The Art of Chris Guest

Chris Guest is 36-year-old painter living in London, he creates large-scale oil paintings featuring tattooed people. We chatted to Chris to find out more about his style of work, the people he has painted and the workshops he runs… 

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Do you have a background in art? I studied illustration at Bournemouth University, and at Brunel College in Bristol.

How did you learn to paint? Other than studying illustration at uni, I’m an avid reader of art technique books, plus I do a lot of life drawing (although this isn’t painting, it does help you see things properly). With painting, you just have to practice like mad, that’s the only way to get any good – nobody picks up a paint brush for the first time and paints the Mona Lisa – you have to put the time in to develop your skills. When I first picked up oils, my paintings were awful! I also think it’s very important to constantly learn from your mistakes, I always try to think of ways that I could’ve made my work better.

Ricki Hall
Ricki Hall

 

What medium do you use? Mostly oil, although I do draw with pencil and charcoal a lot as well. Oil feels so nice to work with and is so forgiving, once you know how to use it properly. I love the history of oil, and the fact that it hasn’t really changed much in hundreds of years (pigment mixed with safflower oil). Despite all these acrylic paints you can buy, they still can’t make anything better and they’re nowhere near as nice to use. I like the idea of producing some watercolours in the not so distant future too.

Can you tell us about the exhibitions you are involved in? I will be exhibiting some pieces at this year’s London Tattoo Convention, so please check it out if you’re coming! Seeing art framed and well lit in real life is so much better than on a computer screen, as you really get to see all the brush strokes, and the scale of the work, and get an idea of what the artist was trying to convey. As well as originals, I shall also have prints available.

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Cervena Fox

 

How would you describe your style? The way I paint is quite classic in style and technique, similar to 18th century painting, but a modern subject matter, painting tattooed people. Obviously my work is quite realist, but you only need to get within a metre of it to see its quite brushy up close!

Who have you painted? Several tattooed models, probably the most well known being Cervena Fox. I’ve worked with Cervena on numerous occasions now, and feel we’ve built up a good working relationship. When we talk about what I’m looking to achieve for my next body of work, I always find Cervena gets my ideas, and really helps them come to life. When you’ve built a good working relationship and your models know you, you’re both a lot more relaxed, and it feels more like friends hanging out, rather than a work thing.

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Do you paint from photographs or real life? Both actually – there’s nothing better than painting from life, and I always find the results are more pleasing, plus its more fun. Although sometimes you don’t have the luxury of having someone sit for a four hour session, or if you’re looking to paint someone outside in a street, for example, you have to work from photos.

How long do the paintings take? Sometimes paintings just seem to work, and they feel finished and complete after a few hours. Other pieces sit in my studio for months and then get revisited, so it’s really hard to put a time scale on it. Also, due to the nature of oil paint, you have to leave a layer to dry for a few weeks before you can paint over it, so if you’re impatient, its probably better to try something else!

Do you do commissions? Of course – best thing to do is drop me an email at mrguest@hotmail.co.uk to discuss your ideas!

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Where can people buy your art? I have prints and art cards available on my website store. If it’s originals you’re after, best thing is to email me for availability, prices etc. I’ll have originals for sale at the London Tattoo Convention. I also put my work in several group shows in galleries every year, a lot of them happen to be in the US though!

Can you tell us about the workshops you do?  I currently teach a ‘painting a head from reference’ workshop, in several tattoo studios, mainly in London, and a few around the UK. It’s a great way to learn some basic techniques, as I go through colour, materials, values, stuff like that, to help you achieve good results with your painting. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a paint brush in your life, or you’re the next Rembrandt, it’s more about taking part, having fun and producing your own painting. If you’d like to attend or perhaps host your own workshop, best thing to do is drop me an email at mrguest@hotmail.co.uk for more information.

Interview with our transgender beauty shoot model

Our most recent beauty editorial ‘Vanitas’ features a transgender model, and is a slightly darker addition to The Fruity Issue, focusing on the notion of ‘forbidden fruit’ and the symbolism behind it. Our model Alex’s unusual fantasy-themed tattoos caught our eye, and we wanted to explore his masculinity in an unconventional way. We recently caught up with him to get some feedback about his first photo shoot experience, working with Things & Ink, his opinions about transgender issues in the media, and his newest tattoo.


Alex transgender beauty shoot

‘Vanitas’ features in The Fruity Issue of Things&Ink, to view the full shoot, order your copy from www.thingsandink.com. There is also an interview with Alex about his transition in The Anatomy Issue.

Photographer – Heather Shuker
Photographer’s Assistant – Warren Boyle
Art Direction –  Marina De Salis
Make-up, Hair and Styling – Adrianna Veal
Model – Alex Locke
Custom leather accessories – www.clockworkfirebird.com

When we were on the photo shoot, you mentioned that you’ve previously done a few self-styled shoots. How did you feel about being styled and photographed by someone else? It was great fun! I get nervous and second guess my style choices a lot, I’m never quite sure what will work on me and I lose a lot of time to being anxious about the possibility that a look won’t work. It was nice to be able to follow rather than lead, and to see what other people came up with – I didn’t expect the chilis, for one.

What was your favourite part of the day? It sounds cliche but I genuinely enjoyed the whole day. I did like the points where people were laughing and sharing anecdotes about all the weird moments that go into creating gorgeous photos.

Alex trans beauty shoot

The transgender topic is becoming more and more visible in the media. What do you think the media can do to help people understand transgender issues better? A lot of fear and anger comes from simple misunderstanding and ignorance of the topic of what being transgender is. I’d like there to be more ‘Trans* 101’ type posts where facts are available for people to learn about what being transgender means, and how to respect someone who is transgender.

