Sit Down With Our December '22 Featured Artist
Mister Phil
misterphildraws
Featured Artist / December '22 ScrawlrBox
Instagram / @misterphildraws
I create lively and fun-filled images for a variety of purposes including branding, murals, clothing, pattern design, album covers, live events, painted sculptures, vinyl installations (to name a few). If you can think of an application, I can make some art for it!All my work starts as a drawing and then depending on the commission it’s either painted, or photographed, vectorised and coloured digitally.I’ve worked for a variety of clients including Fender, Unity, Tumblr, CIROC Vodka, Blue Moon, The Scouts, Vitaminwater, The National Gallery, Kipling, Lost Pier Brewing.
What do you love most about acrylic markers?
Getting to create something I really like the ability to lay down some lovely flat colours without having to get the brushes and paints out. And you don’t have to clean them afterwards!
What has been the most challenging project you have worked on to date?
That would probably be the giant snail I painted for the Snailspace Arts Trail in Brighton. My illustration work up to that point had mainly been on flat surfaces, or on a computer screen. Here I was faced with covering a 5ft snail from tentacle to tail in a quite intricate design using materials whose behaviour I wasn’t sure of. I hadn’t anticipated how long it would take to cover an undulating surface with my detailed doodle patterns!It was challenging but rewarding especially once the final snail was on display on Brighton seafront for 9 weeks and sold at auction for charity.
Is there a favourite project you have worked on?
I produced a mural for the offices of Unity which I really enjoyed. It was great to create a design and recreate it at such a large scale.
Do you have a preferred colour palette?
INot consciously but it seems that a variation of magenta, yellow and blue is statistically my favourite.
What’s more fun, working digitally or traditionally?
I’d say having a balance of both really. The most authentic work comes from drawing traditionally, whether that be with a fine liner pen in a sketchbook or a fat marker on a giant sheet of paper. Having the ability to take that design and then play around with it digitally makes for a great combination. I love the technical aspect of the digital process and finding solutions to achieving the results I want, which are often far beyond what I could achieve traditionally. They therefore compliment each other well for my process.
If you could choose one colour to work in for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Just one? Hmmm…Blue. No, a nice reddy magenta. Hang on, a deep yellow, bordering on orange. Sorry, that’s too difficult to answer, have you seen my work?
What made you want to be an artist?
From an early age I always enjoyed drawing so I guess I didn’t necessarily want to be an artist, I just became one because it’s what I could do!It’s a great feeling to create a new piece of work, and seeing the end result after starting with a blank sheet keeps me going.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Just keep going! Still useful now.
What is your favourite thing to do for a weekend off?
I do like a good woodland walk with my little dog, perhaps followed by discovering a new country pub (nothing wrong with a well deserved rest from all the walking).
What is your favourite time of year?
Spring - Seeing the world come back to colourful life after a grey English winter is certainly life-affirming. Not that winter’s all bad, it is Roast Dinner season after all.
