Season's Greetings!

Season's Greetings and wishing you all a fabulous fun-filled holiday!

After a very busy (and enjoyable) time working with pre-Christmas art and entertainment events, I am now finding the time to do everything else and enjoying that too!

Magical November Walk

A misty sun sets behind the giraffe tree.

Catwalk Caricatures - Drawings as Caricaturist at Charity Fashion Shows & Corporate Events North East UK

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Here in the North East UK we have many Charity Ball events to raise money for good causes. Many of these include Fashion Shows, and there always seem to be plenty in the run up to Christmas. 

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As well as drawing caricatures of the guests at these Charity Ball events, when they arrive and are milling around in the bar and lounge area, or are seated around their tables, I draw what I call 'Catwalk Caricatures' of the models as they parade down the catwalk in their finery.

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Sometimes they are professional models. At other events they are local people, or celebrities such as footballers from a regional team.

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These Charity Events and Corporate Events are always fabulous occasions and I love to be present as the official caricaturist to draw the guests and models.

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When creating the caricatures of the models I tend to draw the whole person, whereas for guests it is usually just the head and shoulders.

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Whether head and shoulders caricatures or full length caricatures, I have to be very quick! Each caricature of a still person takes around 3 - 5 minutes, and I have to be even speedier with the models as they are striding down the catwalk!

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With caricatures it is the person's face that is particularly important - to get a 'likeness' yet stylised or 'cartoonised'. This differs from fashion drawings where the focus is on the garment. With my Catwalk Caricatures I try to do a bit of both! Sometimes it is difficult to see the model's face too well as they zoom past often at quite a distance away. On other occasions they stand and 'pose' for a while which makes it easier!

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Challenging ...

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Interesting ...

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And always different.

I love my work!

A few moments of sylvan solitude!

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As you know I absolutely love my work. I love meeting all the people at the events where I draw glamicature caricatures and cut silhouettes, and the variety of work activities is so interesting and stimulating. And in the midst of all this busyness, I also cherish a few moments of sylvan solitude!

Last week I visited the Durham University Botanic Gardens, and how beautifully the Himalayan birches shone in the early evening light. They seemed to raise their slender branches in a dance of the dusk.

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The conifers rose like majestic towers and there was a magical feeling that somehow combined excitement with tranquility.

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'Spookicatures' Caricatures North East Hallowe'en fun!

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Here in the North East UK we love our Hallowe'en parties and events where there is spooky fun for all the family. Time to get my witches hat, cape and face paints out.  As a caricaturist I go all over the North East doing caricatures as part of the entertainment at events ranging from family fun days to corporate events to parties, so Hallowe'en is a busy time. (I've not done a Hallowe'en themed wedding yet - but one day maybe!) People love to be drawn in their fancy dress outfits, (or or as spooky characters), and I have named these caricatures 'Spookicatures'.

Going for a test drive on my broomstick - out of practice!
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Converted to Yorkshire Tea!

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Motorcycle racer Guy Martin drinking a brew of Yorkshire Tea - Caricature by Ingrid Sylvestre

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I recently watched motorcycle racer Guy Martin for the first time on TV. What an amazing personality! Not only does he race in such events as the Isle of Man TT races, he has also had a TV series about breaking various records such as riding a motorcycle on water. And he drinks Yorkshire Tea.

I thought I would try it too - the Yorkshire Tea that is, not the motorcycling. I'm totally converted! Best brew ever ...

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Teatime for plants!

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Not wanting to waste even a drop, I save the used teabags and feed the contents to my plants. They've never looked better!

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Giraffe with teabags and spring onion ends

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Other things you can do with used teabags - photograph them with some spring onion ends and an old sock and use Photoshop to make a giraffe sock puppet. (A lot less messy than sticking the actual teabags to a sock!)

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Raph G. Neckmann enjoying a brew of tea

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Raph G. Neckmann has always been partial to a good brew of tea - I will have to find a way of getting some Yorkshire Tea across to Camelopardalis Constellation and see what he thinks of it!

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Dahlias give Durham artists inspiration!

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Walking around Durham after attending a Wedding Fair last weekend, I was entranced by the planting scheme up on Palace Green by the Cathedral. Dahlias in the most brilliant hues of magenta and pink shining like jewels amidst their dark foliage, nestling in a sea of silvery white. I love the way the petals have gradients of colours from cool magenta to warmer pinks all in such luminosity.

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And what are these striking colours? Oh the bold brilliance of those reds! Magenta, pink ... and RED??? Would one wear those colours together? (I may try!) But the red echoes the ruby-tinged centres of the dahlias and turns what could be a clash of colours into a dazzling display. The eye constantly wanders from cool magenta to hot red to dark background and silvery highlights - enchanting!

