The Brothers and the Bandstand

While I produce most of my illustrations for businesses, every so often I am contacted by an individual and engaged in a private commission! These are particularly fun to work on, especially if the piece is intended as a gift, such as in the case of this illustration.

My client had the piece in mind as a gift for their brother...they shared fond memories of the bandstand at Ropner Park and played there together as kids, which would be the subject of the illustration. The emphasis would be on the architectural structure of the bandstand itself, which is, I might add, absolutely stunning.

The client and I were cautious not to let the impressive foliage of Ropner Park overpower the central image of the bandstand, so we decided to set the illustration in late Autumn, as it would provide complementary colour variation, without the background ever overwhelming the bandstand.

As the illustration was commissioned in early December, as an intended Christmas present for the client's brother, creating the desired Autumnal scene required some artistic license (and a little bit of photo manipulation!).I began by taking a suitable reference photograph of the bandstand on a rather overcast winter's day. To do this, I enlisted the help of my partner, Owen, who let me sit on his shoulders so that I could shoot the Bandstand from the angle I wanted!

Next, I loaded my photograph into Photoshop and edited it roughly, to make it appear as if it was taken in late Autumn. With a little digital trickery, I now had a suitable reference image and could begin the illustration in earnest.

It was important to me that I did the justice to the ornate details of the bandstand, many of which were unique and asymmetrical.
I for one am really happy with how this illustration came out. The client was delighted with the illustration and couldn't wait to give it to his brother for Christmas.

I offer the very best in bespoke landmark and building illustrations. If there is a location that you or a loved one have fond memories of, it could be the perfect gift to have a one-of-a-kind illustration commissioned.

“I became aware of Abby’s work after reading about her restoration of the the Green Dragon Yard Mural in Stockton-on-Tees. After seeing further images displayed on her website, we discussed her carrying out a commission for me.

Abby is an exceptionally talented artist and a consummate professional. We spoke several times throughout the commission, and she captured exactly what I envisaged in terms of season, tones and colours, to create a beautiful image of Ropner Park Bandstand.

I would highly recommend working with her.”

If you have a commission in mind, perhaps of a special location or your home, just get in touch to discuss!