Pintar Rapido

So this last weekend I spent a lot of time in Chelsea. I was not looking for cast members of Made in Chelsea tho obviously, or a sneaky reduced designer dress in the sales (hello, have a wedding to pay for thank you). I was doing a location painting of the King's Road as part of the Pintar Rapido event.

As you may have guessed from the name if you're of the latinatelinguity persuasion, it was all about painting fast. Although I am not usually one to spend LONGER than a day on a painting, this is not the norm for fine arty painty types, and the challenge of doing a painting in one day en plein air is I think a fun thing whichever direction you're coming at it. 

As it was one of the hottest days of ever ever, I found myself a decidedly shady spot at the end of Waterloo Square with a cross view of the King's Road. And from 11.30 till around 7pm, with a short break for an egg sandwich and an iced latte, I painted what I saw, with certain allowances for change of light. 

here are some in progress pics, I started with the trees and the bollards, then added light and detail, but it dodn't really come to life till I started to add the greenery. 

I love how much green there is in London right now. 

This is the finished painting, also pictured my banana case. Yeah I like to keep my banana hard in my handbag ok?

The close on 400 paintings created that day in Kensington and Chelsea were all exhibited together on the Sunday, there was a big mix of styles and sizes. The awkwardness of having close on 400 artists angsting over their work and whether it would sell was quite funny tho. I met some interesting people including the very cool Edward Ofosu whose digital paintings are as exciting as his physical ones, and it's not always easy to see which is which. 

My favourite was this piece by J Roh, which my phone photo has not done justice to at all. I like how it is so difinitive in the division of the abstract and the realistic. If that makes sense. And the colours. And that it is the Royal Opera House.

Also, J Roh, is PRACTICALLY my name, 

I mean, I am Jenny from the block. I know where I came from (Henfield)

A fashion illustration inspired by the Glorious British Summertime 

some of the portraits I did at the Pop Up Vintage Fair in Islington

I tried out a few new ideas here - offering people the choice of having themselves drawn in the style of a vintage period or famous vintage person (can you spot who?) although most people still plumped for a straight up portrait

a very lovely lady 

 a closet glamour puss, obviously

There were definitely some interesting characters at the vintage fair. On the theme of bringing back the past, one lady (not pictured) wanted me to draw her 30 years younger than she was, although that's not what she said, she just kept telling me I was drawing her wrong. That's not the shape of my jaw, well no, but you can't see the shape of your jaw anymore I'm afraid love. I felt a bit better when her daughter told me she thought I'd captured her perfectly (phew). 

Thankfully everyone else was lovely. The gentleman pictured bottom left also regaled me with a fascinating diatribe on how in the old days men were men and women were women and how jogging bottoms ought to be outlawed. I swear I saw him on Upper Street last week in what I would call jogging bottoms. 

Also while I was there I managed to justify buying a necklace with the proviso that I will wear it on my wedding day - not long to go at all now eep!

Parp. I have too many things to blog about 

So. 

This month's top news in pictures?

I drew portraits of people in a caravan covered in Heisenburg's face. I blogged about it here for StoryHands. I don't like Breaking Bad, please send your outraged postcards to...

for a limited time only you can buy some of my pictures on OhhDeer on mobile phone covers (!) iphone and galaxy here, here  and here . Also on some nice Giclee prints here,  here and here and on canvas here 

I made these birthday cards. You can buy them here

I got my sister to get my cat (by association only now really, as I haven't lived with her for many years) to  pick the winner to my pet portrait giveaway. That was cool. Emma won. 

I also did some portraits at a Pop Up Vintage Fair. I might actually blog about that though, COMING SOON ISN'T IT. I might also blog about my wedding invites that I designed for my wedding. 

Drawing live musicians is great, although it gets harder (and more exciting) the more mobile they are. 

A week or so ago I went to a gig my friend Cynthia of Sophecy played in King's Cross, but managed to catch only the last fading notes of her performance as I rushed from a Year 7 parents evening 

(I made a 12 year old cry, worth it). 

To console myself I drew two of the remaining acts, the Mumfordesque Narrow Plains and the very exciting Shockolady. The latter was an example of the harder kind of live drawing as she was pulling out a lot of sexy moves. 

Beauty of this kind does not come abundantly

just found this in the loft going through my bag of 'art fair' stuff. Early foray into collage work. Good times. 

 If you are in London this weekend, and fancy having your FACE drawn by me, I will be at 2 events. 

I will be at this Alternative Press event in a caravan covered in Bill Murray's face (I don't know why, but sounds sensible to me) with other StoryHands Collective artists on Saturday. It's attached to a music festival but I think you can get into our bit for free.

On Sunday I am going to be drawing vintage style portraits at the Pop Up Vintage Fairs London event in Islington Town Hall. That one does cost money, but I assume will include a lot of darling cupcakes, florals and frills to make up for it.

Here are some alternative Summer Holiday Postcards I did for Pretty Litter Magazine. Because it's been too long since there was a lesbian kiss on this blog. Or feet. Or seagulls.