{
  "id": 5318494,
  "title": "Dubai artist Adeel Saeed on his journey to live caricatures: ‘I want to make my living from art’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/dubai-artist-adeel-saeed-on-his-journey-to-live-caricatures-i-want-to",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-03T11:45:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/dubai-artist-adeel-saeed-on-his-journey-to-live-caricatures-i-want-to-make-my-living-from-art-1.500661765"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai-based artist Adeel Saeed has spent over a decade transforming strangers into exaggerated, smile-inducing sketches, one face at a time. Growing up in Northern Cyprus, Saeed would watch a street artist working under a tree in Nicosia, captivated by his ability to turn faces into playful drawings. Eventually, the artist noticed Saeed and invited him to learn. This moment sparked a career that would later lead him to Dubai.\n\nSaeed has been based in the UAE since 2004, working as a live caricature artist at various events, including corporate gatherings, gala dinners, weddings, and private parties. He is known for his speed and precision, with a sketch now taking just one or two minutes, down from eight or nine minutes. Saeed's unique approach to caricature lies in his ability to exaggerate features, creating humorous and entertaining drawings that bring smiles to people's faces.\n\nUnlike traditional portraiture, Saeed finds caricature more enjoyable as it allows him to exaggerate and play with facial features. He carefully studies each person, identifying distinctive characteristics such as a prominent nose, distinctive teeth, or a unique hairstyle, which serve as the foundation for his drawings. Typically, Saeed starts with the eyes but prefers to focus on specific features that can create an impact. He believes in tailoring his style to each individual, whether it's a more flattering version or an extreme caricature that elicits laughter and amazement.\n\nSaeed's journey to becoming a full-time caricature artist began in his childhood, inspired by a street artist he watched in Nicosia. Moving to Dubai, he initially worked as a graphic designer and 3D visualiser while building his skills in live caricature. A chance encounter during an event company meeting led to his first live caricature job, which eventually allowed him to transition from a 9-to-5 job to a life dedicated to art. Saeed remains passionate about his craft and is proud to make a living from his childhood hobby.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Dubai-based artist Adeel Saeed has spent more than a decade turning strangers into exaggerated, smile-inducing sketches, one face at a time For Saeed, the road to becoming a full-time caricature artist began with a 10-year-old boy who simply refused to go home from school. Growing up in Northern Cyprus, Saeed would stop every day to watch a street artist working under a tree in Nicosia. He…",
  "key_points": [
    "Dubai-based artist Adeel Saeed transforms strangers into live caricatures.",
    "Inspired by street artist in Nicosia, Saeed moved to Dubai in 2004.",
    "Saeed's unique caricature style exaggerates features for humorous impact."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}