By Hibernian FC

Tell us about yourself…

Hi, my name is Charlie! I am 28 years old and I am now a full-time artist. I have recently left my job to pursue this full time; I am a graphic and portrait artist and specialise in hyper-realistic portraits.

Where did your passion for art stem from?

I have always done art in school. Instead of learning, I would always be doodling in class and drawing cartoons. I used to draw comic book cartoons for my cousin, we used to make stories together and I would draw them and bring them to life.

I have always had a passion for drawing, I did it at A-level, but then it was all about getting work and moving into the real world. But I have always had that burning ambition to make it my career.

Hibs drawings…

I met Elias Melkersen in Edinburgh and offered to draw him. After that, I thought this could be the start of something brilliant. I’ve always had it in my mind, then one day at work I just realised ‘I’m never going to do it if I don’t just do it’ so I just went for it and now here I am.

Once I posted the Melkersen picture, I posted it on Twitter and Siobhan Hunter contacted me off the back of that. We got speaking and came up with a unique drawing together and it turned out really well.

I got commissioned to do eight portraits for an Irish bar, so I have done Roy Keane and George Best for that. I have been busy but it has been going really well!

Check out Charlie’s full range of work on his Twitter page: @Chabz_Art

Tell us about your connection to Hibs

I have been a Hibs fan all my life. I have been coming to Easter Road for years; I think since I was five. It’s a bit like the song ‘when I was five my daddy took me down to Easter Road…’

It was literally like that. My dad used to take me to games when we came to see my nan and grandad because they are from Leith. We would come up in the school holidays and we would always go to a game.

If it wasn’t with my dad, I would go with my uncle who is a massive Hibs fan. We went to the Cup Final in 2004 against Livingston which we sadly lost, but we were there again in 2007 when we beat Kilmarnock 5-1. That was my favourite memory as a football fan growing up. I was there with my two cousins, Harry and David and my uncle Davie and it was just a beautiful moment.

Hibs to me is a family thing, it’s in my blood.

Trusting the process

I have always had an eye for detail, in particular with people. Whenever I look at someone I can always see specific details and picture how I would draw them. I don’t know if that is weird but I always take in these small details and I think it helps my drawings.

You have to follow a process; you need to keep at it every day. I know what I am looking at, I know how to do it, and you just need to stay patient and try not to rush it.

You can make mistakes, in every picture, there will be mistakes. In the Elias picture, there are a couple of mistakes, I wouldn’t tell people what they are though!

What is next?

“Because I specialise in portraits, I am getting my skills to a top level now. I am building up my business and following, so I am just trying to keep getting better and improving.

In terms of future Hibs drawings, I would love to draw them all! Franck Sauzée, Garry O’Connor and Derek Riordan are all my childhood heroes so it would be awesome to draw them.

It is a dream come true to come to Easter Road, walk pitch side and do this feature for the magazine. It has been an amazing experience and honestly surreal. I would love to be able to go back and tell my 5-year-old self this!

Read the full future in the latest edition of HQ Magazine!