld highlights the challenge and complexity of capturing a subject's character through caricature. By considering each drawing as a unique problem, the artist is encouraged to deeply observe and interpret the nuances of movement, thought, and action, ultimately aiming to convey a distinct and recognizable likeness that transcends mere portraiture.
In practice
This quote can be used in an art class to encourage students to explore their subjects more deeply.
I am a writer. I suppose I think that the highest gift that man has is art, and I am audacious enough to think of myself as an artist - that there is both joy and beauty and illumination and communion between people to be achieved through the dissection of personality.
All the music I loved as a child, people thought it was junk. People were unaware of the subtext in so many of those records but if you were a kid you were just completely tuned in, even though you didn't always say - you wouldn't dare say it was beautiful.
To me, the best zombie movies aren’t the splatter fests of gore and violence with goofy characters and tongue in cheek antics. Good zombie movies show us how messed up we are, they make us question our station in society… and our society’s station in the world. They show us gore and violence and all that cool stuff too… but there’s always an undercurrent of social commentary and thoughtfulness.
I can see myself as a very old man in a terrific wheelchair. Only, I won't be photographing the tree outside my window, the way Steichen did. I'll be photographing other old people.
A short story is a different thing all together - a short story is like a kiss in the dark from a stranger.
In every culture, in every language, there is expressive play, expressive word play; there's language use to different purposes that we would call poetry.
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