What’s it like Live Illustrating at the Classic Car Boot Sale?

When I'm carting an A1 size piece of foam board around with me, people largely ignore me.

It's when I start drawing on it that it draws a crowd. Especially as it's the crowd that I'm usually drawing.

Sometimes when I look up to check on a detail, I see a crowd of photographers peering back at me. It's actually quite nice and I've been researching Instagram for posing and smiling positions.

On the occasion in these photos here, I was at the Classic Car Boot Sale in Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross London. It was great!

I knew there would be lots to see and lots that I would want to draw- so how did I go about it?

First of all I had a wander around the whole place (wearing my shopping blinkers so that I wouldn't be distracted by the fabulous clothes and accessories on offer). Next I sought out the biggest Statement Pieces that would be instantly recogniseable - in this case the bloomin great big red beer-dispensing bus. So I sketched that (very childishly with a big fat Posca) in the top left corner, and drew the Vinyl Pop Up below it.

I only let myself choose one car to focus on, the blue MG, but somehow a vintage VW and an orange Escort got in there too.

Then I popped in my favourite, Lily the Pink Triumph motorbike from Agent Provocateur. Divine.

When all the outlines were done, I went in search of people. I was spoilt for choice! I sketched them in quickly as I stood before them and took a quick reference pic.

The outline of the main features is complete

Then I retreated to an abandoned gazebo for an hour or so to do the colouring in. That’s quite a relaxing part and I enjoyed hiding out behind the big bus and chatting with a security guard. It turns out the gazebo wasn’t abandoned, it was the Security Guards’ rest area but they kindly let me stay.

All the colours are blocked in and I’m resting in the (not) abandoned gazebo.

After I’d finished colouring in, it’s time for another one of my favourite parts- wandering about adding structure and details with my darling brush pen. This bit gets me lots of attention because people can see how it has all come together and it looks a lot more impressive when the details are added.

My finished drawing is propped up against the original signpost.

Sometimes I’ll get a last-minute request to add someone to the scene, and I always try to fit them in.

In this case it’s lovely Sinead who’s the last person to be added. See if you can zoom in and spot her on the drawing!

How do I create the whole scene? I honestly don’t know. I have no idea how it will look when I start. It must be something to do with Noticing- Choosing- Memorising-Transferring Info Down Arm Into Hand- Drawing a Bit- Looking Up- Noticing etc and so the cycle starts again.

What will I do with it now? I have had some interest from people wishing to buy it, which I’m considering. I could create some prints from it and approach the organisers of the Classic Car Boot Sale.

Why did you do it? For fun and for publicity. It certainly worked! I had my photo taken multiple times and added loads of people to my Insta.

What’s next? I’m going to pop up somewhere else with my giant piece of foam board very soon!

And also buy some Posca pens in different colours. Anyone know where there’s a sale on?