Neil Helyard

During a visit with the REAL DESIGN team, Neil Helyard rose to a challenge. After a short chat, Breon Snowdon asked Neil if he could paint him something in under an hour. Neil quickly got his paints ready and started to paint, using his pattern of painting from dark to light, working from the black point to highlighting outwards.

After 15 minutes of brisk painting, Neil started to add quick white highlights and the painting pops to life, out of the dark green, blue mix on the page a face starts to emerge and as if by magic an old man’s face starts to form – all this in front of the camera.

Within 30 minutes a beautiful character’s face adorns the page, a face in the dark. The REAL DESIGN captured this funny moment, exhibiting the raw talent Helyard possesses.