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The mellow stone wall in the background adds a touch of warm tranquility as the sun slowly goes down, and we walk on, inspired.
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3D Pop up Christmas Cards - an unusual activity for a sunny Autumn afternoon!

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Sitting outside in the mellow September sunshine surrounded by multitudes of 3D Christmas cards is my idea of a distinctive day! It sounds rather quirky and whimsical, but it is actually a very busy time of year for card orders and I'd rather be working outside in the fresh air than indoors.

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Birds sing among the trees - an appropriate background as I pack my Wildlife range of  squirrels, swans, stags and foxes - though it is more rare to see penguins and polar bears here in our North East UK landscape!

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We do have plenty of garden sheds though - both in gardens and allotments ...

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Personally I prefer to leave thinking about Christmas until around mid December - but retailers displays begin very soon, and for those in search of the ideal Christmas card for a loved one, I guess one cannot start too soon. Three-dimensional cards are often marketed as luxury Christmas cards, the kind of 'bring-out-every-year' collectible cards that become Xmas decorations.

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There is a lot of work involved in creating 3D cards. Each card is a highly intricate piece of paper engineering. From the original theme, for instance, a Victorian market encircled by a Christmas wreath, I have to design not just the visual look of the card,  but also ensure the components fit together for it to look good flat in the package as well as fully popped open. The cards are fitted together using tab and slots, interlocking to make a fully three dimensional Christmas card. A fraction of a millimetre out, and it won't stand up!

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Once the paper engineering has been worked out, I work on detailed paintings in water colour - usually 4 or 5 separate paintings for each card, which all have to be scanned and printed, then die cut. And then assembled ...

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The cards featuring Christmas wreaths such as the Whimsical Woodland range or the Traditional vintage style range are the most complicated. The Fairy Christmas Tree was also quite a creative challenge as it has a squarish structure that can be seen from lots of angles, so there has to be a point of interest from each view and lots of little scenes built into one..

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I love to sit surrounded by all the cards. It's like being in a winter wonderland - yet basking in the golden autumn sunshine. I hope it is as warm in December! 

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You can view all the 3D Christmas cards by visiting my Greeting Cards site.

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Durham artists North East UK Ingrid Sylvestre Art
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A Surprise Plant Nursery at North East Wedding Venue Ramside Hall!

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My wedding entertainment work as a caricaturist and silhouette artist takes me to luxury wedding venues all over the North East. One such is the Ramside Hall Hotel in County Durham, which has also become one of my favourite places for eating out.

Having been there hundreds of times, I was amazed last week to discover a gorgeous little plant nursery tucked away in the grounds! How could I have missed it?

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Oh what bliss to wander round in the early evening sun! There is a magical feel to the place.

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Stepping through the tall trees is like entering a fairytale world with thatched cottage, little paths winding over bridges, by a stream and past fascinating groups of potted plants. An enchanting wonderland!

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Glimpses of a round ruby-red flowerbed entice the eye - a jewel among the luxuriant greens.

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Feathery acers drape their scarlet leaves across masses of darker foliage and old stonework.

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Even the rows of plants for sale are as much part of the artistry of the place, blending seamlessly into the overall composition.

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I wander around slowly, revelling in the atmosphere of this enchanting little plantsmans paradise.

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More about Ramside Hall Hotel to follow ...

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 Ramside Hall Hotel grounds photo by Ingrid Sylvestre North East Artist and Entertainer Caricatures and Silhouettes for Wedding Entertainment Parties Proms Conferences Corporate Events Entertainment Northeast UK County Durham Newcastle upon Tyne Sunderland Middlesbrough Teesside Northumberland Yorkshire

Mysterious Secret Gardens at Ushaw College in County Durham

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In the beautiful countryside beyond Durham City a mysterious secret garden is hidden.
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Although overgrown, the flower borders still curve enticingly beyond the weathered stone steps.
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Golden sunlight illuminates the mossy paths, beckoning us to explore beyond rounded bushes and tall trees.

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Framed by foliage, old buildings form an imposing backdrop.
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Incongruous against the seemingly deserted old buildings, a bright blue bus waits ... but no passengers appear.
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Founded in 1808 as a seminary for training Catholic priests until it closed in 2011, Ushaw College is now used by the University of Durham.

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The stone structures in the image below were for a unique sport named 'Cat', played by the priests at Ushaw College.
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Now all is still, with the silence broken only by cawing of rooks overhead and the rustling of leaves as you step carefully through these mysterious and beautiful gardens.

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North East artist Ingrid Sylvestre County Durham Newcastle upon Tyne Sunderland Middlesbrough Teesside Northumberland North Yorkshire Artists English Romantic Landscape Paintings English Painters Illustrations UK Illustrators Commissioned Paintings and Artwork Ingrid Sylvestre North East Entertainment UK Ingrid Sylvestre North East UK Artist.

