[FREE] ✨ The York Christmas Nutcracker Trail 2024 ✨

Designed by me!

As an illustrator, you find yourself pitching for various different design jobs. I don’t have an agent (although I would probably like one) so, as a freelancer, I’m the master of my own destiny. This sounds pretty exciting, but in reality it’s also a little bit scary. As a business, I have various revenue streams and one of the streams I’m trying to increase, is my client work. Basically, this means, drawing and designing for bespoke projects. Earlier this year, I saw a really exciting project, that carried with it, for me, a sense of childhood nostalgia, Christmas wonder and magic. I put together a pitch, got short listed and ultimately got the job. Yaaaay. The project is to bring to life 2024’s Christmas Nutcracker Trail across the city of York.

Priming the Nutcrackers for my designs

For the last few months, I have been dreaming, designing and drafting my ideas, ready to paint them onto the six foot statues. These things are massive. I have ten in total. When I announced I was doing this project over on Instagram, everyone celebrated with me and I enjoyed answering questions from enquiring minds. A couple of questions leaned towards wondering how many other artists were selected. Well, none. There aren’t any others, it’s just me. I was also asked about the schools and other local businesses and when I would be getting their designs to paint onto the Nutcrackers. Lol. I’m not. I’m designing each and every single one of them myself.

Many layers of primer was needed

At this realisation, I started to feel a sense of imposter syndrome come over me. Oh gosh, what have I done? Am I cut out to do this? Who do I think I am, to think that people would give a monkeys about me and my work. Will the public give the Nutcrackers a glance and think they look like garbage? It dawned on me that for me, with this project; there is no hiding. Everything you see will be completely my vision, and on the flip side, why should I overthink this? As long as people enjoy seeing my work, then I’m happy.

Standing to attention: The Nutcrackers are ready for the 2024 designs.

I took delivery of all ten Nutcrackers a few months and have been busy priming them white, ready to become fresh, new canvasses. A relatively easy, although timely job. On reflection, I should probably have outsourced this, to get them professional sprayed or something. But having said that,I suppose there’s something quite romantic and hand-crafty about actually painting them like this. Some took many, maaaaany coats to bring them back to a sensible canvas, but I put in my AirPods, and listened to lots of audio books and had a lovely time. Big thank you, to Gary, Sam and the site team at Fulford School who let me borrow the new(ish) art block over the summer holidays to get the job done.

I can’t wait to share more with you, over the next few weeks, including the concept, the inspiration and mood boards, the process and the ups and downs of taking on this mammoth task… and of course, to answer any questions you might have along the way. So, with that in mind, pop into the comments section if you have any questions and I’ll answer there for ya.

Speak soon,

Marc x