Tag: Monster

1845. Upfest 2018 (86)

Octofly Art is the creation of an Italian artist called Sylvia who likes to paint monsters and creatures, and let’s face it, who doesn’t love a cuddly monster? Reading the profile of the artist in the Upfest programme, it would seem that she has only recently started using spray cans for her street pieces when previously she used to use brushes.

Octofly Art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Octofly Art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

There is a definite style here with strong clean lines and solid fills, and it is really interesting to see from the ‘in progress’ picture how she is building up the layers before adding in the outline and details.

Octofly Art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Octofly Art, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I notice that she was painting next to Stelle Confuse (Stelleconfuse) another Italian artist whose Upfest 2018 piece I have already posted on Natural Adventures.

Tea or Spray? – not entirely sure I know what she means, but surely there is only one answer to that question at Upfest.

1825. North Street

I can’t think for the life of me why it has taken me so long to post this piece. Not only is it a really great piece, it is also signed by the artist so no excuses. It is by 3rdeye, a Bristol based artist whose Upfest 2018 piece I recently posted.

3rdeye, North Street, Bristol, January 2016
3rdeye, North Street, Bristol, January 2016

This is a different take on his monsters than I am used to, being quite structured and symmetrical, where normally they are quite organic. I think the symmetry works perfectly on this set of doors. A lovely old one (January 2016) sees the light of day.

1765. Upfest 2018 (59)

This was not the main piece by Si2 (Hull Graffiti) at Upfest this year, but a lovely gift to leave behind. Si2’s wheelie bins can be found all over the place, generally wherever the artist has been. To get a utility box thrown in for good measure is an extra treat.

Hull Graffiti, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Hull Graffiti, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

Si2 has a great knack for creating deep shadows on his monster faces that give them a texture and almost 3D feel to them. The strong prime colours might also help them to stand out. You would have a heart of stone not to raise at least a small smirk on seeing these creations.

Hull Graffiti, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Hull Graffiti, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

I was not 100 percent convinced my his official piece this yer, but will need to take anothert look before writing a post about it. These are however, delightful.

1757. Upfest 2018 (51)

Another fabulous new wall for Upfest 2018 – they have done very well this year with opening up these new walls – by Bristol artist 3rdeye. This is an impressive wall but may not have had the foot-fall of other Upfest venues as it was a little off the beaten track.

3rdeye, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
3rdeye, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

3rdeye is an artist who cut his teeth on the streets as a graffiti artist in the eighties, but has since developed this further into studio work of paintings and illustrations as well as offering workshops. His rather nice website shows the full range of his work and activities.

3rdeye, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
3rdeye, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

This wall plays host to a hoard of friendly monsters set on a vibrant orange background. It is a colourful and child-like piece, and all the better for it, and I am particularly drawn to the little monster launching itself off a column which is actually a real feature of the wall of the house.

3rdeye, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
3rdeye, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

This piece amply demonstrates that street art does not have to be edgy or threatening to be great and that bright child-like ideas have great appeal. Great piece, great wall.

1743. Dean Lane skate park (168)

The first thing that grabs your attention about this work is probably the bright pink colour, characteristic of the artist Stupid Stupid Meathole. Next is the faintly grotesque character/monster of the piece, but equally memorable is the fantastic name that the artist has chosen. Always distinct and always eye-catching.

Stupid Stupid Meathole, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018
Stupid Stupid Meathole, Dean Lane, Bristol, September 2018

I haven’t posted too much of Stupid Stupid Meathole’s work, because it only appears on the streets occasionally. If I see it I will always snap it and post it because I am rather strangely drawn to it. SSM never disappoints, but may shock a little and might not be to everyone’s taste. I however am a bit of a fan as it is always great to see something a bit different…a bit imaginative.

1733. Upfest 2018 (44)

I don’t get to see very much of Guts’ work, but when I do see it I pretty much always like it. His style seems to bridge that gap between graffiti and street art and always feels a bit old-school, a good thing in my view.

Guts, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018
Guts, Upfest, Bristol, July 2018

This shutter piece features ghosts, skulls and monsters but all framed in a gentle and humorous style. The fez on the red ghost to the right of the piece really tickles me – I don’t know why. Lovely piece.

1696. The Bearpit (159)

Although he specialises in cats and dogs, Daz Cat also occasionally produces these somewhat surreal pieces that contain his styling and preferred colours and so are unmistakably his work.

Daz Cat, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2018
Daz Cat, The Bearpit, Bristol, June 2018

I’m not too sure what is happening here – monsters or mutant cats or dogs…who knows? for me there is a ‘War of the Worlds’ thing happening here, but I think that is probably my fertile imagination extrapolating the piece a little too far. Fun work from Daz Cat.

1691. Dean Lane skate park (156)

Each year in August there is an event held in Dean Lane skate park called DLH, or Dean Lane Hardcore. It is a fairly crazy affair with skaters, wild music and a lot of booze. Before the event, streetartists come down and do a bit of decorating on the ramps and walls, which ends up looking pretty good on the videos.

Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

For at least the last two years, and probably longer than that, Feek has taken on the large ramp at the bottom of the park and given it an extreme makeover. I made it to Dean Lane while he was working on the piece, but he disappeared and I never got to meet him which is a pity.

Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

The monster glaring out of the ramp is brilliantly done and suits the event perfectly his previous years piece was not dissimilar. All good work. Unfortunately, I think this year’s DLH was a bit of a wash out…you can’t skate in the rain.

Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2017
Feek, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2017

1670. Dean Lane skate park (152)

It is always a pity when a nice piece gets dogged, especially when it has only been up for a day or two. This particular collaboration between NEVERGIVEUP and Soge was a perfect piece for the curved wall in Dean Lane skate park. It also marked a return of the monster by NGU, something I’ve not seen for a few months.

NEVERGIVEUP and Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018
NEVERGIVEUP and Soge, Dean Lane, Bristol, August 2018

I had seen the Soge writing on Instagram, and it all really looked rather nice, but I guess some inferior talent had to go and goof it up. I’m all for the turnover of work, especially on ‘legal’ walls, but it is boring to see half-baked throw-ups going up over decent work. Still, we all know the (no) rules and just get on with it.

 

1620. North Street Green (12)

A wonderful collaboration between Paul Monsters and Loch Ness that has been hiding away in my archive for such a very long time. Too good to leave there, especially as I owe my debut piece to these two, Paul for all his unvelievable work on Upfest and Loch Ness for giving me my lesson in spray painting.

Paul Monsters and Loch Ness, North Street Green, July 2015
Paul Monsters and Loch Ness, North Street Green, July 2015

It is rare to see a piece by Paul Monsters these days that isn’t some kind of geometric design, and Loch Ness too has developed his technique and is favouring larger pieces these days. The two still collaborate, and I expect to see them both hard at work at Upfest.

I am writing this in advance, but by my estimate this post should be out the day before Upfest begins.

Europe’s largest street art festival begins in Bristol tomorrow, and I am (will be) beside myself with excitement. Time to prep cameras and make sure all batteries are powered up to the max. I’ll start to post images from the festival as soon as I am able, but regular followers will know that it take me about 9 months or so to work through them.