In praise of felt tips

Felt tips can get a bad press, Mostly because if you use them badly, they look, well, really bad.

But if you use oil paints badly....  yeah they look really bad too. und so weiter. 

I don't know if the quote is a bad workman or a poor workman who famously blames his tools, a poor workman at least has more reason to own low quality tools I suppose. 

And I could easily go on a sadly un-sponsored (but welcome to offers!) praise singing bent about the virtues of Promarkers, or Sharpies, or Kuretake Brushables. Or reminisce about this really amazing set of felt tips I bought in a french supermarket in my late teens (Ultra-lavable) which just bled perfectly on cartridge paper and blended so nicely. But I think that's only half the battle. 

In fact sometimes rubbish felt pens can be even more satisfying, getting that scratchy half tone with a perfectly uniform colour? yum. 

I've been using felt pens, and yes, specifically but not exclusively Promarkers and Sharpies, in a lot of my live drawing work recently, because they are quick and colourful. And for the tonal work (the shadows) too - yes for realsies, in fact I often like to start with the tones, and add details after (because even with posh pens, dark colours can sometimes bleed into lighter colours if you go over the top, and because as well, it makes people go oooooh). As can be seen in these pictures herenow.

I just drew the brilliant Jen Conroy in this very style and thought to cunningly scan the process in three simple stages, so that you toooo, can ooooh. If you like. 

Negative Space first!

Tones!

 

Detail, and some whimsical pattern.

Here are some portraits I did a few weeks ago at the Jumble and Pearls Christmas Fair.

 

In the summer, I used felt pens for a few other more exciting live drawing instances, which I did not get around to blogging about at the time, due to excess of thesis.

In September I went to an OffLife quick draw event at The House of Illustration, a newish graphic arts gallery in that newly developed nice fountany bit at granary square across the canal from London St Pancras. Which I like to call London St Pancreas and pretend I'm a tourist.

We were given a theme to illustrate every 15 minutes, so we literally did have to draw quickly and think quickly too. I sat with the always excellent value Gareth Hopkins aka GrthInk, he did a blog of the event (in a much more timely fashion) here.

I like having to think on my feet, or perhaps with my fingers in this case, and I had a great night, although not all of the drawings I did are ones I'd necessarily want to show you. One I'm holding back because I want to do a properly worked up version for my portfolio when I get time. I left the original drawings taped to the wall, so apologies for the phone photo pictures

The first topic was 'How I'd get my five minutes of fame', I started straight in by drawing a newscaster standing in front of a TV frame, hopeful that by the time I'd drawn this I would have come up with a good idea. I didn't really come up with a good idea, but I'm happy with the image because of this early attention to framing and composition innit?

Here's my drawing for the brief brief 'What I'd do if I had only one day to live'

I've always wanted to become an epic street artist and commit nefarious acts of beauty, but I've never had the balls. This is also one of the many answers to the question what would i do if I had Bernard's Watch. But that's another story.

I really do not know what was happening in my brain when I drew this in response to 'What's really down the back of the sofa'

Off Life actually run an online Quick Draw every Thursday, if you're interested in getting involved with some speedy illustration.

Now on to the final felt tip adventure I want to chronicle. Way back in May I pitched a live art idea to an events manager I've worked with a few times doing live portraits with Cult Events, what I ended up doing was not exactly what I pitched (I'm keeping that one under wraps still, I'm going to make it happen sooner or later) but was possibly the most fun I've had with felt tips.

Over the course of an evening at Dive Bar beneath Hoxton Seven titled Peep Show, I filled two enormous boards with live sketches of the performers of the evening, amassing together to make one large record of the event. 

Did I mention that a large number of these performers were burlesque and drag artists? 

Similar to my cowardice in not so far becoming an internationally renowned street artist, is my persistent lack of dressing up in feathers and face paint and shaking my thing. The spirit is willing but the flesh is lazy. I adore anything OTT and sparkly and tongue in cheek, but realistically, I'm not going to be the one on stage singing about my sexploits. That would be inappropriate. 

Because I am a teacher. 

And afraid. 

But I can DRAW them. 

This is what I drew that night.

I started with the mirror ball, and added atmospheric light splashes with the square end of my Promarkers.

Of especial note was the mesmerising musical performance of Kristal Sisodia,
I almost captured her elegance.

Also in evidence were several members of The Family Fierce, some of whom you may have seen on Drag Queens of London. 

Including but not limited to the enigmatic and effervescent Mx Ruby Wednesday (centre, Jokeresque makeup), the compère par excitement Rubyyy Jones (singing and pink opera gloves, bottom left) and I'm pretty sure (should probably have made notes) that the figure top left is the ineffable art queen Bourgeoisie.

I also enjoyed meeting Fairyprincessmermaidbarbie  although I didn't get to draw a detailed picture you can see her here in profile.

Have I convinced you that felt tips are brilliant yet? Or perhaps of your future career as a drag artist?

If not me, then why not someone else, here are some other awesome artists I like using felt tips. 

Holly Wales

Ellie Cryer

Lucile Prache

Philip Dennis

Maya Bee

Ahh the wonders of felt tippery. Next week: why I really like filing cabinets.

Not really. 

Maybe.

I mean. I do really like filing cabinets. I just might not blog about it.

Jumble and Pearls May 2014 - live portraits and cards and bits and bobs again.

 Here are some of my favourite portraits that I did at Jumble and Pearls vintage and handmade fair at the Book Club last week:

I'm, as it were, gutted to not be going to the next one as I have a wedding to go to (it's almost that time of year again - handy since I also bought this epic fascinator from Maiden Found at Jumble and Pears also) 

but should be back again for the August event. 

As per-freelancey-usual, events of unexpected nature have eaten my life since I got back from Honeymoon and finished my draft essay (about which, more time another post) - so all the time I had earmarked for making and organising for the fair kind of disappeared, I had hoped to have a whole new series of prints and cards but as it was I mostly had a few bits and pieces I squeezed in round the edges. Includingoodling, these collage cards

mmmmmmm. circley. 

I also did a series of high end prints of that same bird (it's a Jacamar) in different colour ways. Those that didn't sell last week I'll be feeding on to Artfinder here.

This was my stuff all on the table for sale and that. Apologies for the pants quality, it was pretty dark down there in the basement. 

It's the time of the season for loving

So yesterday I was at the Jumble and Pearls Valantines Fayre at the Book Club.

As well as selling cards and prints and bits and pieces I did some live portraits and I thought you might like to see them so here they are.

Every portrait event I do is different and like any fair or market there's always an element of unpredictability. Last time I did a vintage event almost everyone wanted watercolour, and this time everyone opted for a pen portrait - these are quicker and cheaper so it may tell you something about the denizens of Shoreditch over those of Islington. Live drawing is also always bringing me new surprises and experiences - at this fayre I drew 6 beautiful french girls at once - a record - and was also asked to do a portrait of a bicycle. 

Exciting times.

 This is the lovely and talented Q of Maiden Found - you should def. check out her hats. 

 A portrait of a bicycle - a BRAKE bicycle to be specific 

I didn't even notice the great expression Rachel of BRAKE bikes is pulling in the background here - makes the picture all kinds of awesome on top of les belle dames

 Also guys - do not be forgetting to order your Valentines cards and zines from the shop by the end of the day on Monday - the cutest cards you'll see anywhere with a sting in their tale. And the new zine compilation with the best of the last 2 years designs.