For Samantha Schvartz, her creativity is the gift that keeps on giving.
A graphic designer and branding coordinator by profession, Schvartz is always seeking new avenues to explore her artistic skills. Her most recent is what she calls her “daisydoodles” which are live illustrations she does at events.
“DaisyDaisyink is my personalised illustration service,” she told WMN.
“Art is my first love but it is not always sustainable, so I have my 'day job.' And whilst this allows for some creativity, I craved the opportunity to draw more, so in February I started looking for a new project and came across live sketching.”
She offers her services to people who are hosting weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, showers and gender reveal parties etc.
“Because I’m a graphic designer I am able to take out the elements I need from the invitations and use them, so it completely flows through with their brand or their decor or whatever it is they would like me to use.”
On the day of the event, Schvartz, her assistant Jade Chamberlain, and her two wooden life-sized daisydoodles, the blonde Daisy Fae and brunette Maggie Mae arrive an hour before it starts and sets up a table close to the entrance in order to get guest as they are arriving. Her assistant takes photos and sends them to her.
[caption id="attachment_1093171" align="alignnone" width="819"] Samantha Schvartz recreates the outfits and hairstyles of guests at events. -[/caption]
“The guest doesn’t have to be posed or anything. I recreate their outfits and their hairstyles. If it’s a couple, both will be in the same illustration. I paint them on backgrounds which I have pre-printed to match the event's theme and host’s name, event date etc. Each one is then glittered and put into an acetate sleeve to protect it, and the guests get to leave with their bespoke keepsake.”
She said none of the images have faces, just eyes, because she tries to do as many guests a possible.
“It’s just meant to be a representation of the person.”
She said she started doing daisy doodles around Carnival time when she asked friends who were hosting parties if she could try it for free at their events.
“And they were like, ‘yeah, sure’ and that just spread the word. Then I did the TT wedding convention and honestly, the word just keeps spreading. We’re booked for the weekends for the next couple of months. I am absolutely thrilled with the way it has been going.”
Each illustration takes between five and seven minutes to do one.
[caption id="attachment_1093173" align="alignnone" width="768"] Samantha Schvartz at work on her live illustrations at an event. -[/caption]
“Generally, we stay at weddings for five to six hours, so the greatest number of guests I can do is 50. If requested, we take photos of everybody and then I complete the rest during the week after the event.”
Her price packages are based on what the host wants, and all wedding packages come with a complimentary bride and groom illustration, a bridal party illustration, and immediate family of the b
