Weekend Workshops with Niki Groom
If you follow Niki on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/miss_magpie_spy/ you will be well aware that she is an award winning #fashion, #beauty and #lifestyle #illustrator based in #Bristol. Niki has been commissioned by many International leading brands and you’ll often find her illustrating on location at stores such as Selfridges, Harrods and Liberty.
If you follow her wonderful stories (be warned - they are incredibly addictive) you will also know that Niki spends a lot of time in her art studio with black cat companion ‘Yoda,’ but more often than not she is in a hotel or corporate event executing live portrait illustrations for attendees to treasure and take home. She is part of www.livelillustrationlondon.com a group of illustrators who specialise in live illustration. Before this successful career Niki was a fashion designer for 15 years. So she seriously knows her stuff! I’m not sure if Miss Magpie ever sleeps though...and if she does, is she drawing in her dreams? Well as we’re speaking of dreams, I’ve got the dream gig for you...
Lots of people would like to learn to illustrate in Niki’s style. ‘When are you going to run workshops?’ is one of the questions she says she is asked most! So, I am thrilled to announce Niki Groom has agreed to cross the bridge to Cardiff and spend the whole weekend with us at my lovely little studio!
Fashion lustration has been a life long passion for me. I wrote a few books to help students become better illustrators in my past life as a senior fashion lecturer, so it is a huge honour to have Niki Groom agree to run a workshop at my community art school.
If you decide to sign up, this is what you can expect. After hearing Niki’s story and getting the chance to see some of her illustration work in the flesh, you will experiment with lots of quick warm up illustrations. You will work from magazine images to illustrate quickly and build confidence in your proportions and drawing style. One of Niki’s strengths is that diversity in fashion is a key feature in all her work. It’s not all about perfect supermodels. Niki illustrates real people and real body shapes. Visit her blog to read her ”Everyone needs...” posts. They feature her reviews on popular high street brands and the garments are illustrated by Niki on three diverse models.
https://www.missmagpiefashionspy.com/new-blog/2019/5/29/everyone-needs-summer-striped-skirt-gifted
As the day moves on you will draw from garments on mannequins and build up a longer illustration. You’ll be using marker pens to replica the quick fluid illustrative style that will focus on fabric and print. Miss Magpie‘s on-brand #socialmedia content means your work may even appear on her award winning account!
So, I did mention two days of workshops and if you decide to try out the second day you get to sample some of Niki’s most recent passion #UrbanSketching You will be able to draw and sketch in the beautiful grounds of www.insolecourt.org #Cardiff under the guidance of Niki. The mansion house is simply stunning - it will be a joy to sketch (and if rain scuppers plans, you will have the excuse to move indoors to capture the beauty of the heritage rooms.)
Throughout the workshop you will have the chance to learn some quick skills and focus on the urban scenes in front of you. Through constant observation you will work through exercises to help you add windows, doorways, brickwork and foliage with ease. Eventually you will create a full sketch of Insole Court using pen and water colour. Niki has been on many urban sketching breaks to various cities overseas but she is really excited to sketch Cardiff’s Insole Court in all its splendour.
So, you can spend the day absorbing all things #fashionillustration or get down to some #urbansketching in the grounds of #InsoleCourt. Or, sign up for both and enjoy a gorgeous weekend of marker pens and water colour learning from this total legend. I, for one, cannot wait!
Cake and hot drinks will be provided in the studio. It’s a known fact that cake helps improve illustration and sketching!! True story!
To book email info@bethmorrisworkshops.co.uk There are 5 spaces left on each workshop. So be super quick if you would like to take one.
If you would like to find out anything more. Just ask. I love to chat!
Beth x
