Artist 56: Dale Wylie

A massive warm welcome to the irrepressible Dale Wylie, Dale is a grafter in all his work and his delicate observational style is testament to this. He has a clever way of isolating the important elements of a scene and serving them up in a stark and open way. His work has a bold, challenging mode of expression that harks back to Russian constructivist work, but is coupled with a 50's chic. Combined this makes for a bold and touching delivery. Its nice when you can savour the expression of a place and present its essence in a new and wide ranging way. He really fleshes out the subjects, as opposed to the trend of compartmentalising and romanticising the north. Dale does these things with a great conscientiousness and shows this by his tendency to flesh out his work with collage and texture. The full package matured through hard work and observation, here on the Rally we are really glad he choose not to go with his "real job"! Another one of a bright NUCA crop, read about him here!

Who are you:

I'm Dale Wylie and I currently reside in Norwich. I am studying illustration at NUCA and I'm in my third year.

What do you do:

I do lots of drawing from life rather than drawing what I think things look like. I think it is important for anyone who draws to actually look. I tend to do lots of sketchbook drawings then sometimes I take the best bits and collage them or I will create a final image with the sketchbook as reference. My favourite media are inks and acrylics but sometimes I use photoshop if it needs it.

How did you start:
I went to art college in Grimsby but didn't like it much so dropped out after a month. After bowing to pressure to get a 'real job' I worked in as a screen printer and butcher. 15 years later I decided I had to pick up where I left off and came to university. 

A Personal statement about you or your work:
I have a huge interest in drawing and painting. I draw lots of reference from old matriarchs particularly fromthe 50's and 60's and I think that is beginning to show in my work. I try and retain the sponteniety and roughness that occurs in my sketchbooks. A big problem is tensing up when it comes to the final image. So I tend to collage from them. I get textures from old books and use them as backgrounds or parts of the image rather than have flat colours.

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Artist 56: YONIL

Illustration Rally is lucky to have YONIL, aka Jonathon Lax all the way from sunny Tel Aviv! YONIL is another one of those amazing people who excel both in the feild of illustration and graphic design, loving both disciplines equally. Not one to beat around the bush, he strives to keep away from boring work and keep with the projects that interest him. YONIL's work has an immediate pathos which really grabs you and seems to give a vitality and strength to his muted palette. His work has a diagramatic, scientific quality straight out of texts and this is teamed with a beautiful sinuous blood like quality that gives the work a different paradigm. Compositionally his work is also strong with his tender palette and sharp eye for structure bringing you a fuller more satisfying flavour. Tasty work, freshly served, Its YONIL.

Who are you:
I am YONIL and I am also Jonathan Lax, depending on the occasion. I’m an illustrator and a graphic designer living and working in Tel-aviv, Israel. I’m also a cat person (not at the moment unfortunately, but as a general statement).

What do you do:
I do anything that involves graphic design or illustration and that interests me (Like many others - I’m not a big fan of boring work). I illustrate for newspapers, I design t-shirts, often work with the music & arts industries for posters, album covers etc. The general idea is to do whatever is fun, so I can keep loving the profession as much as I do.

How did you start:
I was in London the winter of 2003. I saw tons of bands, saw music posters, bought many records and tees and pretty much got inspired enough to know that this is what I wanna do for the rest of my life. I then studied for four years in the department of visual communication at the Holon institute of technology (H.I.T.) in israel, graduated a little over a year ago, and here I am.

A personal statement:
Whenever I do a graphic design work – I miss illustrating so much and vice versa.
This is probably the best thing about it all, I was fortunate enough to actually work in two different jobs that really fit well together and which both I absolutely in love with.

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Artist 55: DeanZappy

A real treat for you now, Its the irrepressible DeanZappy, IR contributor and all round awesome guy DeanZappy has talent in spades and has kindly shared some with us today. Dean has one of the most vivid palettes you'll ever see in the field and he is one of the few that can wield colour with confidence. Full of humour his bold style instantly grabs you and rewards you with smiles and fun. Dean has an irrepressible style, saccharin sweet, that at the same time has a savoury wit that keeps things sharp. Also a talented graphic designer Zappy keeps things cool and slick with smooth designs and simple strong imagery. Zappy has a precise style and intelligent characters that don't need any more description to sell themselves, as simple as they come his characters are always believable and have a unique flavour not stifled by a "house style" as with many illustrators. DeanZappy has the skills for kills and there is absolutely no way he is not going to conquer the world and bring us into a colourful new dawn!


