From Sketch To Shoot

I’m no Picasso or Matisse, but I do have to sketch out ideas sometimes to help a client visualise what’s in my head for a shoot. I was always artistic in school, focusing on right brain studies like art, pottery and languages as soon as I had a choice. But I was never a fine artist, unlike my brother Duncan who went to art school in New York and seems to be able to dabble in all media, but can still draw a beautifully realistic body if he has to.

My drawings are more child-like, cartoony almost, but they get the point across. I’m determined to improve my skills over the next few months as there are things I want to create, and ways I want to grow my business, that will rely on me expressing myself through drawing and design. It’s a challenge, but one I’m hoping I can rise to.

In the meantime however, the cartoonish sketches do the job. Here are a few I did for one of my clients, Primark, when planning for a homewares shoot earlier this year. After receiving their brief, I went on the hunt for a suitable location. Once confirmed, I planned each shot, deciding where in the location house it would take place, what furniture I would hire, and what product would be represented in each shot. Then I did some little doodles to present to the client, so we could all be on the same page.

Sometimes things change on the day – maybe the spot I chose to shoot doesn’t work light-wise or the photographer has a better suggestion – it’s really important to be flexible and roll with it. It is a collaboration after all, and the end goal is to make the client happy by creating the best imagery possible to sell their products. This particular shoot went pretty much according to my plan, although the location was tight and quite dark and presented various challenges. We made it work and got there in the end.

I hope you have a great weekend filled with rest, relaxation, and maybe a little sketching?

Doodles and styling by me, photography by Adrian Briscoe, floral garland by Yolanda Chiaramello, product by Primark.