Thanks to everyone who joined our live chat. Here are some of the questions that Neil answered.


Who does the voice for that head bloke thingy?
A chap called Francis Wright, who's extremely talented and is also the voice behind many other on-screen puppets, so listen out for similarities!

Do you have any formal art education?
No, they wouldn't let me in!

Can i have your autograph?
Yes! Check out the Meet Neil page where you can print a signed picture off.

Who are your favourite artists?
My favourite artists are Walt Disney and Toulouse Lautrec.

Did you design the cool Art Attack logo yourself?
Yes, I did design the logo, and the whole studio set too! All done on the floor in my lounge.

Why did you use to where a wig?
Ha ha, good one! Contrary to popular belief I've never worn a wig!

Was it fun appearing on SM:tv with Ant and Dec?
Ant & Dec are good mates of mine, and a great laugh to work with.

What was your favourite subject at school?
English, because I like telling stories. And, of course art, although most of it was done in the back of my maths book!

Do you use wax crayons very much?
I use wax crayons a lot, because I think they give an effect like an oil painting, and they're very versatile.

What car do you drive?
An S type Jaguar, the same as Michael Owen!

What hair stylist do you use?
Well, it's not a wig, it is all my own work! I have very thick hair and my television make-up lady trims it for me.

How can you do Big Art Attacks off by heart, the way you do?
I design them on paper first.

What are your hobbies (except art)?
Guitar playing, travelling and animal watching.

Apart from the £10 notes you used for the Queens head, what is your favourite material to use for a Big Art Attack?
I like the lightweight objects, because the heavy objects do my back in!

What instrument did you play in your band?
Electric guitar.

Do you get told what to do on the show?
No, it's me who does the telling!

How long have you been doing Art Attack now?
Fourteen series, twelve years.

When you leave Art Attack is someone else going to do your job?
Are you trying to get rid of me?!?

What do you find hardest to draw, paint, or make?
Drawing tends to be the hardest. The hardest thing I find is drawing a perfect circle, freehand.

Have any of your Art Attacks gone horribly wrong?
Anything using sticky tape in a studio with the hot lights is a nightmare - the tape curls up before I've used it!

Please tell me how long does it take you to do a Big Art Attack?
It takes usually half a day.

What is your favourite band?
I like rock bands like Def Leppard, Queen, Aerosmith.

How do you manage to make tissue and glue work so well? I always go wrong!
Try wetting your fingers first!

What football team do you like?
Liverpool!

How does it feel to be famous?
Very normal - except the weird thing is, everyone in the street knows me and I don't know them. But that's cool!

What is your favourite show on CiTV?
I think CiTV is so diverse - and it's difficult to pick one out. I really enjoy The Sooty Show and Sm:tv.

Do you remember the first Art Attack you ever did?
Yes, it was called plop art, on a show called No 73.

Who is your favourite comedian?
My favourite comedians are Laurel & Hardy - mostly visual gags but with some real good one-liners.

Do you watch Brookside?
No.

Do you have any pets?
I have a little black witch's cat called Meg - that's what it said in the advert when I bought her!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to be an artist or TV presenter - or both?
It's the same answer for both - develop your own style!

Head is great - but wouldn't it be good to have Mrs Head?
Nice idea. Maybe in the future!

Are you a fan of Manchester United?
No. Beckham is good though.

What do you think about the work of Dali?
I've only just got into Dali recently, when I was in Italy. It completely blew my mind - genius!

How did you manage to get the sawdust to stay in one place, when you did the rocking horse Big Art Attack, it must have been a very calm day?
No, I did the picture inside a barn, but I do have a lot of problems with wind!

Can you give me ant tips for drawing cars?
My tips for drawing are always the same. Draw what you SEE and not what you THINK you see. It sometimes helps if you turn a picture that you are copying upside down first, draw it, then turn it the right way up. It usually looks great!

What is the biggest Art Attack you've done?
The most complicated one I've done and the most expensive was the Queen's portrait using £250,000 in £10 notes! Read about it on the Meet Neil page. That was a whopper.

When you went to Switzerland on a Christmas edition of Art Attack, were you very cold?
Yes and I was obviously many miles off course because I was in Austria! Ha Ha!