biroboy

Craig Hepworth, or Biroboy,

is a London based portrait artist and illustrator concerned with representing the human form.

 

"My work is concerned with portraying the human figure and how it relates to the space around it. I have always had an analytical approach to mark making having also been trained in technical drawing, but it was during my time at Blackpool & Fylde college that I was exposed to the Euston Road approach to measured drawing. I was then able to explore this further during my degree at Coventry University drawing on the works of William Coldstream and especially Euan Uglow as inspiration. 

 

After graduating I began a career in visual merchandising which enabled me to be creative on a daily basis. I also see shop windows displays in the same way as a drawing (and also theatre set design, another passion of mine), in terms of how all the elements and the mannequin placement have to work together in order to create a successful window.

 

In 2014 I decided to start documenting the faces of the locals in various Tooting cafes and bars. I draw using biro in a small Moleskine sketchbook as I like the unforgiving nature of this - the people I draw are unaware I’m drawing them so capturing the constant movement in biro is definitely a challenge. I tend to crop in close on the face to make the viewer think about what the subject is experiencing and also creates a certain sense of isolation. I also regularly attend several life drawing sessions every week. For me, a drawing is considered a finished piece whether it is a 2min or 25min drawing. The art of draughtsmanship is central to my approach."

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Craig is a member of ArtCan, a charitable arts organisation that supports emerging and established artists through profile raising activities, philanthropic events and exhibitions, and is also represented by Emerge, an online contemporary gallery.

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