Clinton vs Dole caricatures

As predicted before the summer break, for the first issue of 'Klap' of the new school year,
they asked me for caricatures of Bill Clinton and Bob Dole and their race for the presidency then.

As always, the likeness was paramount...that's what I was aiming for first. I didn't know Bob Dole before,
so find some good pictures and then trying to portray him aptly was my primary concern.
Any piece of paper was good enough... :-)

Then I roughly looked for suitable poses for the two 'athletes'.
I was less concerned about the likenesses of Bill Clinton, I already had some experience with him...

For a moment I considered some simple tree leaves to fill the background...

... but in the end I chose the US flag. Here are some notes regarding the distribution of the stars and stripes
and also the colors of the skate suit or Bob Dole.

My drawing was now finished. But it was too big for my A4 paper.
I had to reduce it 92 %, but hardly a copy shop was open during the summer holidays!
I had to drive 2 x 18 km to make copies!!! (I have noted it in red at the top)

As always I made a quick color test with colored pencils on a reduced photocopy 50 percent.

Then I could start with the definitive painting with watercolor on A4 Steinbach 250gr/m².
This was really one of the last times I wanted to use watercolor. I wanted to be able to paint harder colors,
but I had almost no experience with other paints...

... that held me back for the time being, but my decision was made. I often found the printed result too light, not realistic enough ...
Sometimes I had to paint over a color 5 times, it remained too pale! Only,...I never found free time to practice !!!