Bizarreness at Krüger Workshop?

October 8th, 2010 | Posted in General

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Caricature and portrait painting master Sebastian Krüger is one of the most highly respected artists working in the field today. I’ve had the privilege of meeting him a few times at a couple of conventions for the International Society of Caricature Artists (formerly the National Caricaturist Network), and commissioned him to do the caricature of me above. Krüger rarely does caricatures anymore… these days he does mostly fine art paintings of pop culture celebrities for galleries. That’s a real shame as his caricature illustrations were mind-numbingly outstanding, but I don’t think he ever really felt like he was a caricaturist. He is obviously doing what he loves. One of the things he does these days is conduct small workshops on painting near his home in Germany. I’ve had several good friends and fellow caricaturists travel oversees to attend these workshops, and they all rave about it… gotta go to that one of these days.

Sometimes caricaturists are odd ducks, but even I was taken aback when I received an e-mail from a concerned Krüger supporter accusing one recent Krüger workshop attendee of making false claims about his participation in the class.

According to the complaint, Argentinian caricaturist Luis Ordoñez was simply one of 30 artists attending the September 2010 workshop. According to Ordoñez’s website, however, he does appear to be claiming he was actually a co-instructor at the workshop and taught caricature while Krüger taught portraits. Indeed, Ordoñez does seem to have gone around and had his picture taken with many participants of the workshop and then put captions below them indicating he was teaching them and not merely just another participant (these were sent to me in the e-mail I mentioned, and were taken from Ordoñez’s website and translated):

Even weirder are some PhotoShopped pictures like this one:

Ordoñez sells instructional DVDs and art lesson books on his website, so he is a legitimate teacher of caricature and cartooning… perhaps this is some kind of misunderstanding but it sure looks fishy to me. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but…

Some people are pretty hot over it, I can tell you. There is even a Facebook group dedicated to “exposing” Ordoñez’s “lies”.

Comments

  1. Mark Heng says:

    HAHAAHHAAA!!!! Holy crap, that is too funny…Here’s the Babel fish translation from his web page:
    The 11 of September of 2010, took place the awaited encounter between Luis Ordo’6nez and Sebastian Kruger in Germany.
    This it was because of the work carried out between the representatives of the sketchers,
    Who for a long time, were programming joining to both, to realise a factory next to other artists of different parts from the world.
    Sebastian Kruger realised an incredible picture of Arnold Schwarzenegeer, whereas Luis Ordo’6nez realised the cartoon of the same artist.
    Also, each participant artist, could do the picture and some the cartoon of Arnold, Marilyn Monroe, Of niro among others.
    The quality of each one of the works, was worthy to see by all means and, the impressive and amazing quality put in the work realised in a size of 2 meters by 1 meter sixty by Sebastian Kruger.
    It was a factory where different techniques in picture were demonstrated as much, as in cartoon, where Ordo’6nez, could demonstrate, the suitability and experience that it has, in the art to deform., where to each explanation and accomplishment of some cartoon, I cause to the astonishment and admiration of the contenders.
    She was a perfect organization and the hosts, took pains so that everything leaves as truly it left.
    In addition, Luis Ordo’6nez, was accompanied by the undersecretary of culture of Black River, Doctor Armando Gentili, that also demonstrated its talent as plastic artist realising some works during this factory.

  2. Mark Heng says:

    It’s a shame, because his Luis’s work looks good as it is and he shouldn’t feel he needs to piggyback unscrupulously on Kruger’s fame.

  3. Patrick Johnson says:

    Here’s another PHOTOSHOPPED PICTURE where Ordo?¬±ez eliminates his PARTICIPANT’S ID IN HIS NECK.

    http://www.taringa.net/posts/noticias/7333316/Las-mentiras-de-luis-ordonez.html

    • Tom says:

      It would be pretty hard to explain away the photoshopped pictures where he puts himself in with Kruger and erases out his participant’s badge. Sad.

