Live Drawing - Pub Guys


A doodle of some guy I met in the The John Hewitt bar in Belfast. More doodles of his mates below:

Thriftway 2013


Mukesh Sharma asked me to come along to the Thriftway 2013 Christmas party at the Crumlin Road Gaol. Above and below you can see a selection of cartoons I did of the attendees during the proceedings.

Civic Conversation, Belfast


The above pencil and pen sketch with colour is my interpretation of the below:

Peace Journalism Workshop


I had the enjoyment of attending the Peace Journalism workshop during the day of Friday November 29, covered by Alan in Belfast here. He wrote on Slugger O'Toole:
"The phrase “peace journalism” was found wanting by organisers and delegates alike at today’s workshop in Belfast. Partly because the journalistic ethics that apply to conflict equally apply to peace (and every other situation), and also because Northern Ireland may be on a transition between conflict and peace, but it’s definitely not yet altogether post-conflict. 
The main speakers (Deaglan de Breadun, Mike Gilson, Jane Morrice and Malachi O’Doherty) and panellists (Laura Haydon, Alex Kane, Lyra McKee and Julia Paul) all had differently nuanced articulations of the role of individual journalists (and media organisations more generally) in covering conflict and peace, and differing notions of what constituted truth, justice and public interest."
Check out my cartoons from the day above and below:

Arts Council NI, Creative Learning and Discovery Day

  

On Wednesday 6 November 2013 I had the eminent pleasure and privilege to attend the Arts Council Northern Ireland staff and client day out to W5 at the Odyssey in Belfast as the rapportage illustrator. My brief was to capture events and to produce a cascade of illustrative candour. It still fascinates me, that we have the most unimaginable photographic and camera technology at our finger tips, yet men, women and children are awe-struck by the artist that can translate the fluid moment into a material object. It was this irresistible draw and awe to the almost-magical that first drew me into this area of cartooning people. 

What was extra special was that I was given the opportunity to showcase my drawings from the morning during the afternoon session. They say that imitation is the surest form of flattery. For me as a cartoonist, laughter if the finest form of compliment, because then you know you've captured the person and added a humorous extra. So let it be said, there were plenty of laughs. Taking to the podium also gave me the chance to talk about my morning's work and to also share my journey or "pilgrimage", as Grayson Perry calls it, from being an aspiring lawyer to artist.

Below you will see a selection of cartoons which I produced during the event of the various speakers. Hope you enjoy and please contact me on brianjohnspencr@gmail.com if you would like me to come to your event!

Live Drawing with Ian Knox


I had the great honour of drawing with the Northern Ireland treasure Ian Knox at the Black Box Belfast during the Belfast Comedy Festival. My blog post with photos of Ian Knox here. Check out above and below some images of me drawing with my great cartooning hero Ian Knox!

Culture Night, Belfast


Below are a selection of photos from my evening of live cartooning at Culture Night in Belfast. Also shown here

'Drink And Draw' At Loft Belfast (8.x.13)


Below you will find a selection of images from an evening of Life Drawing on August 8 2013 at Loft Studios, Belfast.