Who are you:
Hi, I'm DeanZappy a Graphic Designer & Illustrator currently based in Manchester UK.

What do you do:
Well, I'm primarily a Graphic Designer and graduated from University in 2007. I also love to draw and spend a lot of my free time creating illustrations for personal & commissioned briefs. At the moment I work freelance but am looking to find a permanent position somewhere soon! With my design work I like to keep things simple, but I really express myself with the illustration side of things and have fun doing it.

How did you start:
I studied Graphic Design at school, then at college and eventually university. I have always been creative, and after school I decided Graphics would be the best way forward. Once I graduated I went travelling for over two years, and since I returned have taken on a lot of freelance projects.

A Personal statement about you or your work:
I combine a variety of styles and techniques to produce work that is fun, vibrant, and eye-catching.

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Artist 54: Maddie Joyce

A warm hello to Maddie Joyce, our little ray of sunshine in the bitter winter. Maddie has a unique take on the world and through her work we can see a really aspirational happiness. Delicate lines and considered faces give her a great starting place with which you can explore her ideas. Her use of surfing and skating is a theme that runs through her images like a thread that binds them together as if in a series. Her work is gentle and ethereal or bold and bright. She has a way of giving us a certain alternative vibe that is strongest in her pieces that feature the sea.  Her painted work reminds me of Cornwall and the crystal green sea that embraces you like an iron salty wall, her images faceted by dark lines with clear solid colours like stained glass. Her striking colours and hippy themes are are really strong and have a good flavour and its nice to see her develop. With the best of luck for the future and the fond hope to see more of those great ocean vibes we give you Maddie Joyce.


Who are you: 
I am Maddie Joyce and I am a young creator of happy, little creations.

What do you do: 
I paint, sketch, draw, sew, take photographs, buy childrens books, make books, write books and illustrate!

How did you start: 
It was at the beginning of my Graphic Design a-level that I decided that I wanted my career, life and every breathing moment that I have to be based around art. My lessons wouldn't just finish after the 1 and a half hours. I would go home and keep at it, filling up books and illustrating, completely bending the breifs to suit my own creative ideas! I just kept at it and enjoy it so much. Art is such a good way to express your imagination and it makes me really happy. This is definitely the direction that I would like to go.

A personal statement about you or your work: 
My work, both art and photography are a complete reflection of who I am and where I want to be. I create things which make me feel warm inside, give me tummy squiggles and squirmies, perhaps from a fond memory or somewhere I wish to be. I want to produce art which makes people day-dream, laugh or connect with. It isn't deep, or conceptual, it is what it is, a big bundle of magicality! : )

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Artist 53: Miff Weaver

Its Miff Weaver now, Our latest featured illustrator is a graduate of University College of Falmouth and is carving out a freelance career with an ever developing line drawing style influenced by 60s graphical kitsch. Miff is striving for perfection and will get there soon with a good grasp of colour and a composition style that loosely mosaics objects into an ordered shape. Miff has some good structural composition and creates vibrant busy images that combine that little bit of order with some hand drawn complexity. Using naive characters and a good helping of detail and colour, Miffs work has a great sense of positivity and warmth. Miff gives us a relaxed feast for the eyes and I'm sure that you'll all agree that he will be in for a treat as he builds his style and client list in the future!

Who are you:

I'm Miff Weaver. I live between a small village (Albrighton) and a big city (Bristol). I love pencils, music, day dreaming and train journeys.

What do you do:

I tend to draw the same thing over and over until I get it as near perfect as I can, then draw it again. I always add a little more milk to my tea after pouring the right amount. I feed the fish an extra flake of food after I've given it the right amount. I constantly strive to do better in my work.

How did you start:

I was never good at writing when I started school, so I tried to draw my way through education, I guess it worked! I used to spend a lot of time drawing on different coloured sugar paper at my nan's house, space ships and robots and swamp monsters and stuff - I've just continued on from that really! I've always had the backing of my family and friends to pursue a career in art and design, I have a lot to thank them for.

