The football star artist who is ‘living the dream’

A Wiltshire artist who specialises in portrait drawings of sports stars says making a living from what he loves is “a dream come true.”

“As a self taught artist, I have to pinch myself sometimes to realise how far I’ve come,” said Del Llewellyn from Chippenham.

Mr Llewellyn quit his day job so he could focus on his art.

He now has commercial deals with top sports memorabilia companies and has had his work signed by the likes of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo Nazário.

“I’ve met people like Arsène Wenger, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Aaron Ramsdale. I’ve been fortunate to have my artwork in the hands of some of the biggest and best football stars the sport has ever seen,” he said.

“It’s been absolutely incredible,” he added.

Mr Llewellyn was working in recruitment in 2018 when he gave it up to focus on his art. Creating portraits is now his full time job.

“It was a risk worth taking. It’s not easy when you start up your own business doing something that millions of people all over the world do, but I stuck at it and I’ve been very very fortunate,” he said.

Mr Llewellyn is an Arsenal fan, so lots of his work is focused on that club. He has set up a studio in the club shop, and pitch-side at The Emirates Stadium before and during matches.

He was featured by the BBC in 2020 and, from that exposure, he was noticed by business consultant Gordon MacPherson, who then helped him secure commercial deals for his work.

“I’m absolutely in awe of his drawings,” said Mr MacPherson.

“I think he has a phenomenal product, he has an amazing skill that has to be seen to be believed,” he added.

Mr Llewellyn’s current work is a portrait of David Beckham, drawn from a photo that was taken by Hamish Brown.

His portraits take an average of three to four weeks to create.

“I asked Hamish Brown if I could draw his photograph and he said yes, and he loves it. I’ve just got to get David Beckham to see it now,” Mr Llewellyn said.