I wrote this last night, because I had a very early start this morning (1:30am) taking my daughter to Heathrow airport followed by a full day at work. The things we do! So a couple of quickies today.
Buser, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2025
This is a fun combination piece by Buser in the tunnel. I don’t recognise the character and think it might be from the artist’s imagination. The writing is of the highest order with great fills and an exceptional ice-blue drop shadow. I’ll be looking out for more from Buser.
I am used to seeing Zake character pieces that tend to be head-on round faces in a cartoon style with lots of light and shade creating depth, so this is something a little different.
Zake, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2025
The profile portrait of an androgenous person draws more on a realistic version of a character than the cartoon style I am used to from Zake. The hair, in particular (most of his characters are bald), is great to see, demonstrating that Zake is far more than simply a one-trick pony. Definitely an unusual piece from one of the most prolific artists painting in Bristol at the moment. I have updated my gallery of Zake’s work so you can see what I mean.
Mr Underbite’s appearances are few and far between these days, so it was great to find this one in one of his favourite spots recently. I’ll not make reference to the brown background.
Mr Underbite, Brunel Way, Bristol, May 2025
The Hapless character is painted in vibrant green, has his customary underslung jawline and is wearing a baseball cap for good measure. Signed MUB (Mr Underbite) and dated 2025, this is a piece without pretension or complication – what you see is what you get.
I hate to labour the point, but I am going to anyway. I don’t much care for brown paint, unless it is being used in context, for example to depict a chocolate bar or a tree trunk, but decorating graffiti writing using brown colours is, to my mind, such a waste of a good design.
Logoe, Greenbank, Bristol, May 2025
I am going to suspend my prejudice in this instance though, because Logoe has somehow made the brown colours of this piece rather attractive. His script graffiti writing is filled with layer upon layer of brown shades, set on a dark brown background. The piece is a symphony of brown, and probably because it is Logoe, I rather like it. Three Hail Marys for me.
This combination piece from Fade and Dibz is outstanding, and really ticks all my boxes. I watched them as they started painting this and knew, even when it was in draft that it was going to be an absolute blinder.
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2025
This is straight out of the black book, a sketch come to life with a clever twist and superb early Disney character. I love seeing works in progress as it shows just how unbelievably talented these artists are, and how they build the picture up into something quite magnificent.
Dibz and Fade, Dean Lane, Bristol, May 2025
The writing is by Dibz, and has a beautiful, deep 3D drop shadow, with additional shading to create perfect depth and lift. The fox character, by Fade, looks like he is reading Dibz’ black book, maybe at this actual picture, which would be a clever twist. The whole thing is set on a piece of lined paper, which adds another whole dimension to the collaboration. Bravo! Gentlemen.
My surname is from West Yorkshire, and it is such a refreshing pleasure not to have to spell it out when checking in to hotels, or confirming restaurant bookings etc. It is not a common name in the south.
I must’ve walked past this little beauty by Lis several time before I noticed it. It is heavily disguised, sitting on a larger piece, and easy to miss (obviously). I felt rather clever when I spotted it, but later realised, when looking at her Instagram feed, that it had been there for weeks.
Lis, St Werburghs, Bristol, May 2025
The heart with a sword running through it and a snake is a stunning motif, and looks like a tattoo sample. The fine work is a combination of spray paint and she used it as an opportunity to try out some small stencils. This is so typical of Lis, expanding her portfolio and improving her technique and skills.
Really quick ones today. I have to drive up to Leeds to pick my daughter up and bring her home, with loads of her stuff. Before that, we have a recycling centre (tip) trip lined up.
By now you will know I am very fond of Tian’s wheatpastes, and this is another one from his latest visit to Bristol.
Tian, Dean Lane, Bristol, April 2025
The Japanese Geisha girl is a theme he returns to often, and it is at such odds with the urban environment that surrounds it. The placement of this piece on a heavily tagged wall is near perfect.