Rodney Pike, known as rwpike, is not a household name, but his caricatures certainly have a special place in pop culture and modern art.

The artist shared 50 of his beloved photos and some interesting facts about his life and work with Pxleyes, and it's our honor to give you an insight into this glorious man's mind.

His realistic work and extraordinary attention to detail made him stand out, so let's learn who is the man behind the caricatures.

Meet Rodney Pike

In his interview, Pike said that he's 49, father of five, and he's been with his wife Lydia for over 12 years. He grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and he's still in the same state.

He opened up about art as part of his life. As a kid, he admired his older brother's drawing skills. Magazines were also part of everyday life. But discovering Norman Rockwell changed his life:

"At about age 10, I discovered Norman Rockwell, and it changed my life. I fell in love with his work and storytelling ability in his paintings. I developed a passion for art which consumed me, so I spent most of my youth locked in my room sketching, painting, sculpting, wood carving; you name it, and I did it. I had an insatiable appetite for art and worked hard at my craft, but it always seemed something was missing. I wouldn't discover what that was until many years later."

Pike's Work And Focus On Details

The artist further explained that he's self-taught:

"I have no formal training in any medium. What I have learned has come from studying many artists over the years and from sheer desire."

For Pike, family always comes first. As he stated, supporting the family was his priority. So, he put aside art for 25 years. But things changed, and he learned how to have it all.

His passion and talent simply had to come out:

"In April of 2010, I entered my first Photoshop contest at Freaking News. I had finally found my niche. Photoshop and photo manipulation was the medium that I had been searching for all my life."

Big Break And Future Plans

He mentioned his current and upcoming projects. He did five pieces for Ian Knowles of Ten10Media, adding that 1.25 million people will see his work. He also worked for FHM's latest issue.

But there's more:

"I am presently preparing for another huge caricature-themed commission from a Brazilian Metal band to do all promotional material for their upcoming tour."

Pike's long-term goal is "to do photo manipulated caricature illustration for magazines." He added that you could find his work on his website, and he's planning to start making tutorials.

He will announce more about it on his blog.

Rwpike's Technique

Pike surely inspired many young talents. He discovered which software he uses:

"I use Photoshop CS2 with no extras to do my work, and believe it or not. I'm still using a mouse. I am about to buy a new Mac and Wacom or pen tablet. I can draw on paper and paint on canvas, but I much prefer Photoshop. I'm still new at this, so I have a lot to learn. I'm just soaking it all up right now."

His greatest satisfaction? Well, it's tricky because he's never happy with his work and everything he did today is already history:

"That's a funny question, or maybe I have a funny answer. I am really never satisfied with my work. I retain what I learned from it, but I press forward to better my work each time I create something."

Finally, the artist gave some tips to those who are sharing his passion. And apart from learning, he adds that practicing and experimenting will do wonders.

Pike added that you have to "surround yourself with people and things that inspire you." and stated, "practice, practice, practice."

Now it's time to relax and enjoy the magnificent work from humble, and beloved artist:

George Clooney

Parody

Woody Allen – Scarlett Johansson

Rejected

Chelsea Stallone

Dr. Phil And Oprah Show

George Washington Grant

Arrogant

Presidential Roots

Fresh Tomatoes

General Bean

Nancy Exposed

Andy Rooney

Jay Leno

Pirate Bean

Reverend Jeremiah Wright

Bill "Dressed To Kill"

Presidential Briefing

Steve Harvey at the Apollo

Howard Stern

Alan Greenspan

Reminiscence

Caricature Study Of Lil' Wayne

The Rolling Stones

Pele

Carles Puyol

Rio Ferdinand

Leslie Nielsen

Lady Gaga

James Hetfield Of Metallica

Saddam Hussein

George Wein "Jazz Master"

Bill Clinton

Gareth Bale

Spike Lee

Steven Spielberg

Sylvester Stallone

Tom Cruise

Comedian Lewis Black

Robert De Niro

Snoop Dogg