Hi and welcome to my website. My name is Hilary Masetti and I am an urban illustrator. Born in Leeds, I now live in Muswell Hill, North London, an area which proudly features in much of my work. I have always enjoyed art, forever searching for the next subject to draw whether as a watercolour portrait from a photograph or a still life graphite sketch. Since living in London I have been drawn to urban sketching through my love of detail and the beauty of buildings in local areas such as Muswell Hill, Crouch End and Highgate. I am always inspired by the variety of rich architecture found in all pockets of London. My main aim with all my drawings is to capture the beauty of buildings which often play a great part in people’s everyday lives.
I feel incredibly privileged to be doing what I love on a day to day basis. I really enjoy the challenge of capturing architectural detail in my drawings and the satisfaction of the finished piece which can quite often turn out very differently from what was originally planned. I learn a great deal from customer feedback and the ideas I receive from fellow artists which help me to grow and develop in my work.
The Process
I use photographic references from shots taken usually from a few different angles in good light. I firstly sketch the basic outline in pencil where measuring, composition, perspective and scale all come into play. These lines are then followed and detail is added with black ink. The final stage is adding the colour to complement the composition of the sketch. The type of surface a building has such as stone, wood and brick can set the tone of a drawing and influence the colours and media used. I use colour to show the way light hits buildings, wonderfully highlighting their beautiful architectural features.
Media
My urban drawings use both ink and watercolour/pencils or ink and brush pens and promarkers. I sell Giclee prints on premium photo rag paper (308gsm) of detailed sketches such as the Clock Tower in Crouch End, Muswell Hill Broadway and Greens of Highgate.
Originals and Giclee prints
I sell both my original artwork and also Giclee prints of my drawings. Please see my shop for further details.