Tag: Colour

5641. River Avon (54)

Raid, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023
Raid, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023

I find it hard to believe that I have only posted 54 pieces from the walls that run alongside the River Avon, but that is perhaps a measure of the task I have set myself. I would guess that I photograph between 20 and 40 new pieces every week, but have the capacity to post a maximum of 21, more commonly 14. As you can see, there is a large deficit, which is actually considerably larger than that, because there will be many pieces that I don’t find at all. Notwithstanding this challenge, I shall continue to push that bolder up the hill, because I enjoy it.

Raid, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023
Raid, River Avon, Bristol, October 2023

Raid has been a little quieter than when I first became aware of his work, but is still turning out some lovely pieces from time to time. This piece stands out with its big bold letters and super colour scheme. It is interesting how some colour combinations really stand out, such as orange and green as in this piece, pink and light blue (the colours of the 2023 season) and black and red. Everything about this piece has been done well. Great letter shapes, lovely fills which are interesting but not over-busy and a well worked drop shadow and neat border. All in all, this is a very tidy piece from Raid.

5622. St Werburghs tunnel (391)

Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023
Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023

Klashwhensober is a force of nature, and his painting is his ‘rock’ in a turbulent environment. Over the last couple of years his work has been leaning towards quantity rather than quality (painting is what makes him happy), but recently I have noticed that that balance has shifted and he is starting to turn out some outstanding pieces, but fewer of them.

Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023
Klashwhensober, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2023

This is a wonderful and colourful piece at the farm end of the tunnel, spelling out SOBER. The letters each have an individual colour, with quite a lot of blended fills going on. The drop shadow is tidily done and lifts the letters from the wall a little. at the right hand end Klashwhensober has painted a sword, which is cutting into the letters. It looks like Klashwhensober has spent a little bit more time on this piece and has finished it off with care and attention. I like this more focussed approach from Bristol’s most prolific artist.

5596. Cheltenham 2023 (15)

N4T4, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
N4T4, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023

A favourite artist of the paint festival circuit is N4T4, who has been a feature of Upfest and Cheltenham posts on Natural Adventures for a few years now. His portrait pieces are always beguiling and beautifully crafted – I have only good things to say about his work.

N4T4, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023
N4T4, Cheltenham Paint Festival, Cheltenham, July 2023

This was actually N4T4’s second piece at this year’s festival, the other one, which I have ready posted was a stunning goldfinch. In this piece you can just about make out the patterns on the woman’s face, that add texture and complexity to the portrait. The patterns from the face overspill into the surrounding orange and red decorations. Lots of swirls and blended colours give away this piece as a work by N4T4. A fabulous festival piece.

5551. Dean Lane skate park (647)

Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2023
Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2023

When Ceus moved to Bristol, sometime in 2021, it was a day to celebrate. His fresh and invigorating pieces have brightened up Dean Lane no end, and his unique style has now become part of the furniture, particularly in this spot.

Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2023
Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2023

Ceus tends to use a full colour palette, mixing and blending the colours he selects with great skill , such that they bleed from letter to letter, and by using some contrasting black and white edging creates fabulous depth. This particular piece is beautifully framed in two corners with a cloudy, white straight edge. This is an altogether outstanding piece from Ceus.

5532. Brunel Way (233)

Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023

Mr Draws appears to have found a new energy this summer, which is great to see, and he has been painting both his writing pieces and some interesting studies, mostly linked to nature. This is a colourful piece, notable mainly for its wonderful patchwork of fills.

Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, August 2023

If I were to categorise Mr Draws’ work I would call it right out of the ‘Bristol School’ of street art. His style and that of others, like the PWA crew and RAW, is a stamp that, while not unique to Bristol, definitely belongs in Bristol. The colour fills appear to be random, not following any particular pattern, but have a freedom that lightens any intensity. A piece that is easy on the eye and full of positive vibes. Off to catch some more fish today.

