Live Wedding Guest Portraits
Portraits not only provide great entertainment and fun for your guests, they also give them something that lasts, something very personal, and make a lovely reminder of your wedding.
It’s also a nice surprise for everyone, people are always delighted to see a portrait artist coming to a wedding!
Live portrait sessions in 3 different styles, from very stylised to more realistic – you can choose what works better for your wedding! I can paint portraits of individuals, couples, or small groups and I can draw them live from observation (with the guests sitting for me) or from photos.
I paint guest portraits either digitally or traditionally, on paper. Your guests can have their digital portraits sent to their phone, or download them from an online gallery immediately or any time later. Either way, I am happy for your guests to watch me paint.
If you would like to chat about the options please get in touch.
3 styles, your choice!
The same person I drew in each style for easy comparison, using the same paper and paints.
MORE ABOUT EACH STYLE
I consider a good likeness essential in either style, no matter how stylised.
Guest portraits in style inspired by quentin blaKE
Fun, simple illustrations of your guests (and you) done in a style inspired by the magnificent Sir Quentin Blake. Great entertainment option 🙂
If you are looking for something lighthearted, these might be the perfect option for your wedding or other special occasion.
This style takes about 5 minutes per face, which makes them the quickest portraits I can do. It also means there is a better chance of being able to sketch more of your guests in the time given. Please note that the timing is just a rough estimate and will depend on various factors.
I really love doing these and they tend to be very popular, so please do book me and and give me an excuse to do lots more! 😉
I can draw these digitally or traditionally on paper, please see the advantages and disadvantages lower down the page and an example of both.
Illustrative Guest Portraits
Illustrative, stylised drawings
This is more of an illustrative, endearing style, kept simple so it doesn’t take long to draw.
I can drawn these from a photo I take or the guests can sit for me.
This style will take about 6-7 minutes per face but please note that the timing is just a rough estimate and will depend on various factors.
I can also drawn them digitally or on paper, please see the advantages and disadvantages lower down the page.
Sketch guest portraits
The closest style to my Story of Your Wedding sketches. The most realistic style, will take slightly longer than the previous two.
This is the only style I recommend done with pen and paper, rather than a digital drawing. The “loose”, wiggly lines are difficult to replicate digitally.
This style will take about 8-9 minutes per face but please note that the timing is just a rough estimate and will depend on various factors.
I can draw them live or from a photo I take.
HOW IT’S DONE
Option 1
portraits on paper
Traditional way, ink and watercolour on an archival quality paper. Your guests will take the portrait back with them.
To Consider
If you are not sure what would be the best option for you please get in touch and we can talk it through.
Option 2
paper + DISPLAY AND scan
Traditional way, ink and watercolour on an archival quality paper plus a digital scanned version. I will display the portraits at the venue for everyone to enjoy during the day and then take them back with me to scan them. I will then send the portraits back to you in the next few days.
To Consider
If you are not sure what would be the best option for you please get in touch and we can talk it through.
OPTION 3
digial portraits
Digital portraits hand-drawn on my tablet. I can send them to your guests’ mobiles or an email address when finished, and upload them to an online gallery to view and download right away or later.
To Consider
If you are not sure what would be the best option for you please get in touch and we can talk it through.
Can I paint a portrait for every guest?
Please bear in mind if you have a large number of guests it’s unlikely I will be able to draw them all. From experience a lot of people love having their portrait done, but most likely not everyone will want one, and that’s ok.
Of course I always do my best to paint as many portraits as possible in the time given, but if there wasn’t enough time to do a portrait of everyone who wanted one, I am more than happy to do some additional portraits from photos later. An extra charge would be requested if it’s more than a few.
other faq
It’s one of my priorities, I don’t see much point in a portrait if the person is not recognisable.
I don’t, for several reasons. I feel the face is the most important part of guest portraits. Most of the artists that draw full body portraits often don’t draw the face at all, or opt for every face looking the same, just with different hair shape and colour, and a lot of emphasis on the clothes, which makes them more of fashion illustrations. I believe the most important thing is people are recognisable, even if you don’t know what they were wearing on the day.
The problem with drawing the whole body is there is not much space for the face (because it will be a lot smaller) and time, I will have to compromise on something – either it will need to take longer, or I have to reduce the quality.
I need somewhere to sit and have the guests I am drawing sit in front of me, the space should be reasonably lit. If I draw from photos I take of your guests, I won’t need the extra chairs for them. I also have a roll up banner that I place nearby, explaining what’s happening and inviting people to come and have their portrait done.
I don’t usually travel further than 2.5 hours (by car) for various reasons, one of them being the carbon footprint.
Please do contact me to see if I am able to cover your location, for central London venues I do try to use the train.
Please note that for venues further away than 2.5 hours journey I only accept bookings for 6 or more hours.
I don’t travel abroad.
No, never. Everything is always free-hand drawn. No tracing.
I started doing wedding sketching in 2018, but I have been drawing and painting for most of my life, from portraits to landscape, painting both from life and from photos.
Yes, I do and will provide a copy for your venue, of course (if they don’t have it already).