      • Dar??o says:

        Tom, thanks for showing this to the world. I hope one day someone like you expose to the entire world other crooks in the animation industry from Argentinaas well. He’s just a sample of what’s going on around here. Oh boy, you fill find money laundry stories, corruption, you name it. Oh and animation schools which offer things that you never see. I would like to name those “professionals” who didn’t even made a short family footage. That’s Argentina in many ways. Many thigs are not what you see. There’s always something else, something disgusting. Best regards!

  4. Jert says:

    DUDE, that’s just F’ed up…… With the strangeness of the photoshopping, it’s almost like a weird comedy sketch or something.

  5. Steve Hearn says:

    A real shame artists have to do such silly things like this when there is no real need. I would have thought he may have had to sign a waiver form of some kind when attending the Kruger class? Today the internet gives us all such a unique tool to promote our services and products. Going to such underhand ways in using it can only result the opposite effect and ultimately damage a person’s business in a big way! Watch this space I guess as the FB page will grow and grow! Now back to my photoshop rip off I am working on… lol!

  6. nunz says:

    WOW!!! What a weasel!!!

  7. Liam olsen says:

    ok, luis has behaved very badly.
    But the English translation is exaggerated, is geared to emphasize more this bad behavior.
    Anyway, Luis Ordonez is a liar.

    • Tom says:

      As I was not the one to do the translation I felt compelled to not completely jump to conclusions…

  8. Malcolm says:

    Wow, It’s very shamefull to see what Luis Ordo?¬±ez has done, I am an argentine cartoonist (I do humour strips for a local newspaper), I have seen and read the info on Luis’ site, but just seeing the “photoshopped picture” he did himself with Kruger, gives him no credit at all. I must say I’m even shocked about his poor skills in photomanipulation !!!
    I really feel like apologizing on behalf of all argenitne artist about this.
    Too sad.

  9. eduardo says:

    I’m Argentine and I am, as a citizen, totally embarrassed by this kind of person. Totally unnecessary.
    we are not all like him.
    best regards

  10. Tom says:

    To Malcolm, Eduardo and all Argentine artists: None of the things Ordo?±ez has (or has not) done are a reflection on the artists of Argentina as a whole. I am sure most Argentine artists are great people. Thanks for your comments, and no need to feel embarrassed or apologetic.

  11. Cristian says:

    It’s incredible! I just see all the pictures and his story on the Ordo?¬±ez website about his meeting with Kruger and I have no doubts. I was a student at the Ordo?¬±ez School for 2 years. His well known for doing things like this. His habit is to lie and fool students making false promises. It doesn’t surprise me.

  12. Monty says:

    As much as I appreciate your care not to make blatant accusations, Tom, I think most reasonable people would draw the same conclusions. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, etc.

    • Tom says:

      Yes, undoubtably. I just do not like to entirely rely on second hand information to draw conclusions, especially when that information is partially based on some pretty choppy translations of another language.

  13. Beast says:

    Thats lame. Everyone knows I taught the caricature portion of that class.

  14. Diego says:

    Far from acknowledging the falsity of his statements, on his website Mr. Luis Ordo?¬±ez makes a defense of his story and goes further: “In recent years, the workshop is on making a masterful portrait as only Kruger can do. Portrait and NOT a caricature.
    The explanations to which Luis alludes, consisted in helping and correcting the work of the workshop participants that wanted to make a caricature rather than a portrait. (The aid was at the request of the participants themselves who know and admire Luis)”. LOL

  15. Cristian says:

    Yes! He tried to defense his lies but he never talked about the false pictures!! Why did he do it if his story is true?? LOL