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 To read news updates on Ingrid Sylvestre's Arts & Entertainment activities, please click here to visit Ingrid Sylvestre News & Events

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Busy Summer of Wedding Entertainment in the North East!

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North East Wedding Entertainment ideas - Glamicatures TM Party caricature that make you look your best! Northeast wedding entertainment Live entertainment Northeast Newcastle upon Tyne Dounty Durham Sunderland Northumberland Corbridge Hexham Teesside Darlington North Yorkshire Northallerton Luxury Weddings Entertainment Northeast.

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This has been a busy summer for me as an artist entertainer at weddings around the North East. I thought I would create a post here showing the kind of work I am doing - this is one of the things that has been keeping me from gardens, gardening and blogging about gardens!! 

Weddings are as plentiful as always and for brides & grooms looking for interesting and unusual wedding entertainment ideas my Glamicature TM caricatures and silhouette cutting provide something unique and entertaining too..

Over the years of creating caricatures at events, I have developed a style of caricatures that I have named Glamicatures TM. Having spoken with many clients who were apprehensive about being caricatured particularly because of previous experiences of caricatures which made them feel unattractive, I decided to create drawings that flatter clients, and are both amusing and glamorous!

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The elegant art of silhouette cutting goes back in history and has lost none of its charm today. A simple black silhouette can capture so much of the sitter - which is all the more surprising in that it only takes around 3 - 5 minutes to cut! Using small scissors, each silhouette is cut out of specialist black coated paper, which entertains the onlookers and provides the sitter with a unique memento of the special occasion.

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A selection of Glamicature TM caricatures

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Wedding caricature of bride & groom

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Weddings North East Wedding Entertainment ideas Northeast UK Wedding Caricatures and Silhouettes Ingrid Sylvestre

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Office Christmas Party Entertainment Durham North East UK Christmas Entertainment Party Caricatures and Silhouettes Unique Party Entertainment Newcastle upon Tyne Ingrid Sylvestre

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Unique Wedding Entertainment ideas Durham North East UK throughout the UK Glamicature TM caricatures that make you look good Unique Wedding invitations and wedding stationery with your silhouettes. Unusual wedding entertainment ideas Newcastle upon Tyne Northumberland Luxury Weddings High end entertainment.

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Great fun ideas for enterteinment during wedding reception! Unique ideas for different wedding reception entertainment. Wedding event ideas for entertainment. Wedding planning ideas. Wedding day entertainment ideas.
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Cheekicatures TM

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For those wedding clients and guests who prefer a slightly more 'insulting' caricature, I have developed Cheekicatures TM.

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Some clients ask me to give them a bit more hair ... the results are usually highly amusing and a little more than expected!! 

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A Selection of Wedding Silhouettes

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I cut simple silhouettes 'on-the-spot' at weddings and other events for which I use specialist black coated silhouette paper which has a very fine grain. Each silhouette takes around 3 - 5 minutes to cut - fascinators and elaborate hairstyles take longer than smooth hair.

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Digitally Mounted Silhouettes

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Unique Wedding ideas Unusual Wedding Entertainment ideas UK Bespoke Wedding stationery Unique Wedding stationery Luxury Wedding invitations Unique Weddings UK Bespoke Wedding ideas UK Ingrid Sylvestre Unique Wedding keepsakes UK

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As an additional service for an extra fee, I can scan the individual silhouettes that I have cut at the event and digitally arrange them into a border or 'frame', which is emailed to the client and which they can print and/or use online.

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For this I have designed a range of digital 'frames' and borders with decorative finishes. Hearts are a popular traditional shape and clients can ask for colour schemes of their choice.

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Clients can ask for the silhouettes of their guests to be arranged around their own silhouettes as a unique memento of their special day.
Luxury Wedding Entertainment ideas UK North East Newcastle upon Tyne County Durham Northumberland Yorkshire Unique Weddings ideas Unusual Wedding Entertainment UK Top class Wedding Entertainment ideas UK Luxury Wedding Breakfast ideas, Luxury Wedding Reception Entertainment ideas, Luxury Wedding Evening Entertainment ideas Ingrid Sylvestre Silhouettes and Glamicature TM Caricatures.

I thoroughly enjoy all these aspects of my artwork - it is inspiring to work among groups of people all celebrating special occasions and to have the priviledge of creating art for them.

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Wedding Entertainment North East Wedding Entertainment Ideas North East Wedding Ideas North East Wedding Entertainment Newcastle upon Tyne Wedding Entertainment Durham Wedding Entertainment Northeast Sunderland Wedding Entertainment Teesside Caricatures and Silhouettes Caricature Artist and Silhouette Cutter Ingrid Sylvestre UK

 To read news updates on Ingrid Sylvestre's Arts & Entertainment activities, please click here to visit  

Ingrid Sylvestre News & Events