Tips for Hiring a Great Caricaturist

Discover our tips for hiring a great caricaturist for your next event.

Caricaturists draw hilariously exaggerated portraits of guests at events, and the results are always a hit. Not only is it great entertainment on the day, but guests get to leave with an unforgettable souvenir too.

>> Hire a Caricaturist

If you’ve never booked a caricaturist before, it can be tricky to know where to start or how they’ll fit in with the rest of your event. That’s what this guide is for. Here at PartyWizz, we’ve pulled together everything you need to know to make a great choice.

1. Caricature formats

When it comes to hiring a caricaturist, one of the first things to decide is which format suits your event. There are endless variations, but they broadly fall into three categories:

Traditional Paper Caricatures

The caricaturist sets up in a specific area of your venue and draws guests on request. Each drawing takes around 5 minutes, and guests get to walk away with their souvenir on the spot. This format works brilliantly for receptions.

Pro-tip: keep your event size in mind. Caricaturists typically complete 10 to 20 drawings per hour, so while everyone will enjoy watching, not every guest will get to take one home.

Digital Caricatures

Similar to traditional, but drawn on a tablet and emailed instantly to the guest. A custom logo or icon can be added to every drawing, which makes this a popular choice for corporate events.

Projected Caricatures

With this format, the drawing appears on a screen in real time for the whole room to enjoy. It works especially well for larger crowds. Think a portrait of the happy couple during the wedding reception, or a fun sketch of a guest of honour at a birthday party!

2. Event type

Before making a booking, it’s worth thinking about whether a caricaturist is the right fit for your event. What mood will your guests be in? What kind of atmosphere are you going for?

To give you an idea, here are some of the events where hiring a caricaturist works really well:

Weddings

Caricaturists are a brilliant addition to a wedding reception. It’s a guaranteed icebreaker and gives guests a personal keepsake to take home.

Private parties

Retirement parties, anniversaries, birthday parties, hen dos etc – when it comes to private parties, the list of occasions is endless!

Corporate events

Corporate events are broad, and caricaturists fit into most of them. They work well at trade shows, Christmas parties, conferences, team building days, incentive events and more.

Online & digital events

Caricaturists can also work brilliantly for virtual events, with drawings shared on screen in real time for everyone to enjoy.

Kids’ parties

Caricaturists are a fantastic addition to a kids’ party. Children love watching each other get drawn, and the results are always good fun. It also makes a brilliant alternative to the usual party bag, giving every child something personal to take home. Just worth bearing in mind that some younger children can be a little self-conscious, so it’s always nice to let kids choose whether they want to take part rather than putting them on the spot.

3. Consider the practicalities

Space

Compared to other entertainers, caricaturists don’t require a lot of space. Often, just a table with their drawing equipment is sufficient. This makes it a very flexible form of entertainment that’s easy to fit into most venues.

Set-up time

For one-to-one drawings, set-up is minimal. If you’re going for projected caricatures, allow around 15 minutes and make sure it fits into the flow of your event, especially if you have other entertainers.

Audio-visual equipment

This mainly applies to projected caricatures. Most caricaturists will bring their own equipment, but it’s always worth checking with your venue in advance. A room that’s already set up for AV will make everything run much more smoothly on the day.

4. Look for Pictures and Videos

Before booking a caricaturist, it’s nice to see them in action! However, this is often not possible. If you can catch them at an event, great, if not, photos and videos are your next best option, and here at PartyWizz, you can find both on every entertainer’s profile so you can get a real feel for their style before you book.

5. Look for Testimonials and Reviews

A personal recommendation is always the best, but it’s not always easy to come by. The next best thing is testimonials and reviews. Here at PartyWizz, every entertainer’s profile includes reviews from real bookers, so you can see exactly what previous clients thought before you commit.

It’s also worth asking around in your personal network. And if you do find reviews elsewhere online, such as on Facebook or Google, just bear in mind they can’t always be verified in the same way.

6. Check for a Quality Vetting System

If possible, check for a quality vetting system. It’s not a requirement, but it provides extra peace of mind.

Here at PartyWizz, we have a strict vetting system to ensure we only partner with top-quality performers.

7. How long have they been performing professionally?

Make sure the caricaturist you’re booking is experienced. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire a younger entertainer, but it’s good to know they have a few shows under their belt. At PartyWizz, we handpick our entertainers so we know they can consistently deliver what they promise.

8. Are they Available?

Now that you know what you’re looking for, start checking availability – there’s nothing worse than setting your heart on a particular entertainer and then finding out they’re not actually available for your chosen date! Book as far in advance as you can to avoid disappointment.

At PartyWizz, this is done automatically for you. Select a date and location, and the system will display the caricaturists who are available.

9. Get A Contract Or Agreement

Professional entertainers should provide you with a written contract or agreement outlining everything you’ve agreed on. It doesn’t have to be lengthy or overly formal, but make sure everything is written down.

At PartyWizz, we provide a general agreement between the booker and the performer, and both parties agree to the terms and conditions when confirming the booking.

10. Get In Contact Before The Show

We always recommend getting in touch with the entertainer a few days before the event, just to confirm you’re both still on the same page with all the details. They may well beat you to it!

11. Have a backup plan

Unfortunately, unforeseeable circumstances do happen. Although you most likely won’t need a backup plan, it’s always worth having one, particularly if the entertainer is central to the event.

When making the reservation, it’s worth checking what happens if they can’t make it. Do they offer a full refund? Make sure this is stated in the contract.

12. Creative ways to use a caricaturist (you might not have thought of!)

A caricature guestbook

Instead of a traditional guestbook, guests get drawn by the caricaturist and their portrait is added to a book for the couple or host to keep. It makes for a really special memento that’s far more personal than a page of signatures.

A team caricature for corporate events

Rather than individual drawings on the day, commission a group illustration of the whole team. It makes a brilliant leaving gift, an end-of-year present, or just a fun addition to the office wall.

A party bag alternative

Skip the usual party favours and let guests take home their own caricature instead. It works brilliantly for kids’ parties and adult celebrations alike, and it’s something people actually keep.