Tag: Dean Lane

3387. Dean Lane skate park (372)

There is just enough time to squeeze in another post from Turoe featuring one of his end-of-year “shite year” pieces before this trying 2020 finally comes to an end. The pain has been relentless, but I have a sense that things will start to ease for all of us over the coming months. Scars will be left, and we will never forget 2020, but we will move on, and it will pass… we need to make time and space to turn our attention to more pressing (yes more pressing) issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

This one from Turoe in Dean Lane is another very nicely crafted burner, and there is absolutely no doubting Turoe’s talent. I have noticed that one of the No Frills (crew) trademarks is these bubble backgrounds, which several other members also use. I feel that these “shite (shyte)” pieces will act as a reminder for archivists, when we review 2020 in years to come.

3379. Dean Lane skate park (371)

I haven’t seen too many of these TESs over the last few months, and the ones I have seen have been ‘quick ones’ in the main, so stumbling across this one at Dean Lane was something of a treat.

Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Slim Pickings, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

I know the artist as Slim Pickings (after an old Instagram handle) but many call him Tes, based on the letters he writes. This has all the features you’d expect; perfect shapes for his letters and a thick solid fill, a beautiful 3D shading in gold set on a pink ‘cloudy’ backdrop. The white spots and bright green drips add the finishing touches. This is a classy piece.

3371. Dean Lane skate park (370)

I feel that DJ Perks is a little under-represented in Natural Adventures, but that might be because I don’t get down to L Dub as often as I’d like to where he tends to do most of his pieces. Every once in a while he comes to Dean Lane and treats us with one of his ‘PERKS’ works.

DJ Perks, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
DJ Perks, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

This is a really nicely done piece with thin sharp lines around the edges of his letters. I’d be interested to know what cap he uses to get such fine lines. The horizontal fill is looking really good with two tones separated with a blue line with a bit of a cloud effect going on. This is accomplished writing and shows how much DJ Perks is improving with each new piece.

3369. Dean Lane skate park (369)

These tight collaborations from Dibz and Shade One are becoming something of a feature in Dean Lane this year, and it has been a genuine privilege to see and photograph them.

Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Dibz and Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

The precise graffiti writing from Dibz paired with the stylised portraits from Shade One have a crispness and professional look about them. The walls are always nicely prepped and the work carefully done.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

On the left, the black and white writing from Dibz is so sharp and painted to appear like a sticker, along with all the surrounding ‘shout outs’. Note the little fold over on the far left, a trick repeated in the top right-hand corner of Shade One’s contribution.

Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Shade One, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

Shade One creates these amazing portraits that have a sophisticated comic book feel about them. What lies behind those eyes? I love the shirt collar too. Overall another excellent production from this pairing.

3364. Dean Lane skate park (368)

Mr Draws continues to experiment and try new things, which is one of the reasons I love his work. His writing is perhaps less conventional than some writers in Bristol, but it has a freedom and joy about it, an unpretentiousness if you like.

Mr Draws, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020
Mr Draws, Dean Lane, Bristol, December 2020

I like the way the colours overlap from one letter to the next and the random positioning of the letters adds interest. Great colours, simple and effective. Always great to see work from this Bristol legend.

3326. Dean Lane skate park (367)

At the far end of the bowl in the skate park is this fantastic illustration piece by Squinty. I’ve not come across the artist before, but this is a real beauty in a style that you don’t see in Bristol all that often.

Squinty, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020
Squinty, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020

In his Instagram profile, Squinty describes himself as an artist, film maker, graffiti artist and illustrator. He describes this piece as a quick throw up. How can that be? This is a lovely piece and I’d love to see a whole ton more from the artist.

3321. Dean Lane skate park (366)

Technically first-class and exactly what you’d expect to see from Elvs, this is a lovely recent one in Dean Lane skate park. Although Elvs lives in Wales, he makes the trip over to Bristol on a remarkably regular basis and that can only be good for Bristolians.

Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020
Elvs, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020

I was going to write that this is classic Elvs, but I guess that pretty much every piece he paints is classic Elvs. That doesn’t mean to say he is a one-trick pony, far from it, but he does have a style and method that he tends to stick to. Horizontal fills in warm colours are broken up by fine detail lines in black at the top and white at the bottom. The 3D shadows are also horizontally split with black at the top and blue underneath. Same basic framework with innovative detail. Nice work from Elvs.

3307. Dean Lane skate park (365)

In have recently taken a couple of excursions into my archive (I have so much unposted material from earlier this year it is insane) and on one such search I found this lovely piece by Stivs at Dean Lane skatepark on the swimming pool wall.

Stivs, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 22020
Stivs, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 22020

At this particular spot, the high railings make taking front-on photographs rather tricky, but it is possible to get pictures from the side. This lovely piece from Stivs adopts his calligraphy style but in this case with fatter letters that have been filled with horizontal colour stripes and a silhouetted landscape/cityscape running through the middle. A very nice piece.

3304. Dean Lane skate park (364)

Always tight, always pretty near perfect. I can’t think of a Dibz piece that hasn’t been meticulous in both design and execution, and if there are any I’ve yet to see them. This is yet another superb piece from Dibz in Dean Lane (his favourite spot) from a week or two back.

Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020
Dibz, Dean Lane, Bristol, November 2020

In most cases, Dibz buffs the wall first to ensure there is a focus on his wildstyle writing. The day glow green and pink colours stand out on the blue wall, and the design is simply outstanding. Dibz is an artist with a plan and he paints his plan and he does it well. A fine work.

3296. Dean Lane skate park (363)

I haven’t seen a piece by Turoe for quite a while and I understand that his absence may be attributed to a recent illness. Whatever the cause of his absence he makes reference to it with the words ‘back from the dead’ at the bottom right hand side of the piece.

Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020
Turoe, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2020

Turoe has painted a reasonably uncomplicated piece although it has a real feel of a Slim Pickings TES piece, especially the two ovals at the start of the T and the fills drips and letter shading. Both artists belong to the No Frills crew so it is no surprise that their styles impact on one another. Welcome back Turoe.