A Personal statement about you or your work: 

I've always had a huge interest in line, I think you can tell a lot about a person from the line they draw. The foundations of my work come from learning about the Bauhaus (Paul Klee's work in particular) and watching hours upon hours of Dexters Lab. I've worked hard to produce I style I am happy with. I really like my artworks to look perfect and imperfect, that's why I tend not to use vector. I usually work on kitchen tables rather than cramped rooms and have a constant stream of music playing while I work - I'm currently enjoying Best Coast and Why?    

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Artist 52: Malarky

 

Its Malarky! Flitting between sunny Barcelona and rainy London its great we could catch this jet setting artist, illustrator and troublemaker and show you his wares. Malarky is his own style, and he has perfected it into something like an addiction, each image working more perfectly than before. It feels like ever single pen line is calculated to add cool and the second he has given you enough he'll stop. His images are like a precise form of anarchy free, and bold but measured and fully formed. There is an immense satisfying sense of completeness about his work, in that, unlike so many artists you are never left wanting by his images. This probably reflects his graffiti roots where you have to concentrate on getting it right in one stealthy (or down right dangerous) shot. Given more time you get a subtle palette complimenting the naive style with a contemplative touch that reminds me of painted Mexican churches and :atin iconography. Malarky is the whole package fully formed and just itching to take on the world. Great talent caught here on Illustration Rally! 

Who are you:
My name is Malarky, I am an artist and illustrator, currently floating between London and Barcelona.

What do you do:
I paint and draw on anything I can find because I love to do it, my head spills over with ideas and I'm lucky if I get 1 in 10 down in some sort of recognisable visual form. I get agitated if I'm not able to get to a pen and paper when I need too.

I get inspiration from everywhere, from the people I'm with, to a stain on the wall of a dingey pub that looks like an astronaut wolf. I guess it has a lot to do with interpretation, if I saw an astronaut wolf that would make me smile so I guess my head is looking for amusement in everything I see and I try and put these thoughts onto paper/wood/whatever.

If I'm not drawing i'm probably drinking tea or eating nandos.

How did you start:
Creatively it all started when I took up skateboarding back in 1998, back then I was at school and and money was tight so £25 T shirts and £55 skate decks wasn't really an option. I used to get black decks and plain t shirts and doodle on them or do stencils, its was just a bit of fun, a little side project from skating. The urban exploration side of skateboarding had a cross over with the graffiti scene and a lot of times we would find ourselves in skating in a place where people were also painting, so everyone kind of got to know each other. Some writers showed me how they would draw/tag on the old royal mail recorded delivery stickers that you could get from the post office and stick them up around town, so I got busy doing that while working full time in a skateshop, until I could save enough to go to university.

I moved from London to Newcastle to study, the furthest north I'd been before then was Northampton so it was a bit of a culture shock! Up there I got more into graffiti more and started painting more trackside and street bits, got in some crazy situations and probably came close to death more than once. I was still doing stickers and now paste ups and through that I met some awesome artists, this was the first time I'd met someone who did art as a job and had a studio, right then, I knew thats what I wanted to do. Some small galleries started opening and taking on my work and I was getting little sales here and there, I finished off uni and got a job in an architecture practice, working there all day everyday further encouraged me to work hard at my artwork. I saved money for months and months and moved to Barcelona to work full time as an artist.

A Personal statement about you or your work: 
Never too serious, but deep enough to make you think, and then hopefully smile!

Malarky

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Artist 51: Matthew Ellero

1. 'Original' submission for Don't Panic poster competition

2. 'New York New York'. For IHeartDotDotDot zine

3. 'Travelling through time' for a MTV competition

 4. 'Smart Cars in the Wild' for Outsmart 2010

Another winter warmer for you now with the fantastic Matthew Ellero. Matthew has a beautifully complex yet really sweet style, He takes influence from all over keeping bright and current styles and trends but changing it and making his own mashup, he serves us the artistic zeitgeist, rolling up the ephemera of modern culture and hitting us over the head with it! He blends his own characters seamlessly with others creating unique collective images in his own gentle outline style. Its illustration with a heady mix of the sweet the naughty and the real, all combining in a warm friendly way that brings you into the work with hugs and cuddles and then coshes you while you have your back turned. like a fuzzy hammer you can't forget the cute characters and adult themes that serve you an altogether more satisfying slice of visual pie. Real skills and talents in a variety of disciplines his work is a real joy and has that super cool edge that is bound to rip it up next year. Definitely a hot pick read a little more about him here.

Who are you: 
I am Matthew Ellero. A 27 year old guy from Peterborough, England. 

