After my recent house move and new studio set up (more on this soon!!), I've been digging through a lot of my old files and sketchbooks to make sure they're at least sliiiiightly organised. After flicking through one sketchbook, I found this never-posted drawing I'd illustrated live in front of an audience at a festival last year. Seriously, there's something so nerve-wracking about drawing in front of people, it's like the equivalent of when you hear a word said too many times and it loses all meaning - as soon as someone's watching, you just kind of forget how you're supposed to draw!
Luckily, I managed to find my groove a few moments after starting, and I drew this without a single plan at all. Girls, animals and leafy foliage are kind of a staple of mine, things I feel really comfortable drawing, so I'm not surprised that's what I ended up drawing here.
I used my trusty Pentel ink brush pens, in both black and grey, along with a few streaks of pencil for shading. I remember feeling really relieved that my ink lines had gone precisely where I'd wanted them to, as without a base pencil sketch, you're kind of at the mercy of luck and experience in hoping that you don't make a glaring mistake in front of everyone!
I have to say, I love the challenge of drawing live. I'm hoping to level up a little and take on projected drawing in the near future! Here's to new challenges, and messy ink pens ❤
Moving into a new home and setting up a fresh studio always brings a mix of nostalgia and excitement. While sorting through old sketchbooks, discovering an unpublished live-drawing piece from a past festival must have felt like finding a hidden gem. Performing art in front of an audience can be nerve-wracking, as every stroke suddenly feels magnified. Yet, once the rhythm returns, creativity flows naturally and authentically. It’s no surprise that your signature themes girls, animals, and lush foliage emerged effortlessly in that spontaneous moment.
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