Group Portraits | Drawing Triplets at the WSJ
Group portraits present their own unique set of challenges and rewards and these drawings, in the stipple style I pioneered for the Wall Street Journal, represent some fine examples.I had fun at The Wall Street Journal when asked to illustrate the most colorful personalities. These images are a collection of trio portraits I have created:
Speaking of colorful, these ‘gents’ need no introduction. Shortly after this drawing was published in the Journal, my attention was drawn, by one of our cameramen, to an advertisement from a tee-shirt pedlar. The pitch was my illustration printed on a nice, cotton Tee! Someone had lifted the WSJ illustration and enlarged it greatly for screen-printing on a shirt. The Journal issued a cease and desist request. I actually have one of those shirts hanging around somewhere! 
The Thompson Twins. Catchy name for a trio. These were one of the top pop bands of the eighties. In both these stipple group portraits, I was experimenting with a horizontal line pattern to mix things up a bit. Since the advent of the internet, I’ve had to drop this technique, as the monitors don’t display horizontal line-work very accurately.
On a more historical note, the paper was commemorating the ending of World War Two. They wanted a group portrait image of the “Big Three” during treaty negotiations at Yalta, in the Crimea. I gave FDR’s cigarette a bit more character by accentuating the smoke (not really visible in the original photo). I also strove to inject each figure with his own, distinct personality. Stalin was a tad smug. Roosevelt gaunt and tired. Churchill basking in his glory.
This rather strange image was drawn for The New Yorker during my two-year stint as a freelance illustrator for the magazine. It was derived, I recall, from the cover art of an LP by the band, “Animal Logic”. Portrayed are Deborah Holland, Stanley Clarke, and Stewart Copeland.I hope you enjoyed my triple stipple drawings. Next week, another installment— Stay Tuned!