Drawing You In
A wedding is a very personal and intimate affair where all your most loved and cherished people come together to celebrate you and your partner’s connection. While the attendance of these people is often captured in the form of photographs and videos, there is another memento that you can take home that you may not have considered: caricature art. Exploring the world of caricature art and how it can liven up your wedding, editor for Western Australia Wedding & Bride, Robin Harper, sits down with Marion Vanhaecke from Marion Le Crayon to discuss her unique and exciting profession.
Ever since she was a little girl, Le Crayon has been drawn to the pencil. Beginning as a childhood love of drawing, the passion she harboured for art blossomed into something more when she found herself at a twilight market in France twelve years prior. Immersed in the vibrance and charm of this place is where she discovered the craft of caricature drawing and the joys it can bring to all who encounter it. With an artist’s drive and a desire to bring happiness to others, Le Crayon enrolled in a four-year Art and Animation program at Ecole Pivaut in France, where she honed her craft and gained the skills to produce the beautiful work she now bestows today. Now living in Western Australia, she lives out her lifelong passion of sketching caricature work for others at weddings and events. “If you’re seeking an artist who brings not only skill, but also a deep love for the art of caricature and a commitment to spreading joy, you’ve found the right person,” Le Crayon says, and adds, “Let’s create lasting memories together, one sketch at a time!”
The Candid Caricature
While perhaps a caricature artist at their wedding may not be for everybody, it can be a fun and interesting way to add a layer of fun to your big day. “Hiring a caricature artist is a delightful treat that will truly captivate your guests. It’s a unique blend of humour and art, resulting in personalised keepsakes cherished for years,” Le Crayon says, and adds, “It makes your wedding truly memorable!”
Originating from culturally rich and scenically beautiful France, she not only brings her skill to the party, but her worldly experience and charming accent as well, infusing her presence with an element of Parisian bohemia. “Guests often inquire about my background, sparking conversations about their own travel adventures; it takes us on a brief European journey, just the time of a caricature drawing,” she says.
You may regard the art of caricature with a wary air. Caricatures, after all, are known for accentuating the parts of ourselves that we may not like very much. However, Le Crayon offers her calming reassurances: “People often get nervous about how they’ll look in the drawing. But when the big reveal happens, they’re in for a pleasant surprise. They see that their caricature isn’t just funny, but also highlights their unique beauty and charm. To me, it’s not about flaws; it’s all about those distinctive features and the essence of each person,” she says, adding, “It’s such a privilege to witness and bring out that uniqueness on paper.”
What To Consider
If you’re leaning towards having a caricature artist at your wedding, but are unsure of how the pricing works, Marion Le Crayon outlines her services very clearly. “My fees are $195 per hour. It becomes $190 per hour for a three-hour booking, $185 for four hours on,” she says. Exclusive packages are also offered to couples where they can take advantage of a complimentary pre-wedding caricature for any booking for three hours or more. To prepare, all she requires are a selection of recent photos of both you and your fiancé two weeks prior to the event. The photos must clearly show your features and she also recommends including images where you have nice expressions (unless you want your caricature to look grumpy, of course).
“The free artwork that is part of the package is an A3 black and white pencil sketch for two people,” she says, with additional fees if you have other requests, such as adding colour, extra people, background, props, etc. Depending on your personal preference, Le Crayon can add your names and date for a unique little touch in the bottom corner of each drawing.
A Versatile Art
Approximately taking five minutes per person, Le Crayon first sketches her drawings lightly in pencil before going back over it in more detail with a black marker. This, she says, adds contrast to her pieces that is visually striking to witness. “For those watching, it’s like witnessing magic unfold as I transform what initially appears as a loose sketch – seemingly there as almost nothing on paper – into a finished piece in just minutes,” she explains, and adds, “The reactions from people are the best part … Some burst into laughter, others excitedly exclaim, ‘That’s me!’”
When it comes to live drawings, Le Crayon’s primary choice is typically A3 paper – equivalent to what she describes as two A4 sheets put side by side. However, there is room for flexibility in terms of size and scale. “In the past, I have live-drawn on a range of paper sizes, from A4 and A5 to even A6,” she says, recounting, “I recently had the unique opportunity to create caricatures on wine bottle labels for a wine company during an expo. I would sketch directly onto the labels and then stick them onto the bottles.”
The fantastic thing about Le Crayon’s gift is its versatility and adaptability. Everything can be tailored for your special day, and she is more than happy to accommodate where possible. “It’s all about communicating your wishes and dreams; I am pretty flexible and love that art makes everything possible,” she says. So if you’re in for fun and unique entertainment at your wedding, why not get in touch with Marion Le Crayon? It might just be the best decision you ever make!
Images courtesy of Marion Le Crayon
