Back to school – or back to arts? I love autumn, as it holds the refreshing air of new beginnings. It brings new ideas, motivation and definitely some creative vibes!
It was great to have this enthusiasm vamped up by my favourite art store London Graphic Centre , as I attended their special Student Day. You could get involved in all day workshops and activities to get your creative juices flowing. And of course get a goodie bag!
I couldn’t skip the possibility to leave quite a big mark on the shop’s space right at entrance, where you could draw with Posca markers! I have used them in the past a lot for illustration on paper, but only now I realised that they can be applied to fabric and glass. They work fantastic on big scale too. What do you think of my illustration of the beret girl?
Another treat available at store was the embossing of the Moleskine. Everyone’s most desired sketchbook always looks better with your name on it π I went for red as it’s this season’s hottest colour and finally got myself a sketchbook with storyboard frames. Excited to use it for my film brainstorming!
The online 20% off discount with code SD17 is now available to all students – don’t miss the great deal, this is the time to get into your creative flow!
(Please note this discount does not apply to products already on offer or discounted, pantone guides, digital printing and technology or studio equipment category products.)
A couple of weeks ago I had one of the most glamorous and beautiful live illustration sessions. I have been invited to perform live over Aldo ‘Reign or Shine’ FW17 press day in heart of central London.
It was an exclusive session for stylists, bloggers and influencers, as well as the brand itself to capture some gorgeous dreamy shoes from the collection.
The best part for me as live illustrator is the opportunity to engage with people and direct contact with the model. Some people laugh how chatty I am over my live illustration sessions, but to me this is as important as every stroke I do on the paper – as it is directly affected by the nature of the person, their style, their voice… And how inspiring it is for me, when I have a chance to directly engage with some of the key influencers and get to know them in such unique way!
Whenever I had a chance, I drew the shoes from the upcoming collection. The FW17 is truly lush – pink pastels and grey tones are truly romantic and feminine. Fluffy furry accessories will make you want to snuggle all winter long. However, there were a couple of really bold embroidered pieces that made sure the collection isn’t monotone. I especially will look out for the silver and shiny long boots!
One of the highlights for me as an artist was to draw a couple of significant bloggers and VIPs over the event. Without a doubt beautiful DJ Zara Martin was one of them!
Another lovely lady who was waiting in line to get her portrait done was blogger Freddy – I tried to depict her sweet nature!
Finally the third of my favourite bloggers I drew was Mona’s Eyes – she is incredibly smart, kind and was very happy to receive a lot of applause from her π
Thank you Aldo and BPCM PR for a beautiful day!
What I Wore:
Shoes: Aldo
Dress: Topshop
Film by:
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To celebrate London Fashion Week I had a wonderful opportunity to present my live fashion illustration at my beloved arts store in London – London Graphic Centre. In the heart of Covent Garden, the spot regulary crossed over the fashionistas attending the shows, I had a pleasure to present my skills and tips while drawing on beautiful templates provided by Fashionary.
I can’t express how excited I felt when in the store that few years back I was in awe as a first year LCF student I spotted a huge poster promoting my session.
But the real joy came when the attendees started to arrive. It was a great crowd – interested in my process of drawing, patiently waiting for their illustrations. Some great art and smiles were produced that day.
I had a chance to also present some of my favourite art materials, but the main spotlight was reserved for Fashionary – a leader in producing unique fashion sketchbooks. I was drawing live an illustration in the postcard.
It’s been truly one of the best experiences I had as a live illustrator, surrounded by lots of joy. I do hope soon there might be some new exciting adventures I will pursue with London Graphic Centre… so watch out! π
Big thank you to London Graphic Centre, Fashionary, Min Joo Chan, Adriana, Bansri and all dear friends for the support that day.
What I Wore:
Jacket: Bershka
Top: Balmain
Glasses: Aldo
Film by:
Photography by:
Slow early January? That hasn’t been a case for me. I have been busy with my freelance work and also my first live illustration gig happened for the first time for me in Poland – in the region, where I come from. I have been invited by Rotary club to perform live illustration over their annual charity ball. It was the first time as well when the illustration was treated as in the form of charity – all the money spent on each individual portrait was going for the cause.
I was wearing this unique red dress from Lou – I wanted to be stand out and I thought that the collar and long sleeves with the waist ruffled bottom made it look super classy and elegant.
I drew a lot of beautiful ladies that night dressed in very chic ball dresses, but I had to make a highlight on this lady who was also in red!
It turned out to be extremely popular – while everyone was dining and wining, I was working super hard until 2AM!! And not everyone got drawn… I had to rest eventually after 5 hours π
Luckily I could catch a breath next day, as the event was taking place at the magnificent hotel Krasicki – have you ever wondered how it is to spend a night in medieval castle? Well, the ride up to northern part of Poland (Warmia & Mazury) could be just the right destination. The area is famous for many medieval castles and this one has been magnificently adapted to a 4 star hotel. You may think it is very cold inside (hence the winter full of snow outside) – but i was surprised how well heated the room and corridors were!
