It clear you have a keen eye for advertising, your ability to cleverly link ideas, messages and metaphors using relatively simplistic imagery is impressive. Do you see yourself as an marketeer first and illustrator second?
I have a background of working as a designer for a marketing and communications company where creating immediate impact with a key message or visual was always the goal, so I guess it’s only natural that my illustrations follow a similar agenda. I try to be mindful of the target audience, be it top executives or toddlers, for each project as that’s what will ultimately dictate their tone and content.
Focusing on your commissioned client work, how tight are your briefs – are you required to do quite a bit of the thinking?
I’m not a fan of tight briefs, undergarments or otherwise, finding them too restrictive. I’m much happier being given just the accompanying article if it’s editorial, or the key messages for advertising. That way you’re free to explore different paths which might lead to a more creative solution than if you’re boxed into something more literal and prescriptive. Fortunately clients appear to appreciate my thinking and the vast majority of my work is developed from my own concepts, which is great because that is the part I enjoy the most. I do however thrive on tight deadlines, finding that it focuses the mind, and suits my natural rhythm of working fast.
Your style transcends graphic design, illustration and branding – do you see yourself as a bit of a one-stop-shop for clients looking for the complete end-to-end service?
The only area where design and illustration come together is in the children’s books I create where I like having full control over how they come together. I’ve made a conscious decision to push design to one side and focus on illustration, logos being an exception which I enjoy doing as the discipline is much the same as my illustration where simplicity and readability is key, and you also have the opportunity to introduce personality to their brand.
Your work is largely vector based but how much of it starts with real pen and paper!?
I don’t think I’d be able to just reach for the mouse to kick-start a new project without having made sure it worked in sketch form first. Doodling around a topic is an important part of my creative process, where a slip of the pencil can set you off in a completely new and unexpected direction. Also, if it’s not working on paper then it’s very unlikely that it’ll come together on screen, so it’s a great shorthand and shortcut to better productivity.
You’ve produced a number of illustrated books targeted at the younger generations, can you see yourself putting together material with more adult appeal, if so what’s in store and when can we get hold of it!?
Funnily enough I’ve recently been thinking about tackling some more adult topics but using a children’s book format, which could be fun. The books are something I work on in my down time, which is increasingly becoming a rarer commodity, but they’re very rewarding and I enjoy hearing from parents and teachers about how kids react to them. I recently won the UN’s World Wildlife Day poster competition where the prize is attending the CITES conference in Johannesburg this September, which I’m hoping will inspire more animal welfare illustrations to support the ones I’m showing for the first time at Illustrated 16. So maybe a book showcasing this collection could also be an option.
Are you a fan of Lynley Dodd? If so, Hairy Maclary or Nickle Nackle Tree?
Hairy Maclary is a firm favourite in our house – it’s a great example of a book where kids and adults can be equally entertained by illustrations which ooze personality and understated humour. Lynley achieves this effortlessly, though I’d argue Quentin Blake is the master.
See his work in the flesh and much more – June 10-12 at ILLUSTRATED 2016: 
