Dave Bain
I’m a freelance, commercial illustrator. I enjoy working as an illustrator on editorial, promotional, advertising, branding and publishing commissions. My idiosyncratic illustrations are colourful, distinctive, wildly expressive and feature stylised characters. I’m inspired by screen-printing and risograph techniques, colour combinations, jazz and electronic music and visual culture.
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By email or call 07753 247 576
Dave BainTeam VikingIllustration for monthly Cultural Calendar email newsletter - a round-up of arts and culture events with a mix of reviews and highlighting upcoming events going on in London. This edition featured a review of 'Team Viking' – a dark comedy about a man trying to give his best friend a viking send off. It's a one man show by James Rowland and performed in a shed. View Folio
Dave BainStarbucks muralStarbucks commissioned a set of two murals for their Camden High Street store in London. They asked that I draw on Camden’s musical heritage, punk and counter-culture characters, mixed with a newer influx of tourists and diverse visitors. I developed a six colour palette, shared by both murals, featuring their distinct dark green, complimentary warm coffee-influenced colours and a punchy blue to help dance the eye across the artwork. View Folio
Dave BainEncountersAn ongoing series featuring an explorer in space, encountering colours, shapes, wonders and creatures. scifi, retro, floral, creatures, psychedelic, trippy View Folio
Dave BainThe Allergy EpidemicMain editorial image for an article titled 'The Allergy Epidemic' exploring issues surrounding children being increasingly diagnosed with life-threatening allergies. This images shows a character undergoing various solutions to moderate allergies, including vaccination, stick-on patches, toothpaste and caplets. teeth, brush, toothbrush, vaccination, medical View Folio
Dave BainPencil Person letter RA spot illustration, part of an alphabet of pencil, drawing based characters - promoting an illustration, drawing, industry, networking event. The artwork uses a simple color palette of red, black and white. View Folio
Dave BainHistory timeline muralCelebrating the amazing heritage of Royal West of England Academy (RWA), this hand-painted 13m long mural illustrates significant historical moments for the building, its notable figures, exhibitions, events, usages and community. View Folio
Dave BainDeep Dive / Create BeerPromotional beer label packaging for invented brewery Create Beer. Schools of curious and expressive fish in their underwater sea environment decorate the label for ‘Deep Dive’. I also constructed a bespoke alphabet for all the necessary typography.
View Folio
Dave BainSchool values muralA mural providing a bright, cheerful and motivational welcome that connects to and backs up the school’s ethos and values. The mural is located on the school grounds alongside the main entrances to the building. View Folio
Dave BainHealthy WalkersLead illustration for a promotional information board for a national railway station advertising local healthy walks. The artwork shows a diversity of healthy walkers, young, old, baby, woman, man, wheelchair user, dog View Folio
Dave BainPower-up cardsI illustrated a series of spot illustrations, wrap packaging and playful card-reverse line artwork for a deck of mental wellbeing activity cards called ‘Positive Power-ups’ for children and young people. View Folio
Dave BainTheatre muralThe mural forms part of a wider theatre heritage project, which aims to bring their community and archive content to life. It’s a celebration of the theatre’s rich history, its ongoing heritage and future. View Folio
Dave BainWonderfest Making CharacterOne of a series of 15 illustrations to bring energy and life to a festival - run by a mental health and social change charity. The weekend covered all sorts of areas, including mental health, art, music and even pizza making! My illustrations were used extensively across the dedicated festival website and on their promotional branding for all aspects of Wonderfest. View Folio
Dave BainJoin a Book Club View Folio
Dave BainA Head for Interior Design View Folio
Dave BainSynths in outer spaceA private commission for Tom, a creative director at Echoic Audio and a producer: Gilbert. He's a synthesizer-mad lad, so the illustration includes favourites of his: the Roland 303 and 808. Plus, there are knobs, volume sliders, buttons and symbols from other synths: 'The Cat - Octave', the Roland TR-909 and SH-101. He's also a dad, so the family are included with the little one holding onto a teddy. View Folio
Dave BainCommunity, diversity and play View Folio
Dave BainCycling for all shapes and sizes View Folio
Dave BainResponding to the Climate crisis View Folio
Dave BainWhat a To Do View Folio
Dave BainQuizzical View Folio