August 27, 2025

Live Wedding Illustration – A Touch Of Art For Your Special Day

A touch of art for your special day and how I love elevating guests experience for your wedding day.

Weddings are made of fleeting moments, joyful glances, heartfelt embraces, the soft light of a perfect setting. Live illustration captures the essence of these moments in a way that photography alone cannot. As a professional wedding artist, I offer a unique experience for your celebration: live watercolour portraits of your guests, custom artwork of the couple, and elegant keepsakes that become treasured memories.

Whether you're hosting a grand wedding in a villa on Lake Como or an intimate ceremony in the Swiss Alps, live illustration brings a sense of charm, beauty, and emotion to your day.

Why Hire a Live Wedding Artist?

Hiring a live watercolour artist for your wedding is more than entertainment: it's a poetic, immersive experience for you and your guests. It's also way more appreciated than a random party favour. The process is mesmerising to watch, and the final result is deeply personal. Here’s what I can bring to your special day:

  • Live watercolour portraits of wedding guests as heartfelt, personalised favours
  • Custom watercolour paintings of the newlyweds and their families
  • Illustrations of the wedding venue, capturing the atmosphere in soft, timeless detail

Each illustration is painted with intention, reflecting not just the likeness of the subject but also the energy and emotion of the day. It’s a keepsake your guests will proudly frame and a memory they’ll never forget.

View these highlights of a selection of wedding watercolour I made last year.

A Wedding in Lake Como: One of My Most Memorable Events

One of the most unforgettable weddings I’ve illustrated took place on the shores of Lake Como at the Villa Geno. I sketched guests continuously for five hours, each one excited to take home a personal portrait. Even grandparents and young children asked for their turn.

What stayed with me most was the atmosphere: so much joy, curiosity, and connection created by the simple act of drawing. The impact of live art is powerful: it brings people together, sparks conversation, and adds a touch of magic to the celebration.

Live Illustration for Elopements & Intimate Weddings

For couples choosing to elope or celebrate with a small group, elopement illustration packages are also available. Whether you’re exchanging vows in a mountain chapel, a secret garden, or a romantic European city, I can travel with you and create bespoke watercolour pieces that reflect the beauty of the setting and your love story.

A Unique & Elegant Keepsake for Your Wedding Day

Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration and live illustration is a meaningful way to capture it. The artwork becomes part of the day: created in real time, infused with the atmosphere, and forever yours to keep.

If you're looking for something truly personal, elegant, and different, live wedding illustration is a beautiful way to celebrate love through art.

Let’s collaborate to make your event extraordinary. Contact me here

 

July 14, 2025

3 Brands That Launched My Career

When I think back to the early days of my journey as a live illustrator and watercolour artist, there are 3 brands that launched my career. They shaped my career and gave me the confidence to keep painting: Lancôme, Clarins, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix in Geneva. Each of these projects brought magic, emotion, and incredible people into my life.

Lancôme: my first live watercolour event

My very first live illustration event was with Lancôme, and it still holds a special place in my heart. A marketing intern for the brand was planning an animation at Globus Geneva and had been browsing the instagram followers of a well-known Swiss artist. That’s how she found my account, and instantly felt that my soft, feminine watercolour style would match perfectly with the brand’s Parisian spirit.

The project was pure joy from start to finish. I spent the day painting directly onto Lancôme gift boxes with my signature watercolours: pink tones, Eiffel Towers, roses and other charming Paris-inspired elements. Clients were fascinated and kept asking what they needed to buy to receive a box like that!
I also hand-lettered sweet phrases in French like "La vie est belle", "Mon amour", and "Pour la meilleure maman" - making each box truly one of a kind.

It was the perfect first collaboration, full of joy and creativity, and it arrived just after a difficult period in my life. I will always see it as a beautiful, healing beginning.

Clarins: delicate illustrations for a meaningful brand

Shortly after, Clarins reached out for a special Mother’s Day project. The brief ? Create meaningful and delicate watercolour illustrations that reflected love and femininity. I adored every part of this watercolour project.

That collaboration quickly grew into several more live events, where I illustrated floral bookmarks for Clarins guests, each design inspired by the natural ingredients in their iconic skincare products. It was not just a brand match, it was a creative match.

This beautiful partnership happened thanks to Justine Zamataro, then Head of Marketing at Clarins Switzerland. She had brilliant ideas and a wonderful energy (and by the way, she is now running her own PR & Marketing agency!)

floral watercolour for Clarins skincare brand

Ritz-Carlton Hôtel de la Paix: a dream holiday collaboration

One of the most iconic projects I’ve had the honour to create was the Christmas card for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix in Geneva. I illustrated a festive holiday scene—a Christmas tree adorned with red ribbons, inspired by the elegant lobby decor of the hotel. A year later, we worked together again on another winter design, this time capturing the festive façade of the hotel in my signature soft, dreamy watercolour style.

The collaboration came through Instagram. Ginevra, the hotel’s marketing manager at the time, had been following my account and reached out directly. It was a dream project and one that I’ll always be grateful for and proud of. Bringing such an iconic Geneva landmark to life through art was a true career milestone.

Custom watercolour Christmas Card, hand painted in Geneva by watercolour artist for the Ritz Carlton hotel de la paix in Geneva

A Note from the Artist

The 3 brands that launched my career were more than projects, they were moments of connection, joy and recognition. They taught me that my art could live in the world, make people smile and become part of unforgettable experiences.

If you’re looking to bring beauty and personalisation to your event, gift or brand launch, I’d love to hear from you. My journey started with a brushstroke and it’s still unfolding, one illustration at a time.

Let’s Create Something Beautiful Together

Whether you’re a luxury brand, event planner or simply someone looking to make a gift feel truly special, I offer live watercolour illustration, fashion portraits, and personalised calligraphy for events and collaborations in Geneva, in Switzerland and beyond.

Get in touch to bring a touch of softness, joy and elegance to your next project.

2025 © Alexandra Motovilina