The paintings

29/12/20
Other Projects

Teofilo v God

This painting is to celebrate the life and contribution of Roberto Garagnani - A shining example of the spirit of Old Subbuteo, tragically succumbing to illness in the Summer of 2011.

Roberto's favourite player was Teofilo Cubillas, the legendary number 10 for Peru between 1970 and 1982. Roberto was therefore known in the Old Subbuteo community as Teofilo Garagnas.

A local artist Jenny McClelland agreed to create a painting in room of the Stadium of Fingers, based on Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, with Roberto playing the part of Adam...

God is on the right, taking the penalty with Teofilo Cubillas.
Roberto is in goal with Gordon Banks (his favourite goalkeeper of all time)
The sketch being coloured
The initial completed work
The painting has aged 500 years with some deft touches!
God shoots!
God will probably score, to be fair
Fabio pays his respects to Roberto
Roberto gets ready...
What happens next?...

Cubist or Spherist?

in 2011, Howard Robinson, a well-known local landscape artist agreed to turn his brushes to Subbuteo - Cubist style.

There might be an argument that the resulting painting could be Spherist(?!) Feel free to debate this for hours...

The painting in situ (above a bed)
A dream-catcher, inspiring Subbuteo dreams..., ?

Salvabuteo Dali

One Sunday in 2013, Lucien Simon was displaying his work along Bayswater in London, as is the habit of local artists.

When asked if he could paint a surrealist painting of Subbuteo, his answer was (i) "Yes", and (ii) "What's Subbuteo?"

A spot of research later, and few exchanges to confirm some resulting queries, Lucien disappeared into a darkened room.

The resulting painting shows amongst other things, a clock set to kick-off time, and the Hobby birds circling the scene.

The artist was asked for the meaning of the insect over the ball.
Was it a hornet for Watford FC's Hornet(?) Brentford FC's Bee(?), or the noise replicating a vuvuzela, made famous during the World Cup in South Africa? ?
No... It transpired that the artist often includes this insect in many of his paintings! ?

Stadium of Fingers

Created by John Thompson in 2018, this graphic of the Stadium of Fingers was the result of a few options which were explored, to see which might best capture the essence of Subbuteo.

The first set of options featured the players in front of the main grandstand and an action close up. The other option was the view of the SoF with the blimp. This one was chosen.

The initial sketches

Sketches of players in front of the stands
Sketches of variations of the more classic view of the SoF

The final sketch and work

The final sketch
The resulting graphic

In situ...

In situ - just outside of the Stadium of Fingers
The view from the Stadium of Fingers
We run entirely on grants & donations. Support future events for bringing people together.
Donate now