Interview: Ollie Hirst

Preferred Pronoun?
He/Him

Why did you choose to enter this work?
I’m proud of this work and I think it’s some of my strongest, combining idea and craft on hot topics in health and medicine, balancing elements of controversy with scientific accuracy.

What’s your favourite thing about your shortlisted project?
Working with a brand palette in this context is difficult. Colour plays a large role in my work, but having a client dictate some of this makes an already challenging job that much harder.

What excites you most about being shortlisted?
WIA brings an opportunity for global exposure and connecting with new commissioners/artists around the world. It's a lovely feeling to get to celebrate a body of work that was extremely challenging.

Where do you usually work?
People are always so shocked when I tell them this, but I work for clients all over the world just from my little desk that's quite literally in the middle of my flat in Manchester. No fancy studio!

How long did it take to complete your project?
This was a branded editorial job and so like any editorial job, time was not on our side. These images were completed in full from concept to execution in roughly 10 days.

What is your dream commission?
Would love to illustrate a public health awareness campaign! NASA are also on my list, partnering with space scientists who can inform my illustration with their expertise and experience.

What’s your favourite thing to draw?
Hands! I find them more interesting than faces and compositionally there's so much more potential with them. Plus, as the owner of 2, I always have visual references!

What is your best tip for other illustrators?
Don't wait for a client to come to you, go to them! Spec projects! Take headlines, covers, articles, campaigns and reinvent them. Context is key for commissioners to understand where your work sings

What are your plans for the future?
I'm focusing on continuing to build my client base, bringing the "human" to science/health illustration which can sometimes be overly clinical and most importantly, have fun doing it!


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