5 Reasons I Want My Live Event Illustration Career To Soar In 2025

2024 was a good year for me in terms of the live event illustration business that I am cultivating. I had a succesful year drawing style portraits at London’s busy Portobello Market.  I also  landed my first fashion brand collab with Kate Spade at their flagship store in London’s Regent Street, which was an awesome experience. 

I am still yet to illustrate a Wedding, a mission that is a priority for me this year. But with some encouraging successes behind me and some exciting outstanding goals to propel me, more than ever I know that this is one path that I want to focus on. 

Here are five reasons why I am drawn to the exciting world of Live Event Illustration: 

1. It is pressured. But it’s a good pressure.

   Drawing at a live event can be nerve wracking as well as exhilarating. Drawing live, in the moment, with an audience of (hopefuly appreciative) onlookers forces you into a wonderful state of in-the-momemnt awareness. You are watching your own creation unfold, with an arraay of twists and turn. Mistakes, happy accidents, spillages and smudges. Apart from the very occaional times when i will start a picture from scratch (i try to keep this to an absolute minimum) there is no going back. We have to perservere with our drawing for better or for worse. The drawing is usually ruined and redeemed several times during the process and this can be draining. But when it is finished it is very satisfying relief. For someone who left alone for too long in a studio is prone to perfectionism, navel gazing and indecision, live event work is the perfect solution!

2. It’s Financially Rewarding.

   Who says you need to suffer for your art? i firmly believe that the idea of the starving artist should be relegated to the wastepaper basket of history. Wedding Illustration industry, I am looking at you . People spend a fortune on their big day and look how much wedding photographers get - just for pointing and clicking. If you have the talent and skill to add an extra layer of delight and joy to a joyous wedding celebration why not say ‘‘I do!’’

   Fashion brand collabs might not pay as much as a wedding or they may pay more. But these gigs will elevate your portfolio, give you social proof and help you get more paid bookings   as well as allowing the brand to surroung itself with flourishing creativity. It’s a  win win situation for all parties.

3. Its a test of our skills. 

   Event Illustration is a true test of our hard acquired drawing skills. Think of all the skills you’ve honed in the hours of life-drawing sessions you have immersed yourself in. Think of all the drawing practice you have done. Wether its drawing from photos of fashion shows or sketching people in a cafe or on the street. Think of all the experiomenting with different tools and materials. Well here is the proving ground. Illustrating a live event, all these skills will be put to the test. A true test of skill. No fakery. No turning back. Mistakes and all. No filters. If your passion is for the quick expressive figutrative portrait sketch - this is what you have been working for!

4. It’s interesting.

   Artwork is unpredictable and we never know how a finished piece will look. As it unfolds we must solve problems. When we do this in public we are engaging all our senses and perception. There are people buzzing around us, staring at our work, judging us. Our tools have limitations. We make mistakes and correct them. We work out how to meet certain challenges. Every condition of the environment is variable as is every quality of the work. Time constraints, colour, composition, line quality, narrative elements - art-making is a multi faceted process that utilisies all our senses, intuition and creativity. This makes it infinitely more interesting than carrying out the sort of functions you do on a computer, processes that can be reduced and broken down into binary terms. This is why artists are usually more interesting than people who are purely technical or logical. Live Event illustration is a place where we get to experience our best selves. Enjoy it. 

5. It brings peoople joy.

   Not everyone is happy with their live event portrait. One guy grumbled that I had drawn his jumper the wrong colour (a slightly different shade of green) and not given him enough stubble. You can’t please everybody. Reactions vary. I get ‘Ah that’s so cute’ quite a lot. It is a satisfactory response. Even if you don’t get a likeness but they get a laugh out of i is still a positive result. But what I really love is the customers who are overcome with delight. They can’t hide it. You have either caught a really good likeness, some character or the drawing is masterful in some other way. When the subject walks off looking at their artwork  with a big smile on their face it is hugely rewarding. You have provided the icing on the cake of someone having a lovely day.  They may have never been drawn before. They may not have realised how beautiful or stylish they look. Theses are the ones that make it really worhtwile.

6. Bonus Point! - It is not AI

   I’m not giong to lie, I have enjoyed playing with AI myself and it can be fun. But in a very short time it has become very boring looking. Think of clip art in the nineties - AI is fast becoming on a par with that. It’s not big and its not clever - it has its uses sometimes. I have used it to brainstorm some cartoon elements in drawing. It’s a bit like a glorified google image search, - but AI artwork is generally boring. With the proliferation of AI generated artwork and social media posts, live sketching is something that really stands out; you are a human drawing and the world can see it. Live Event Illustration is going to boom because of this. 

