The artist’s illustrated portraits appeared in many British magazines, and now make up a newly opened exhibition at Goswell Road’s Lever Gallery.

Sean Connery, Warren Beatty, Noel Coward, Stanley Kubrick – Brian Sanders has drawn them all.

The artist’s illustrated portraits appeared in many British magazines, and now make up a newly opened exhibition at Goswell Road’s Lever Gallery.

Brian Sanders Selected Illustrations, From 2001: A Space Odyssey to Mad Men, runs until the end of July and contains his illustrations for Nova Magazine during the sixties his “bubble and streak” period and his time spent on set of the sci-fi masterpiece.

In 1965, Sanders was commissioned by Stanley Kubrick himself to spend months as an illustrator on the set of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick was often known to work on a closed set, and was the only one allowed to take photographs, so Sanders’ access was unprecedented. Much of this era of his work went unpublished for decades.

Adopting the “bubble and streak” effect using acrylic paint, which was popular among American illustrators, Sanders created work that was brighter, sharper and more striking – the portrait of Sean Connery with Sanders’ own Aston Martin DB3 is an example of this style.

It was to this method that he returned when asked by Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner to provide a promotional image for the sixth season of the series.

The exhibition also showcases his seventies Nova Magazine portraits, which include a series of famous figures from Richard Nixon to Tony Benn.

Brian Sanders: Selected illustrations, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Mad Men, until July 31, Lever Gallery, 153-157 Goswell Road, EC1V 7HD, levergallery.com