Behind the print: The Small Faces

Our featured artist Julian Davies delves into the evolution of the Small Faces, a mysterious set of creatures that appeared and multiplied in his studio...

The Small Faces, linocuts by Julian Davies

On the Origin of Species, by Means of Unnatural Selection

Genus: the Small Faces (facies parvae)

Part One: Origin story (fabula originis)

Fire up the DeLorean...

The origin of the Small Faces prints dates back over 15 years, and they came about more by accident than design. I was purchasing some printmaking materials online and I noticed when I went to the checkout that I was a little short of the free delivery amount. I had a brief look around and stumbled across a ten-pack of 7.5 x 7.5cm lino blocks, which were of a suitable price to get me to the magic free delivery amount. I reckoned that they’d come in handy for something, even if at the time I didn’t realise what. When the delivery arrived and I saw the blocks, I thought to myself: those are tiny, what am I going to do with them?

They were put in a box with the other lino blocks - occasionally being taken out before I decided they were too small and subsequently put back and forgotten about.

However, nothing is ever wasted and an idea was forming in my fevered imagination.

So, boys and girls, let’s climb aboard the time machine and fast forward to 2023 – with much

swooshing noises, eerie music, clanking of gears, and… can I smell burning?… Look out! Careful you don’t get grabbed by the Daleks!

Part Two: Here come the bastards (ecce veniunt nebulones)

Left to right: "This Is My Happy Face", "Beastie", "Taken By Surprise", "Not A Morning Person", linocuts by Julian Davies

By this point I’d taken one tentative step away from the world of abstract art and had started to create images such as This Is My Happy Face and Beastie, and which people seemed to like, so what happened next appeared to be the next logical step.

I decided to make some small images, really just close-ups, but I needed to set some parameters for the work in order to do so – which made a change for me, as I don’t like to lose the spontaneous element by overthinking things too much before I get started. The self-imposed rules for these works would be:

1. The initial sketch for the work was the same size as the block

2. Keep it simple – no unnecessary extras

3. The print was to be no more than three colours

I normally just start with a blank block and start drawing directly onto it, but that wasn’t going to work on such a small scale, so having the initial idea work on a small scale really helped. Colours were decided by expression on the faces.

"Small Faces V", linocut by Julian Davies

Initially I was going to call the series the Blockheads (a title I will undoubtedly use for something else), before settling on another popular musical beat combo, the Small Faces (ask your parents, or grandparents… ) What started out as four images became six, and as they seemed to be popular, inevitably they became twelve. Some of the working sketches didn’t make the final cut, didn’t get through to the Swimwear Round, but their time may come if I decide to make some more in the series.

Sketches for the Small Faces

Sketches with the carved lino blocks

Part Three: The Dirty Dozen (duodecim sordida)

So here we all are, in the here and now, with a song in our hearts and a spring in our steps, and the Dirty Dozen are on display as part of my featured artist show. Earlier this year all twelve, for the first time, were on display, unframed, at the BRAFA art fair in Brussels, at the request of Lelia Pissarro, as part of the Stern Pissarro gallery stand. Not on the main walls of the stand (obviously), but within sight of some rather expensive artworks by world renowned artists – lurking, possibly with intent, to cause mischief (much like myself, if truth were told).

The Small Faces at the BRAFA art fair in Brussels

The Small Faces has also led to some slightly larger faces, as I always expected they would – and these larger herberts will be coming out and making their debuts at my featured artist show, for their own Debutante Ball, so to speak.

"Don't Even Think About It", "Eat 'Em And Smile" and "Chief Mischief-Maker", linocuts by Julian Davies

The display at Greenwich Printmakers will be the first time, and possibly last, that all twelve have been shown framed together – an Earth shifting on its axis, once in a lifetime moment, if ever there was such a thing. Grab one while you can, if you dare, but remember:

• No bright lights

• Do not get them wet

• Never feed them after midnight

Julian's featured artist show is on at Greenwich Printmakers until October 3, and his characterful, colourful linocut prints are available in the gallery and from our online shop all year round. For more information or to adopt one of the Small (or larger) Faces, see his artist's page, his website and follow him on Instagram @juliandaviesart.