One thing I wasn’t expecting on a recent visit to Silverstone, the home of British motor sport was a resident artist. I couldn’t quite believe it, but there in front of the racing car simulators and not far from a display of the Le Mans trophy was Andrew Geeson, renowned illustrator and painter. Working in the fan zone at the Silverstone World Endurance Championship weekend he was creating caricatures for a succession of amused race fans.
Flavien Glibert has his portrait drawn
Each caricature takes about four minutes, with the first quick outline sketch in crayon concentrating on the shape of the eyes and width of the face. Andrew then uses just grey and black to bring the portraits to life. Caricaturing seems a very high pressure artistic pursuit, with no whoops-better-start-agains allowed and people watching you as you work. But Geeson doesn’t just caricature. He is better known for his illustrative work on children’s books, as well as being a teacher and a watercolourist with a fluid, wet-in-wet style, examples of which can be seen here.
Flavien Glibert and Jonathan Glibert with their caricatures
On the rare occasions when I have posed for an artist I have been told within 30 seconds ‘You’re moving…You’ve moved…Stop talking…’ but Andrew sketched me without a qualm. Having worked at parties where the clientele have dined well, he works quickly and can still sketch however much you move around so there is no need to worry about staying stock still whilst he works.
The artist Andrew Geeson
You can see more work by Andrew by visiting his website or see his fine art work at AndrewGeesonArtist.com. You can even, in a hi-tech manner rarely seen in the watercolour world, take a live online painting class! More details. Here’s to more artists at sports festivals around the UK this summer!
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