I don’t know about you, but in this strange and unsettling moment we’re living through, where AI technology is advancing faster than most of us can properly process, I feel a profound need to hold on to and celebrate real human artistry. The work of human hands, human imagination and lived creative skill.
Peter Kuznicki of Kuznicki Live is an artist and illustrator who creates live paintings for wedding guests to take away as keepsakes. He works in ink, brush and watercolour, painting portraits of guests throughout the day.
Watching Peter Kuznicki at work is a joy, because guests who have never met suddenly find themselves standing side by side, delighting over a portrait, nudging a stranger to come and look, the ice breaking naturally and beautifully in the way it only does when something worth gathering around is actually happening, with people laughing together, talking, sharing moments nobody planned but everybody remembers afterwards. Just beautiful human connection, on a day when you’ve gathered all your favourite people together to celebrate.
These charming little paint portraits that guests get to take home with them are personal and lasting reminders of a beautiful day and there’s something rather wonderful about that.
I spoke with Peter recently to find out more about his wedding services.
Can you take us back to the moment you realised live illustration at weddings was what you wanted to do? Was there a particular wedding, couple or drawing that made everything click?
I worked as a graphic designer for around 15 years, but gradually became disillusioned. Like many in the creative industries, I was aware of the growing uncertainty around AI and its impact on the industry. At the same time, I realised what I actually enjoy most is connecting with people and I wanted to combine that with my ability to draw.
When I discovered live illustration at events, it immediately clicked. I’ve always maintained a strong life drawing practice, so I started simply drawing people on trains and in parks. Very quickly, I realised I could draw both accurately and at speed, which is essential for this kind of work.
The moment it all truly came together was at Deborah and Samson’s wedding in Essex. The atmosphere, the response from guests, and the couple’s reaction were incredible. The bride even said my hands were blessed! It was the first time I felt I was delivering something genuinely special, both in quality and in the joy it brought people.
That was the wedding where I thought: yes, this is what I’m meant to do.
As a classically trained draughtsman, how do you capture a likeness so quickly in a live setting
Capturing likeness quickly is something I could talk about at length, but at its core it comes down to training and process. I attend life drawing every week to keep my eye sharp, and I take developing strong technique very seriously.
Each portrait follows a clear, repeatable method. It starts with establishing the larger forms, the structure of the head, the proportions and then building the details from that. If those foundations are right, the likeness comes through naturally.
I work with traditional illustrative materials ink and brush and watercolour, which gives my work a distinctive feel. I love the variation in line, it allows me to suggest characters quickly. My aim is for the portraits to feel contemporary, editorial and stylish, where the line itself does much of the expressive work.
What does it feel like to hand a portrait to a guest who has never seen themselves drawn before?
When a guest receives their portrait, they’re often genuinely touched. There’s something powerful about being seen and carefully depicted by hand. It feels like they’re being given something personal and lasting, something they’ll genuinely cherish. A well-executed drawing has a way of making people pause, connect, and appreciate the moment.
I’m especially fond of the more cynical guests, the ones who are initially a bit sceptical or uninterested. Watching that shift into genuine surprise and delight when they see their portrait is incredibly satisfying.
It’s wonderful to see family members gathered around the drawings, looking through them together, spotting one another, taking photos and sharing the moment. It’s a genuinely beautiful and heartfelt sight.
Your bespoke wedding prints feel very different to anything else in the wedding industry. Can you walk us through how that process works, from first conversation with a couple to the finished art
A wedding print is a collaborative process between the couple and myself. We follow a creative process taken from the creative industries.
It always begins with a conversation, understanding the stories the couple want the artwork to tell. We talk through the key moments, the people, and the locations that matter most. I can either attend the wedding itself or work from photographs, though being there in person allows me to feel the atmosphere of the event.
From there, I sketch initial ideas, using my experience as a storyteller to shape the composition. I always welcome visual references from couples, as they help guide decisions around style, colour and overall feel.
Once we’ve agreed on a direction, I develop the composition in pencil mapping out the space and placing the characters and narrative elements. At this stage, everything remains flexible and can be refined.
After approval, I move into ink, followed by colour. I typically provide three colour options to explore before finalising the piece.
Once everything is approved, the artwork is printed using high-quality archival inks on fine paper, ready to be enjoyed.
If a couple is on the fence about booking a live illustrator, what would you want them to know, perhaps something they might not have thought to ask?
I’d want couples to know that live illustration fits seamlessly into the day, requiring very little planning and working naturally within almost any schedule or venue.
It’s a stylish, elevated way of bringing an artistic touch to a wedding, as well as a celebration of the people they love. giving guests something personal they’ll truly cherish.
Connect with Peter at Kuznicki Live
Email Peter on [email protected].
Follow Kuznicki Live on Instagram at @kuznicki_draws_live
