Interview:
Preferred Pronoun?
He/Him
Why did you choose to enter this work?
I think that Croydon has a bad reputation and having lived here all my life I wanted to showcase something positive and bright about the town.
What’s your favourite thing about your shortlisted project?
It was awesome to work on such a large scale and to see some of my characters printed almost life-sized!
What excites you most about being shortlisted?
The opportunity to get my work in front of new people and hopefully inspire other artists who also have autism and/or ADHD like myself.
Where do you usually work?
From my studio in south London, surrounded by the collections of items on my shelves!
How long did it take to complete your project?
It was drawn over a period of a couple of weeks, with rough outlines created first, then characters and backgrounds fleshed out, then finally handed to my amazing other half to animate.
What is your dream commission?
I've previously worked with Nike on a number of projects but my dream commission would be to collaborate with them on a shoe!
What’s your favourite thing to draw?
I especially love drawing characters based on an 80s NYC aesthetic, or any hand-lettering that's hard to read.
What is your best tip for other illustrators?
Just keep drawing and putting yourself out there, get a mentor if possible (the AOI do a great mentoring scheme), take feedback on board, and aim straight for your dream clients!
What are your plans for the future?
I'd love to have my first solo exhibition so I'm currently creating a body of work to be able to pitch that to galleries, plus it'd be amazing to be involved in more large-scale campaigns.
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