Our spotlight this week falls on the superb Lyndsey Smith, a Sussex-based illustrator with an interesting perspective…
The King & Queen of Fleet Street
How did you get started as an artist?
I have always been a drawer! My dad was an artist painting in oils and would encourage me to have a go. Together we loved to watch cartoons and he bought me the Disney magazine. My brother was a printer and brought me home a ream of paper when I was about 8. I would continually draw stories, page after page, and just bin them when I got to the end. Wish I had saved some!
I worked in finance and kept art as a hobby. When I had children we would all get arty together, and as the kids got older I aimed to finally pursue my dreams of being an artist. Taking A-Level Art as a mature student gave me confidence, and then I began to show work, at first as posters for the local playgroup, then donations of paintings to fundraising auctions, and finally taking part in an open house with a couple of other artist friends.
Positive support, comments and sales gave me the confidence to continue and find a style that I really enjoyed, encompassing all my interests.
Market Porter, Borough Market
What inspires you to be creative?
I have stories in my head when I am walking my dog, or wandering towns looking at buildings. I love old buildings and finding out what may have gone on before, and also researching family history. I love to try to represent all these interests with my illustrative paintings. I want them to be light-hearted and happy, with sunny skies and full of life.
How would you describe your creative process?
I love to walk and look at buildings. For example, the old streets and buildings of London. If it is suitable I may sketch, or if not I will take photographs. I research when I can, finding out stories about the building, and then I sketch it up in my book, trying to include clues to the past.
An Old Corner of Bishopsgate – initial sketch
I splash on some bright colour and try to get a balance. If I am happy with the sketch I then draw it up bigger on some good tough watercolour, I usually use heavyweight Bockingford paper, because it can take a lot of punishment.
What is your favourite medium to work with and why?
Following on from the process, I draw up with propelling pencil onto heavyweight Bockingford paper. When I am happy with the under drawing I then work over it with a permanent fineliner, such as a Staedtler or Uni Pin pigment liner. A soft rubber then removes all the pencil and leaves me with a sharp outline ready to flood with watercolour.
I use artists quality Winsor & Newton colours, heavy on French Ultramarine, Sienna and Umber, Winsor Violet and Winsor Blue, Cadmium Red and Aureolin Yellow. I love to mix colours, especially on the paper, dropping pinks and greens into roof or wall washes, and seeing the subtle changes. Bright oranges and yellows and touches of red bring the pictures to life.
An Old Corner of Bishopsgate – Finished piece
What do you find the most challenging?
Sketching on site is challenging but enjoyable. A lot of the time it is just not practical! Also, occasionally my ideas run dry and that is when it is time to just get out and have a good walk and look around, maybe sit in a coffee shop window and watch a while.
How do you differentiate your work from that of other artists?
We are all different. I have met other artists on social media that paint in a similar way to me, we have even painted the same subjects. But every painting has its creators fingerprint on it. The movement of the people, the faces, a general feel.
What are your essential tools?
As I mentioned, a cartridge sketchbook, such as Seawhite’s, usually A4 and not ring bound. Propelling pencils, pigment fineliners, Winsor & Newton watercolours – I buy tubes but let them dry in my palette and work from there. I keep the colours always in the same places so know exactly where to go.
Brushes, not expensive and in a range of sizes. Small round and 1cm flat brushes are useful, and then a bigger one for bigger washes, like skies or rooftops.
How would you describe your studio/workspace?
Messy but not too bad. When the piles get too big around my feet I have a tidy up. I work in a vacated bedroom. This only happened in recent years when my daughter went off to university so this is still a fairly new luxury to me. Before that it was the kitchen table and packing up every mealtime.
Lyndsey’s workspace
Where can our readers find out more about you?
For the last five years I have been part of an artists co-operative in Lewes, East Sussex [read more about them here]. I always have original work on show and we take part in other exhibitions. This week we are having a large anniversary exhibition at the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne.
I have a website powered by Clicpic, the cost is low and it is up to me to keep it up to date, but I have received many commissions through it. My Facebook page is another useful point of contact, and I also have a blog.
Food With Friends, Brighton