  16. JOSE RADOGNA says:

    HOLA TOM, TE COMENTO, QUE ESTE COMPLOT, DE PERJUDICAR A UN PROFECIONAL DE 30 A?ëOS DE TRAYECTORIA, ESTA COMANDADA POR EX ALUMNOS DE LAS ESCUELAS DE LUIS ORDO?ëEZ Y QUE DESPUES FUERON AYUDANTES, Y FUERON DESPEDIDOS DE SU CARGO, POR DISTINTOS MOTIVOS.
    NO ES RARO DE ENTENDER , QUE SE TRATA DE DESPRESTIGIAR A UN VERDADERO PROFECIONAL.
    CON RESPECTO A LO REFERIDO POR LUIS, ES REAL QUE SE ENCARGO DE AYUDAR A VARIOS DE LOS PARTICIPANTES DE ESTE WORKSHOP DEL MAGISTRAL KRUGER, QUE REQUERIAN LES AYUDE A DEFORMAR LAS CARAS DE SUS TRABAJOS DE ACUERDO AL ESTILO DE UIS ORDO?ëEZ.
    ADEMAS DE QUE EL PROPIO BERND, MANO DERECHA DE SEBASTIAN KRUGER, LE PEDIA A LUIS, HAGA DETERMINADAS CARICATURAS.
    ES LAMENTABLE, LO QUE ESTA GENTE TRATA DE HACER, SABIENDO LA MAYORIA DE LAS PERSONAS, DE LA CALIDAD ARTISTICA Y HUMANA QUE TIENE ESTE GRAN ARTISTA DE LA ARGENTINA.
    UN SALUDO Y ESPERO PUEDAS SACAR ESA INFORMACION, QUE SE TRATA SOLAMENTE DE TIRAR TIERRA SOBRE UNA GRAN PERSONA.

    HI TOM, I commented, that this plot, to injure a PROFESSIONALS OF 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, is controlled by SCHOOL ALUMNI OF LUIS ORDONEZ AND AIDES WERE LATER, AND WAS THROWN FROM HIS POSITION, for various reasons.
    RARE IS NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A TRUE discredit professionals.
    REGARDING THE REFERRAL BY LUIS IS REAL TO ORDER TO HELP OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THIS WORKSHOP OF MASTER KRUGER, requiring HELPS DEFORMED FACES OF YOUR WORK TO THE STYLE OF ORDONEZ UIS.
    IN ADDITION TO YOUR OWN BERND, RIGHT HAND OF SEBASTIAN KRUGER, I asked Luis, MAKE CERTAIN CARICATURES.
    IS UNFORTUNATE, THAT THESE PEOPLE TRY TO KNOWING THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE ART AND HUMAN QUALITY THAT HAVE THIS GREAT ARTIST OF ARGENTINA.
    A GREETING AND I HOPE YOU CAN GET THIS INFORMATION, WHICH IS ON LAND ONLY THROW A GREAT PERSON.

    • Dar??o says:

      You just can’t explain why Ordo?¬±ez has deleted his participant ID card, why he used Photoshop to put himseulf next to Kruger and so many other cheap tricks. On his website he says the most ridiculous things about that workshop and the pictures with all the tricks are there.

      He calls himself “the best caricaturist of Latin America” Isn’t that Humble?

      No pod?©s explicar porqu?© Ord???±ez ha borrado su tarjeta de participante, por qu?© us?? Photoshop para ponerse junto a Kruger y tantos trucos baratos. En su sitio web dice las cosas m?°s rid??culas sobre ese taller y las im?°genes con los trucos est?°n all??.

      Se llama a s?? mismo “el mejor caricaturista de Latinoam?¬©rica” No es humilde?

  17. Gina Baker says:

    what about the photoshoped false photos?

  18. Mariano Albistur says:

    Hi,
    In Argentina he is considered a good caricaturist but not a good person.
    No one simpathize with him ( among cartoonists ).
    I think that Jose Radogna is the real Luis Ordo?±ez.

  19. JoeBluhm says:

    yeah, come on, Tom… quit trying to “overthrow a great person of this planet”. 😉

    LOL – Beast.

    This guy knows what he did. It’s clear. It’s wrong, and it’s sad. Tom, you read it right, as usual.

    • Tom says:

      LOL- Since my foreign language skills consist of a smattering of Spanish and French I am hardly in a position to laugh at anyone’s translations of another language into English, but the one above does smack of a “Babelfish” translation… it’s confusing and hard to follow.

      I would agree that based on the PhotoShopped pictures alone any explanation would have little credibility.

  20. Mariano Albistur says:

    I agree, Mr Joe !!!

  21. JJ says:

    Sorry, but i think Jose Radogna is Luis Ordo?±ez.
    Is very funny “overthrow a great person of this planet”, hoho.
    In Argentina we said CARADURA, something like “hard-face” (people with no shame).

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