Only a serious student of facial features would dream up the hypothesis that the Statue of Liberty looks a lot like Elvis Presley. Or make a case for the resemblance between Don Knotts and Mick Jagger.

But Scott Fertig had a passion for faces, drawing caricatures both professionally and as a favorite pastime. Mr. Fertig, a Bon Air native who lived in Arlington, Va., died Friday of cancer. He was 41.

"Scott went everywhere with a drawing pad and paper," said his brother, Todd Fertig, of Jersey City, N.J. "He was drawing faces all the time and noticed similarities and forms that other people wouldn't notice."

Beyond caricatures, he also sold portraits and murals and had other artwork featured in galleries in both Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. His most prominent public artwork is the Times Project Wholey Warehouse Mural of a 1957 Chevy at 16th Street and Penn Avenue in the Strip District.

In 2002, the Washington Post wrote a feature story on Mr. Fertig, noting his habit of setting up shop at a local Starbucks and secretly drawing those around him.

He was in the first graduating class at the Pittsburgh High School for Creative and Performing Arts and supported himself as a full-time artist since graduating from Carnegie Mellon University.

Though he did paint commissioned art, his most steady gig was drawing caricatures at private parties, both individual celebrations and those for corporations as large as McDonald's and Heinz.

"It wasn't just skinny neck, big head stuff," said his brother. "He could capture the essence of a person and their image. He had a real eye for the subtle features that really describe a person."

It was at a 50th wedding anniversary party in 1996 that Mr. Fertig met his wife, Carolyn Matous Fertig, whose great aunt and uncle were being feted. The two married 10 years later, on Nov. 22, 2006.

Mr. Fertig was "very funny, talkative and loved people," said his wife, and when he wasn't drawing, sculpting or painting he was fiddling with Photoshop to create joke pictures to exchange with friends.

Mr. Fertig was known for his stunts and jokes, said his sister, Christina Fertig, of Penn Hills. To mock his father's affinity for telling the children "don't tie up the bathroom," Mr. Fertig blanketed the room in knotted string. He once snuck over to the house of an actor friend and plastered all the windows with his friend's head shot.

Though he moved to Virginia in 1999, he loved Pittsburgh, said his sister, and often drove around the South Side Slopes and industrial areas for artistic inspiration.

Mr. Fertig was diagnosed with stage IV carcinoma more than a year ago, but kept working until recently, said his wife. "Up until just a few weeks ago, people were begging him to do invitations," she said. "They wanted him or no one. They were willing to work with him on whatever schedule to accommodate his treatments."

In addition to his brother, sister and wife, Mr. Fertig is survived by his parents, Elwin and Teddie Fertig of Bon Air.

The family will hold a memorial service Saturday at 2 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3577 McClure Ave., Brighton Heights, with a wake to follow. Donations can be sent to the American Cancer Society or to local children's arts programs.