What do you do: 
I'm just about to embark on a freelance career- doing illustration and graphic design.

How did you start: 
I have always wanted to go freelance but never had the confidence. I was made redundant late last year and it kind of spurred me on to take the leap.  It has taken a year to get organised and build up my portfolio but we're finally at the stage where i'm just about to send out some self promotional goodies! (Which is very exciting but also very scary).

Going down the freelance route is a lot of hard work, but being able to do something that you love as a job is something i couldn't pass up. 

A Personal statement about you or your work: 

I just try and enjoy every piece of work that I do and I hope that comes across in my drawings. :)

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Artist 50: D'Andhra Bascomb

It's ace designer, Illustrator Rally contributor, and all round talent machine D'Andhra Bascomb. Slick fresh and totally on trend D'Andhra has a way of adding that little bit of extra class to the crowded world of T-shirt design with smooth clean lines and precise layered compositions. The best thing about D'Andhra's work is that it seems in a state of constant flux, moving and flowing out at the viewer, and its this digital dynamism that makes these slick commercial designs possible. D'Andhra seems to just know how to fit all the elements together and makes cool look easy, though the clever touches and dramatic well chosen palette certainly show there is real substance behind the design. Its a hard place to get noticed but D'Andhra has a spark especially strong when working with portraits and faces. She has a fantastic presentation and uses colour eloquently to pick out her subjects, which have a believability and depth that makes her pretty much unique in the field of vector art. Get noticed and believe the hype its D'Andhra! Not only on our blog but also exhibiting at the Rumsey Wells Gallery in Norwich, Norfolk.


Who are you: 
D'Andhra Bascomb AKA DE'BA Designs

What do you do: 
I am a Digital Illustrator, fashionista, and lover of chocolate cake and snicker doodle cookies. Oh! And pizza! 

How did you start: 
2005. Back in college. I went to school to be an animator and was doodling digitally on the side. We see which profession grew on me :).

Personal Statement: 
Passion, humility, and tenacity. Design is a very dog eat dog sort of profession. Don't compare your work to others. Rather adapt humbly. Grow. Make a DEMAND for your SUPPLY. 

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Artist 49: Rachel Clare Price

It's Rachel Clare Price, another member of exciting collective Tea & Crayons which shares the love of both my favourite beverage and the first form of artistic expression that we encounter and handy nursery school snack. Busy fashion illustrator Rachel creates some truly stunning hand drawn illustration that proves that raw mechanical skill gained through observation and training is still one of the best ways to present ideas and capture the imagination of the viewer. Rachel has an ethereal style that really showcases her skill and with a very gentle hand guides the viewer through her work. Light as a feather it feels like the work will float of the page at any moment and the viewer must take in all the information before it fades away. its this dreamlike quality that sets her apart and the real strength of her approach is the subtle way she can give the viewer themes and emotions as if by sleep learning. That said there is a wild vitality in her images of animals that is great when permeating her other work too. A fascinating and captivating illustrator, read about her here!


Who are you:
My name is Rachel Clare Price, I grew up in a small corner of the East Yorkshire countryside. Not a lot happens there, except an occasional escape attempt by the resident shire horse. Currently I am a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, tea drinker and live in Newcastle upon Tyne. 

What do you do:
I draw pictures, design things and listen to ALOT of music. 

How did you start:
I’ve been drawing ever since I was old enough to hold a pencil; I’ve always wanted to do something creative with my time, it never really occurred to me to do anything else!

I studied art at college, and Multimedia Design at Northumbria University, which was quite a practical course and encouraged me to involve technology in my work, but I didn’t want to be a web designer (html stresses me out!), so I continued to pursue a more graphics based option. When I graduated I started illustrating for a local music magazine and went from there! They were great and gave me a lot of freedom.

I currently divide my time between illustration and design, working on various projects for fashion and lifestyle magazines.  I like to get involved in as many things as I can, from exhibitions, screen-printing, collaborations and more recently myself and 5 illustrators have started a design collective so we can share our ideas and work together (teaandcrayonscollective.blogspot.com). I like to be busy.

A Personal statement about you or your work: 
My work is most often inspired by nature and folklore, which probably stems from growing up surrounded by birds and trees, drawing what was outside my window.  
Fashion and music are both a huge influence for me as well, I surround myself with a lot of music, books and magazines when I work.  I like to experiment with different ideas, combining digital and hand drawn/painted elements, but my style maintains a delicate, minimalism throughout.