5308. Brunel Way (210)

Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023

I had a nice chat with Mr Draws over the weekend in this exact spot while he was buffing over this piece in preparation for a new one. At least he was going over his own work – how often does that happen?

Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023
Mr Draws, Brunel Way, Bristol, June 2023

The bright colours in the letters and background have a hint of confection about them, almost good enough to eat. The whole thing calls out jelly to me, but I think that that might just be me. I know that Mr Draws wasn’t too happy with the neon pink colour, as it seemed to strip away the paint beneath. My advice is to steer clear from the neon colours, they are tricky and in the sunlight they decompose really quickly.

4915. M32 roundabout J3 (441)

Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2022
Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2022

I have a feeling that Taboo is a modest artist. He is difficult to pin down on social media, and when I have seen him comment on his own work, he is quite critical of it (I remember writing about this in a post from some time ago). He keeps going though, turning out his own unique brand of anti-graffiti style pieces.

Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2022
Taboo, M32 roundabout, Bristol, December 2022

This is a technicolour beauty from Taboo full of interest and detail woven into the TABOO letters. On first inspection, it might appear to be a little untidy, but it is in face very nicely crafted and the fills lines and borders are on-point. This is an accomplished piece from a very good artist, who I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting… it will happen eventually. A fabulous Christmas present.

4592. Upfest 2022 (32)

I think it is fair to say that some of the Upfest pieces are much more memorable than others. Some you really want to photograph and some others you forget that you even saw them until you review your pictures. This is definitely one of those memorable ones.

Mister Samo, Upfest 22, Bristol, Bristol, May 2022
Mister Samo, Upfest 22, Bristol, Bristol, May 2022

The bright piece is by Mister Samo, who I have not encountered before but who has a really interesting biography in the Upfest programme as follows:

Samo is a Portsmouth based trans artist, public speaker, and activist who focuses on intersectional gender identity and community. Highlights include painting at World Pride 2019, producing I EXIST (a trans bodies art book), founding an LGBTQ+ safe space scheme, and having his works collected by people across the world.

Mister Samo, Upfest 22, Bristol, Bristol, May 2022
Mister Samo, Upfest 22, Bristol, Bristol, May 2022

There is something very appealing about the piece and without doubt it demands to be looked at. The stylised yellow figure set on the blue and pink background stands out a mile, but as well as the bold colours, the finer details are what make the piece rather special, such as the hand and the beautifully drafted flowers. A very nice piece from Mister Samo.

4564. St Werburghs tunnel (301)

Two artists that you could probably set your watch by are Face 1st and Mr Draws – both produce pieces with reassuring regularity, providing some stability and reference points in this topsy-turvy world.

Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2022
Mr Draws, St Werburghs, Bristol, June 2022

This piece is quite typical of Mr Draws’ work, although it feels a little bit laterally compressed, he usually likes to spread his letters out a little more. If this was by a different artist, I might describe it as a ‘dregs’ piece, meaning that it was an opportunity to finish up almost empty cans. However, Mr Draws loves to use lots of colour in his pieces, so this might simply be a joyful burst of colour.

4234. Dean Lane skate park (460)

I simply had to dig this piece out of my archive because I was lucky enough to meet the artist, Ceus, earlier this week painting a new wall very close to this one in Dean Lane. I was not alone in struggling to find out who the artist was, but now the riddle, from last October, is solved. It turns out that Ceus is another Spanish street artist. He lives in Bath and doesn’t have much time to paint as he has a very busy life in the restaurant business. A nicer bloke you couldn’t wish to meet.

Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2021
Ceus, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2021

This piece is a real stunner, and it was such a shame not to be able to post it last year, but good things come to those who wait. Ceus is a really talented artist, as this piece demonstrates, and the burst of colour on a white background works exceptionally well. It is obvious now to see that the letters spell out CEUS… hindsight is a wonderful thing. I like everything about this piece, and it is a nice warm-up for the piece he painted this week, which I have to return to before it gets painted over. A gem.