About

Hi, I’m Francesca,

A female illustrator who operates pretty analog; each of my signature line-drawings are created by hand using my traditional nib, dipping ink and wonky ink-spattered pallet. I work from my North East London studio creating contemporary line drawings of nudes, foods and city life.

The paired-back style that I work in abstracts the silhouette and uses the absence of line to suggest form; I leave it to the spectator to fill in the gaps, interpreting the missing spaces as they feel right. This makes the final outcome somewhat collaborative and ever evolving - what magic for a piece to take on a life of its own after leaving my studio!

Ink and nib are my preferred mediums because I love how the nib has its own agenda; there are a limited range of motions that the nib is comfortable making which forces me to consider the value and execution of each stroke. I am forced to really asses the form of my subject before starting and I am challenged with capturing the weighty volume of a human or still life within a few select lines…. This is the challenge that sets me alight! And what better medium to capture the glorious ebbs and flows of the natural form than with the flowing liquidity of ink?

Fx

MY WORKS

Originals - With the exception of my few editioned pieces, my works are one-of-a-kind originals, created by hand and never reproduced. The beauty of these is that in purchasing one, you know that you have something truly unique that exists nowhere else on this glorious planet than with you. Each work comes mounted and signed.

Francesca A Henderson X The Garage Press - For a select few works, I have collaborated with Brixton letterpress studio The Garage Press to create a small run edition of letterpress prints. There are 25 per prints per design and each comes numbered and signed. The nature of the press means that each of these 25 prints will have its own subtle quirks; areas of under and over inking that act as a small degree of difference between yours and the other 24 pieces. Another beauty of the press is the crisp bite it makes in the paper that creates a distinct depth and texture.

Commissions - I take commissions for bespoke Originals; these can be architectural, figurative or other and are usually created from supplied photographs. If you are interested, drop me a message via the contact page or email me on studio@francesca-a-henderson.com

Collaborations - There is nothing like teaming up with another maker or brand, if you are interested please drop me an email on studio@francesca-a-henderson.com

Exhibition and stockists -  I am currently in exhibition and stocked in a handful of boutique homeware stores, if you are interested in exhibiting or stocking my work please drop me a message via the contact page.