About Brad Blaze and www.redfaces.com.au

Sydney Cartoonist, Brad Wightman commenced Red Faces Entertainment in 2002. At the time he was drawing caricatures in his home studio whilst working in a 'normal' office job.


During his teen years Brad developed a love of portraiture and then of oil painting. At the age of 18 he was sketching life-like portraits for family and friends, but never dreamed this would be his occupation.


In his early twenties, Brad travelled throughout Europe and the US and having been sketched 'caricature style' decided this would be an ideal hobby!


Fast forward a few years to 2002 and Brad entered into the Bald Archy competition (a satirical portrait contest). His entry of Russell Crowe had got the attention of the media - his work was published and he was interviewed in the Sunday Morning Herald and various other local papers.


The following year his caricatures for the Bald Archy competition of Lleyton Hewitt and Nicole Kidman also appeared in numerous press including the Daily Telegraph and on Channel 10. (click here to view a gallery of celebrity paintings).


Pretty soon he was being commissioned for caricatures from corporate Australia. They loved what they saw and wanted more, so Brad found himself drawing 'live' at a wide variety of company events - from solicitors to building companies, Christmas Parties, Trade Shows, Birthdays and Weddings.

In 2003 he travelled to China with fellow artist Joanne Brooker (caricature artist/illustrator from The Courier Mail, Brisbane) where they drew for 3 weeks on stage in Tianjin and Beijing. It was a life changing experience and his hobby had now become his occupation.





During 2004/2005 Brad travelled to New Zealand and around Australia drawing at corporate and private events. Each year became busier as clients re-hired Brad again and new clients hired him for the first time. Within a few years, Brad found himself entertaining at over 100 events per year.


In 2005 after working with various magicians at corporate events, Brad just 'had' to learn their secrets. He met magician Sean Taylor at an event, who then pointed him in the right direction of which magic to study. Brad studied magicians for hours on end on DVD (and still does) to learn the secrets of sleight of hand magic.


In 2006 Brad took his skills as an artist onto stage, commencing his 'speed painting' shows. It took him six months alone to perfect his first speed painting celebrity "Elvis".





He has developed his stage show further, specialising in comedy magic - an area suited to his bubbly personality. He has since performed at large corporate and private events. (click here to read further about his show entertainment).


In the meantime, Brad also started performing little stints of close up magic at events, it was a good way to give his hands a break from all the caricatures he was drawing. His enthusiasm, outgoing personality and quick wit gathered crowds at events and he soon found himself hired solely as a close up magician for corporate events.


In a few short years, Brad has completed his transition from being an 'artist' to an 'entertainer'. He loves entertaining people and it shows.