SCOTTSDALE - Caricature portraits are based on elements of extreme exaggeration. Sebastian Kruger's are exaggeration, squared.

Like stretching Silly Putty from a newspaper cartoon, the German artist takes features from the faces of the famous and freezes them into downright freaky and unflattering poses.

"People like it or hate it," Kruger said during an interview from Germany. "Some people think I'm mad and should see a doctor."

Kruger, 43, wouldn't have is any other way.

He brings his show to Scottsdale's Rock Star Gallery tonight. His exhibition is planned to coincide with Wednesday's Rolling Stones concert in Glendale.

"Some people think it's disgusting art, and some people hate it really," Kruger said. "But it's my way to express myself. I'm kind of proud of it because if people say it's quite good, it's worth nothing to me."

The show will feature the wildly distorted portraits of lead singer Mick Jagger and guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood.

Wood describes himself as Kruger's "fan, friend," and "biggest promoter."

Kruger said there's a good chance Wood will make an appearance today in Scottsdale.

The paintings are colorful, comical, creative and even creepy.

In Jagger's drawing, his lips take up much of the picture.

In Wood's, the star is cross-eyed and has a nose that almost touches his tongue. His hair looks like he stuck a wet hand in an electric socket. Remarkably, all of the caricatures remain identifiable.

Kruger backstage

Kruger met members of the Rolling Stones in 1990 when he was 27. He had been painting them for years and finally sent his portraits of the band to Richards. Kruger was asked to come backstage during a concert.

"I couldn't believe it. It was overwhelming when I got that kind of invitation to hang out with Keith and Richard and (drummer) Charlie (Watts). It was a great honor," Kruger said. "I was pretty nervous and everything. I had no idea how they would react because some of the caricatures are really rude. But they really liked it."

The friendships developed over the years, primarily with Wood and Richards, whose portrait he re-creates every year as a birthday gift.

"Ronnie is the one who opened every door for me," Kruger said.

But his art exhibit will go beyond featuring just the Stones. It also will showcase portraits of other musicians, including Sting, and movie stars, such as Jack Nicholson and Marilyn Monroe.

"We are so fortunate to be on the first national exhibit tour of Sebastian Kruger. His creativity, originality and quality of art are compelling components of his success," said Michael Dunn, the owner of Rock Star Gallery. "His artwork is really quite amazing."

He studied design and painting and started his professional career creating illustrations and filling commissions for German magazines.

Today, Kruger has three art books in print, and his art frequently is seen in Playboy, Penthouse, Rolling Kruger started painting and drawing when he was 3 years old, and he knew early on that his future would be in art.

Stone, and USA today.

He turned to celebrities because of their prevalence and what he described as a sort of connection with them.

“Maybe I was on my way to search for myself,” explained Kruger, who was in the middle of a new Clint Eastwood painting during this interview. “I am always looking for people who I can identify myself with. I  think I am coming down to myself more and more. Maybe I will do in the future more self portraits.

Kruger’s process is an interesting once. He surrounds himself with photos of his subjects, then to work, sometimes arriving at a “twilight zone.” State of mind. In the course of his career, he has had a variety of responses to his work. One that was almost as extreme as his art came from the former prime minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, who actually complained about Kruger’s portrait on television. Kruger said it was kind of an honor.”