The BUST London Summer Craftacular is just around the corner! We’ll be taking over York Hall in Bethnal Green this coming Sunday, June 4, from 11am to 5pm, with one helluva crafty shindig. There’s a stellar line-up of stallholders, DIY workshops and DJs, plus not one but two talented illustrators will be offering live portraits throughout the day – and they’ve got completely contrasting styles. While Viktorija Semjonova of AndSmile Studio makes watercolour portraits that are super bright and feminine, Benjamin Phillips creates monochrome masterpieces in ink.
Who will you choose? Here’s a bit about both.
AndSmile Studio
“I love drawing people,” says Viktorija. “It’s my absolute favourite subject – especially if they wear bright colours and patterns. My style is not very realistic, instead I try to capture the feeling and mood of the person and concentrate on something which I think is special about that person.
Each AndSmile Studio BUST Craftacular portrait will cost £20 per person and take 10-15 minutes. You can book a slot in the first and last hours of the day (11am-12pm and 4pm-5pm) by emailing Viktorija on andsmilestudio@gmail.com. Otherwise, just turn up!
Benjamin Phillips
“Each sitting has a different feeling,” says Benjamin. “It’s strangely intimate to really look closely at someone, especially when they are a stranger. My portraits are full-body images, so I intend to encapsulate the sitters’ style and give a sense of their aura. In family and group shots it’s also about the relationship between the sitters – whether that’s between partners in a relationship, parent and child or human and dog.”
Each Benjamin Phillips BUST Craftacular portrait costs £25 per person and takes 15-20 minutes. You can book a time slot by emailing benjyphillips@gmail.com.