Each image has it’s own narrative, I love to create a story and a dreamlike, ethereal world where imagination can run free. 

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Artist 48: Kerry Hyndman

Another wonderful artist for you now! Its Kerry Hyndman, in keeping with the snow and ice we have brought you the ice cool style and wintry themes of a fine artist turned designer, illustrator. Kerry made the switch to design and illustration after working on her university paper, and we sure are glad. Kerry has a unique way of telling a story with her work that puts language in a visual context and runs with it. Her images are constructed in an intelligent way that belies her great eye for composition and there is more than a hint of light hearted humour that gives her a freshness which is so nice to see. Part design, part digital collage, part hand drawing Kerry draws on many elements but doesn't overcrowd the image, her work is precise, knowing exactly how much to give the viewer to make her point and create a lasting impression. Always keen to showcase illustrators with a bit of fun we wish her the best of luck and with her developing style no doubt she will definitely go far. Read about her here!

Who are you:

I am Kerry Hyndman. I am an illustrator, designer and artist. I am based in London.

What do you do:

Having recently finished my Illustration masters I am currently busy developing my style and trying to push my illustration out of my computer and into the world! I create screen printed works and digital illustrations. I am also a qualified snowboard instructor and I like to spend as much of my spare time as possible up a mountain.

How did you start:

Making a mess, which I still do. I studied Fine Art at Newcastle Uni, focusing on oil painting and portraiture. After four years of this I found I had more of a passion for the design and illustration work I was doing as the designer of the university paper. So I decided to put the brushes and turpentine down and pick up my Wacom tablet and I haven't looked back!

Personal statement:

I am fascinated by language and as much as possible I use illustration to highlight and explore phrases and expressions. In a lot of my work I collage digital elements together with layers of hand-drawn lines and found textures. I am influenced by my love of mountains and being outside! 

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Artist 47: Abby Wright

For Amelia's Magazine

A winter warming welcome to the stylish fashion illustrations of Abby Wright, the Yorkshire based illustrator is the perfect accompaniment to the cooling weather. With this much style and chic its hard to deny the talented student has got big things ahead of her. Already a stalwart of Amelia's Magazine, she is taking the initiative in a way that puts other students to shame. Fully fledged with an incredibly mature style its easy to see why she has been picked up by such a prestigious fashion blog. Its also good to note that despite her natural emphasis on clothing in her illustrations, its the tender depictions of the models and the real emphasis on the eyes that give the sense of life and movement to her images. Her choice of palette also underlies the sense of cool. and improve the clarity of her work. She creates not only a sense of pathos but some really skilful observational drawing too. Wishing her luck on her new adventures with Tea & Crayons here's Abby Wright.  


Who are you:

I am Abby Wright, an illustrator based in East Yorkshire. The surroundings are so beautiful and inspiring, I've lived here all my life and look forward to settling down here with a couple of cats! 

What do you do:

I love to produce fashion and portrait illustrations. I am currently in my third year of an illustration degree, and looking forward to a career as a freelance illustrator. I discovered Amelia's Magazine during the summer, and produced a number of fashion illustrations for her Compendium of Fashion Illustration. I was chosen to be in the book and since then I have continued working in this style, as it is the what I really love doing.

Recently I have joined forces with five other illustrators to produce Tea & Crayons. We're from all corners of the UK, brought together by a joint desire to challenge ourselves and work together, sharing knowledge and creativity. With a love of editorial, fashion and advertising illustration alike, we each have a unique style, that when brought together, promises exciting things. Working independently as well as collaboratively, we aim to support, push and challenge each other... Look out for future collective projects, and hopefully an exhibition or two! Tea & Crayons is formed of Kayleigh Bluck, Rachel Lewis, Rachel Price,  Fritha Strickland, Natasha Thompson and myself!

How did you start:

Before starting my degree, I did a foundation in Art and Design. It had always been my intention to study fine art, but a taster in illustration showed me that this was the right path for my work, and I haven't looked back. 

A Personal statement about you or your work: 

I enjoy incorporating hand drawn line work with colour and textures to produce my illustrations. When I get the chance I also love print-making. I draw inspiration from other illustrators, the outdoors, colour, clothing, cats and my boyfriend.

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