A recent commission: my friend Silver as the sultry Jessica Rabbit from the film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?". I'm confident Silver will be happy with her portrayal, but you never know. After years of caricature-making, I've learned that it can oft end friendships or worse. For all aspiring caricaturists, here are a few easy strategies to avoid inducing body dysmorphic disorder, especially in group situations where comparisons between drawings can be made.

• Unless you're a political satirist, only seek to flatter. Any real distortion of the features is for the foolhardy.
• Simplify features until the subject has been reduced to his or her most iconic form. If you can still make out what the person looks like, you may need to push it further.
• Hide as much of the subject as possible. A cleverly placed tree, or a fan lifted playfully over the face are excellent examples.
• Make bodies perfect, or make them so small or unfinished as to make them unreadable.
• In the case of multiple caricatures, make all bodies identical and perfect if not unreadable.
• Don't make caricatures at all. It doesn't pay enough anyway.