If you are looking to launch your live sketching career - join me on this journey. I am offering a 4 zoom call 1-1 launchpad for people who are interested in taking the first steps. Having run a successful live sketching business in a London tourist hotspot for two years I would like to share everything that I have learnt with you and inviting you to join me on all the steps I will be taking this year too!

Use discount code DROPDEADGORGEOUS for 25% Off

Keep on drawing.

Woody X

5 Things Fashion Illustrators can learn from the photography of Guy Bourdin

1. Bold and Dynamic Composition and Framing: 

   Bourdin's compositions often feature dynamic angles and striking poses, to create visually captivating images.  Fashion illustrators can learn from his innovative approach to framing subjects and experimentation with different compositions to create dynamic and engaging illustrations.

2. Strong Narrative Elements: 

   Bourdin's photographs often tell a story or evoke a mood, providing rich material for artists to interpret and expand upon in their own work. His ability to create narratives within a single image can inspire us to infuse our illustrations with storytelling elements.

   Innovative Use of Color and Texture:

3. Bourdin was known for his bold use of color and texture, often incorporating unexpected combinations and  glaring, clashing and saturated colours. Artists can draw inspiration from his inventive color palettes and textural contrasts to create visually striking pieces that capture the essence of cosmetic products and garments. 

4. Attention to Detail: 

   Bourdin was known for his keen eye for detail, meticulously crafting every aspect of his photographs to perfection. From the arrangement of props to the positioning of models' limbs, he paid careful attention to every element within the frame.  illustrators can study Bourdin's compositions to understand how he achieved such precision and incorporate similar attention to detail in their own illustrations. 

5. Tension and Intrigue: 

   Bourdin’s photography often had an undefined element of danger, sex and desire. There is often a sense that somthing has happened or is about to unfold. Studying hsi provocative and sometimes contentious photagraphy can help us gain a greater understanding of the powerful impact of visual imagery.

Much Ado About Mucha

Mucha is considered one of the pioneers of the Art Nouveau movement, which was characterized by flowing, organic designs and motifs inspired by nature.

Born in 1860 in Moravia (Now part of Czech Republic) one of his first commercial jobs was decorating the Emmahof castle with murals.

Famed for his iconic poster designs. Notable examples include the ones he created for the actress Sarah Bernhardt for whom he also designed stage-sets.

One of Mucha's most significant works is the "Slav Epic," a series of 20 large-scale paintings celebrating history and culture of the Slavic people. It took him nearly two decades to complete this monumental project.

In addition to posters, Mucha's instantly recognizable designs appeared on commercial products such as biscuit tins, cigarette packets, and champagne labels.

Mucha's designs also extended to jewelry, and he created several exquisite pieces for the French jewellery house, Fouquet

Mucha was a skilled photographer capturing many notable figures of his time. He did not see his photographs as works of art and their natural quality give them a fresh appeal compared to other photographs of the time.

Mucha was also interested in philosophical and spiritual themes. His "Pater Noster" is a beautifully illustrated book with ornate illustrations of the text of the Lord’s Prayer. Pictured here is Lead Us Not Into Temptation But Deliver Us From Evil, 1899

Mucha’s work was rich with symbolism such as that of the zodiac. Pictured here, The Moon and the Stars depicts celestial bodies as female figures.

Mucha’s work attainted iconic status in the Art Nouveau period and beyond. It significantly inspired the art and poster design of the Psychedelic 1960s and continues to inspire artists today.

Pictured here is Girl with the Green Hair 1966 by Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley (with just a little bit of help from Mucha!)

If you want to experiment witn some Mucha vibes in your work then check out the stunning Dropdead Gorgeous Drawing Session starring recently:

How to get the most out of life-drawing

1. Don’t worry about the finished drawing. Let go and enjoy the process rather than judging the end result. Get into the habit of creating a high volume of drawing You may end up with many imperfect ones and a few that you are really pleased with. This is a good result!

2. Show your work! Don’t be shy, share it with other artists. Sharing your work enables you to participate in a vibrant community of artists which makes life-drawing even more fulfilling.

3. Experiment with multiple tools, materials and approaches. Even if you prefer a specific medium make sure to change it up sometimes to keep the creativity flowing. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results.

4. Don’t stop! No one said drawing something as complex as the human figure is easy. Remember drawing the figure is one of the pinnacles of art.

5. Build your portfolio. If you just draw from photographs of celebrities your portfolio might look a little amateur. Take advantage of life-drawing sessions both online and on-location. These have been put on especially for artists to draw from and allow you to accumulate a large body of original images.