"Top Notch Drawings" was formed in 1999 by John & Malia Gattas. We travel to different events throughout the country yet mainly draw at events within the south Texas area. We are illustrators and commercial artists who just can't let go of the allure of the quick-sketch caricature and portrait!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How Did You Learn To Draw & How Long Have You Been Drawing?

JOHN: I've always had a knack for drawing -- especially comic books and comic book heroes. I began drawing caricatures in 1995 at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN. I spent the next few years training and drawing with many caricature artists in a theme park environment.

MALIA: My earliest memories involve drawing people. Over the years the ability to "get a likeness" just seemed like second nature. I think this happens when you have people who will model/sit for you. Both of us have studied art in colleges and taken drawing classes. I have found that studying and copying works from The Masters has taught me the most.

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What Mediums Do You Work In?

JOHN: We use prismacolor markers & woodless prismacolor art stix for caricatures.

MALIA: For the black & white portraits I use a combination of hard & soft charcoals (vine) and conté pencils and sticks. I also offer a "sepia portrait" which is done with conté pencils & sticks and has red tones.

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What Other Art Forms Do You Create?

MALIA: I paint in oils. My subjects are landscapes & figures. I'm currently working on a gallery to sell these pieces online. I work in an impressionistic manner.

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Do You Travel To Festivals All Year Long?

BOTH: No, the spring & fall are our busiest seasons. There are a variety of festivals, arts & crafts events and fairs that we travel to in the south TX area. During the summer months, we draw at festivals in New Mexico & Colorado. We are always open to new travels. If you want to invite us to your local fair, please do!

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Are You Available To Work At Private Parties?

JOHN: Yes, we draw caricatures at private parties. Fees are $125/hr with a minimum of 2 hrs. (per artist). Travel fees apply. We receive many inquiries for this and time spots fill up quickly.

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Do You Have A Studio Or Storefront Where People Can Come To Be Drawn?

Sorry, no. We encourage you to visit our schedule page to see where we will set up our booth. Otherwise, you can send in photos for us to draw from. They make great gifts and they often come out better with all the extra time we spend working on them.

Submit your own question...

Simply fill out the form on the contact page with your question