I’d like there to be a bigger push to show the world at large, just how much violence is committed towards transgender persons and how ‘at risk’ transpersons are for simply choosing to be themselves. It would be great to have more allies out there.

Alex trans forbidden fruits

Do you have any transgender role models? I have a few, mainly people I’ve come to know through shared hobbies or interests. I never consciously looked for role models from the wider world of fame because I guess I wanted to know that people ‘like me’ could change their life path. There’s an element of not really having many ‘visible’ transgender role models in celebrity/stardom until relatively recently as well.

Have you had any new tattoos since the shoot that you would like to share? I do! I was hoping to have my newest piece done far earlier in the year, but I didn’t have the time. It was done by Barry K of Tattoo Crazy (Cambridge, UK), the artwork was drawn by Lucian Stephenson. It’s called ‘Blood on the Moon’ and it’s a combination of a lot of symbols that are significant to me. If anyone ever guesses why then I’ll personally treat them to tea. It took three hours and was done in one sitting; it’s definitely the most painful area I’ve had tattooed so far.

 

When Tattoo Culture and Fashion Collide

Our guest blogger is Jade-Bailey Dowling, fashion writer and creator of Nouvelle Noir, a blog dedicated to dark fashion. In this post she explores tattoos in the world of fashion… 

Fashion and tattoo art appear to have very little in common . While fashion is fleeting by its very nature – trends change twice a year – tattoos are a life-long commitment. Yes, there are, of course, “trends” in tattooing (take the tribal mania of the ’90s, or the current love of the mandala), but when deciding to get tattooed, you put far more thought into it than which new season shoes to purchase.

However, fashion has repeatedly looked towards the tattoo community to gain inspiration for their own craft.

Vogue

Designer Jean Paul Gaultier has repeatedly drawn inspiration from body art in his designs. His signature style originated from nautical influence, and this too included the body art and tattoos sported by sailors. While the Breton stripe was prominent in his early work, traditional Japanese style patterns were seen in the Spring/Summer 2012 collection – printed on women’s shoes and handbags, as well as earlier in the Gaultier menswear. His tattoo infatuation was enhanced further when designing the Diet Coke bottles (also in 2012), a campaign that saw Gaultier cover model Daisy Lowe in temporary body art to promote the collection.

Coca Cola

And Jean Paul Gaultier is not alone in bringing tattoo art to haute couture. In 2012, Karl Lagerfeld, creative director of Chanel, sent models down the catwalk covered in Chanel-esque temporary tattoos. Designs included pearls, the brands signature interlocking Cs and brands namesake and creator, Coco Chanel’s favourite flower, a camellia. They had been designed by the brand’s former make-up director Peter Philips, and at £45 a sheet, fashionistas could get the tattoo trend without the commitment of a lifelong addition.

Chanel

This seeming ‘tattoo trend’ looks to continue into Spring/Summer ’16, McQueen has designed a new take on the brand’s signature skull scarf to incorporate traditional flash style artwork alongside it. At £95, tattoo flash sheets become wearable in these silk scarves.

Alexander McQueen

Kate Moss is noted for having a small swallow tattoo on her wrist, but previously models, in particular female models, were discouraged from having large, visable tattoos in the fear of hindering their careers. This seems to be changing gradually, with the likes of Cara Delevingne proudly showing off her many visable artworks, including a lion on her finger. Also, at the Met Gala this year – a yearly fashion event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art by U.S Vogue editor Anna Wintour – Cara Delevingne decorated herself with cherry blossom airbrushed body art, done by New York tattoo artist Bang Bang, in keeping with the theme of Chinese Whispers: Through the Looking Glass.

W Magazine

More recently, cult shoe brand Dr Martens looked towards tattoo artistry for inspiration. Their Spring/Summer 2015 collection included shoes, satchels and dresses adorned with traditional style tattoo patterns. Similarly, for Brighton Pride 2015, Dr Martens teamed up with tattoo artists from the local area to come together for a charity raffle with prizes including shoes and bags custom decorated by local tattoo artists.

Dr Martens

Tattoos and fashion have collided in a more permanent way (forget the temporary tats) on the high street too… A few years ago, consumers could not only get their fashion fix, but they could also get a tattoo in the Metal Morphosis studio in Topshop’s flag ship store in Oxford Circus. And last year, legendary department store Selfridges had a pop-up tattoo parlour for two weeks.

Although it’s great that body art and tattoos are seemingly being more accepted into society, especially within fashion, taking inspiration from the late Yves Saint Laurent quote, perhaps trend seekers should remember that fashions fade, while tattoos are eternal.

Dark touches of surrealism… the art of Alexandra Manukyan

We can’t resist the work of Artist Alexandra Manukyan, with dark touches of surrealism it could make perfect tattoo inspiration too… 

‘Forest Awakening’, 36”x18”, oil on canvas
‘Forest Awakening’, 36”x18”, oil on canvas

 

‘Wastelands of Lament’, 40”x30”, oil on Belgian linen
‘Wastelands of Lament’, 40”x30”, oil on Belgian linen

 

“The central theme that unites all my paintings examines how seemingly separate and isolated life experiences actually disguise the extent of our individual and communal bonds,” says Alexandra Manukyan of her work. “The ‘masks’ and the accompanying identities we all assume depending on the life role we must play, obstructs the conscious mind from acknowledging what truly unites us through the isolation and chaos: our shared encounters of pain, loss, desire, and longing for serenity and acceptance. The false facades we all manufacture to adapt and belong also renders most blind and lost in a world where the meaningless has somehow become meaningful and the idea of a shared honest self devoid of hidden agendas all too infrequent.”

 

'In the Absence of All', 18x36 in, oil on canvas

‘In the Absence of All’, 18″x36″, oil on canvas