How Scottish artist Jenny Soep became a pro at drawing concerts and live events
Björk, Patti Smith, Lauryn Hill, Simple Minds, David Byrne, Flaming Lips. The list of famous artists Jenny Soep has immortalized with her fluid ink and watercolor drawings is impressive.
The Scottish artist started drawing festivals and live events back in 2000 while studying at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee, Scotland.
“Up until that point I had either sung or danced when experiencing live music, and drawing it became another way to 'join in' the experience. I was reportage drawing every day anyway, and drawing at a concert seemed a natural progression when I already had my art materials with me.”
Soep’s interest in art and music has guided her career path as a documentary illustrator and visual artist. SInce 2016, she has been the resident artist at the yearly festival Svensk Musikvår (Swedish Music spring) in Stockholm, where she now lives.
“I create live drawings [the festival] can share on social media but also use the following year in their posters, programmes, signage, etc.”
During the Connect festival in Edinburgh last August (See Sept. 25 Sketching News Roundup), Soep created 21 ink-and-watercolor drawings from 17 concerts. Among the artists she drew as the event’s official sketch artist were boygenius, MUNA, Olivia Dean, Franz Ferdinand and Primal Scream.
I asked Soep to share insights about her experience covering festivals and the pressures of drawing live events on the spot as a professional artist.