It has a SPA (treated myself with a facial and massage after long night before), swimming pool, sauna… It does feel funny when you walk the corridors which are truly complex – you might actually get lost! I literally felt as if I was visiting one of those castles which are museums, but wandered off the official tourist trip and just was visiting it on my own and was allowed to touch all the objects π
The restaurant also was special – again had that museum vibe to it with a traditional elements of regional folk design. And traditional polish cuisine served with the top notch taste was delicious.
It was a perfect getaway for me to enjoy live illustration, party, and the stay at the nice hotel… Travelling to Warmia (FYI the cleanest part of Poland) is very easy and cheap from London – since the opening of the new airport in Szymany, you can get a flight from… Β£7,99! I think that was the cheapest flight I ever took in my life – it was more expensive than luggage!
So, anyone fancies a medieval get away?
A couple of weeks ago London Graphic Centre organised a Students Day, greeting warmly new arts students with events, workshops and special discounts in their flagship store.
Although I have graduated a while ago I still remember the days of when I was a London art student and since then I have been a regular customer and fan of the store and all the great supplies that London Graphic Centre has to offer. And I was more than happy to receive a couple of goodies that arrived in my bag!
I am most popular for live illustration and quick drawings, so I like to work quite clean.
I always start a sketch with a pencil and that must basic tool for any designer wasn’t missing in the bag! I did a quick outline of proportions and composition with the pencil.
I am a fan of markers of all sorts and I was happy to find my all time favourite Staedler Pigment Liner which I always use for my sessions. It is perfect for details of the face and gestural accents.
Finally I usually finish my illustration with ink and brushes to add the contrast and bold lines, however I found a great alternative for this with this pocket size, cute thick marker. I was surprised how great it can replace the bold edges if you run out of ink!
If you are a student make sure you get a 15% off discount card from London Graphic Centre. As a student it saved a lot of my budget and at the same time I did not need to compromise on the quality of the artwork I was creating. The best deal is that it works with the current instore promotions and you can especially get amazing deals on sketchbooks – you can never have enough of them!
When it comes to style I am quite obsessed with the trend of slip dress. Now that we have colder weather it’s even more fun to layer it over other pieces. The romantic 70’s embroidered shirt with a collar is toning down the dress that could also be worn as an evening piece. I finished it all with jeans which almost look like jeggins and I thought it’s cool to see how each individual strong pieces from different styles come together and can keep you a bit warmer and more daring!
What I wore:
Dress: Mango
Shirt: Mango
Jeans: Miss Selfridge
Thank you London Graphic Centre!
I can’t believe it’s going to be a year since I have been comissioned for my very first first fashion illustration event. My journey started off in a true grand way – in the heart of Old Bond street, famous for being an epicenter of luxury boutiques in London. Tod’s happened to be my very first live illustration client and I was drawing guests over their Valentine’s breakfast. I remember I was very excited but at the same time a bit nervous about the outcome… How on Earth will I be able to draw a portrait under 10 minutes? Will my quirky fashion portraits appeal to high-end luxury clientele and bloggers?
And to my surprise they did – beyond my wildest expectations! The guests were lining up for hours to get their portrait done and it brought so much excitement to the event! I had to stay an extra hour over my session. It was a massive success and eye opener to my new passion…
What I absolutely love about live illustration is what standard illustration is missing – is connection. The bond I create with person I draw, the pace, the emotional scan. Even if the illustration is fun and of course quite abstract – I get so much satisfaction when the portrayed person sees themselves in it.
My first live fashion illustration session at Tod’s was life changing and carved a new path and passion in my artistic career, which I am definitely pursuing.
I already have some exciting live illustration sessions booked in upcoming months!
Don’t miss out my live illustration session this weekend at We Built This City – loveliest art gallery and stylish souvenir store in heart of Carnaby street, that also was awarded as the best independent business in Soho of 2015!
I have been invited to bring some lovely rosy vibes in style of Valentines. I will be drawing between 1:30-4:30 PM 13th-14th February – the entrance is free and only Β£10 per portrait. Bring your second half / friend / lover – as the aim is to do double portraits with a person who stole your heart π
Find out more details about the event here!
Are you an entrepreneur looking for an exciting entertainment for your event? Get in touch via info@adrianadeco.com and book a live illustration session, would love to hear from you!
All photos in courtesy of Hannah Harley Young
In September I have performed one of the most exciting live illustration sessions. I have been invited by H&M to support their flagship store in Oxford Circus as part of the Vogue Fashion Night Out.
It was a great night that brought many fashionistas, who seemed to be more interested in getting my illustration than shopping β even if that meant standing in the line for about one hour! It was so challenging and yet made me so happy that my crazy fashion portraits turned out to be the attraction that brought so much attention. Drawing for 4 hours without any break was hectic, but extremely rewarding. And it went so fast!
Thanks to that night I met wonderful people with whom I already started collaborations. I will be writing about them soon on my blog.
Are you looking for entertainment for the event? I am now taking bookings for Christmas season and will be happy to add sparkle with my drawings! Donβt hesitate to get in touch or recommend me!