Good parties always finish too quickly, don’t they? My 3-minute caricatures of your guests allow them to relive your big day, long after their hangovers have faded.
Over the years I have delighted thousands of guests with light-hearted, sympathetic and witty caricatures, whether at weddings, barmitzvahs and batmitzvahs, birthday parties, memorials and office parties.
Weddings
I love weddings, and I love to help them run smoothly. At the start of the reception, there can often be a lot of hanging around: lots of the guests barely know anyone, and the bride and groom – the only people who know everyone – are likely to be posing for their wedding photos.
This is where a caricaturist comes into their own: entertaining the guests, making conversation and giving people something to talk about.
If you are inviting lots of evening-only guests, it can be effective for me to arrive later in the day. If I’m asked to draw while the speeches are on, and I can’t draw individual caricatures, I change tempo and would draw a lively sketch of the room.
Birthday Parties
We all want our birthdays to be special – not just for ourselves, but also for our guests. A great party is one where everyone feels welcome, relaxed and engaged in the events of the day.
I’ve entertained guests at parties ranging from Her Majesty The Queen’s 80th birthday party at the Ritz Hotel, to riverboat parties, to parties in school halls. What links my work on all of these occasions is that the guests have been delighted to have their own presents to take away with them.
At one recent party, I provided not only the caricatures for the evening, but also the table plan, artwork for the ‘signing board’, table settings, and the invitations. I was particularly pleased when my work was used as the inspiration for the birthday cake!
Happy Customers
The Benefits of Live Illustration
How many meetings have you attended in your working life? And how many of them were really memorable?
Whether you are a multi-national company holding a conference for hundreds of your employees or a Start-up brainstorming your vision with key stakeholders, it’s vital that the outcome of your meeting is remembered, so that people leave with a sense of clarity and purpose.
HOW I WILL ADD VALUE TO YOUR MEETING OR EVENT
Ensuring it’s memorable
My pictures can spark the memory, years after the event they recorded. That amazing insight the guest speaker shared with you, the witty heckle from the back of the conference room, those surprising survey results – all of these can be lost without a visual reminder.
A unique approach
My illustrations will be unique to your event. I can depict your colleagues in their own words and reinforce their message with an apt metaphor.
Humour leads to greater engagement
The wit and accuracy of my illustrations means that people really engage with the artwork as it develops. They are kept on their toes and feel noticed if their contribution makes it to the picture.
Illustrations linked to greater reach
One of my favourite moments is when delegates take photos of the artwork to send back to the office or to share on social media. I often find that pictures are still being talked about online months after the event is over.
Deepening the ideas
I’m fascinated by culture and history and have a broad awareness of key business concepts and theories. I believe it’s important to give an intellectual hinterland to the meetings I am illustrating. I’m known for including unexpected but familiar references into my artwork – whether it’s Aristotle or Freddie Mercury.
How it works
How much notice do you need for a booking?
Typically, my clients book a couple of months in advance, but it’s always worth calling. If I have availability, I am happy to take bookings at short notice.
What preparation do you need?
Before the event, I always like to talk to my client about their aims for the occasion, the background of their company and its opportunities and challenges. I might also ask for picture references of up-to-date logos, products and key personnel so that I can feature them correctly.
I always like to research the area where the conference is being held as it gives a bit of local colour: Leeds Town Hall, Milan Cathedral, the Brandenburg Gate; all have featured in my live illustration, and it’s nice to get them right!
I would also discuss logistics of the venue, number of guests, timings etc, to help me determine the most appropriate scale of the artwork.
What are the size options for live illustration?
- Super Large. An entire wall covered in paper. This looks dramatic and can be very effective. I would need to be booked for at least a whole day to fill it. You would also need to have access to the room prior to the event, to set the paper up.
- Large. I would set up a roll of paper one and a half metres high by 3 metres long (more if necessary). This is effective and easy for me to put up; all I would need is a flat wall, or a standalone screen or screens for me to stick the paper on.
- Medium. I draw on flip charts provided by you or by the venue. This has the advantage of movability (handy if your event is alternating between plenary and breakout sessions, for example) and is a good option if the venue doesn’t have usable wall space.
- Small. I draw on A3 or A4 paper. This works well if your meeting is small or will be moving around a lot. Though it has less initial impact than the others, it has the advantage of the images being easy to scan (by you or me) and sent on after the event. When working on an iPad (see below), my small drawings can be immediately projected onto a screen.
- Other. You may have a particular surface that you’d like me to draw on and I am very happy to discuss this.
Does Live Illustration work over Zoom?
Yes! I’m glad that in-person conferences are returning, but Zoom conferences are here to stay, and I’ve illustrated many of them. I would draw either A3 or A4, show the delegates what I’ve done at strategic points of the conference, and scan the pictures over afterwards. It’s very straightforward and is effective. A cameo appearance from the family cat is an optional extra.
What geographical areas do you cover?
Everywhere! I’ve worked everywhere from Detroit to Abu Dhabi.
I’m based in London and don’t charge for travel in London or South-East England. Travel costs and, where necessary, accommodation is chargeable beyond this area.
Do you provide electronic copies of your work?
If it’s a Zoom conference, I scan and send everything to you after the event.
If it’s an in-person conference and I’m working digitally, I save the images as I work and send them to you as jpegs or similar, either by email or Airdrop through the course of the day.
If it’s an in-person conference and I’m drawing traditionally, then I give you the actual artwork at the end of the event. If I’m working A3 or A4 and you’d like me to take the artwork home to scan and send it to you, I’m happy to quote for that.
Do you work digitally?
Yes! My background is traditional pen and paper, but I am happy to work digitally on an iPad for live illustration work. One approach may be more suitable than another in a given scenario: if in doubt, please ask.
How much does it cost?
Every booking is unique: please contact me via my booking form to tell me about your event and I will provide you with a quote.
What is your payment process?
I will invoice you once the booking is made. Payment terms are 15 days after the event.
Present complex information in a simple and compelling way…
Tell your story through simple images
