This week we've interviewed the talented illustrator, Eliot Wyatt, who also works with our design studio, Something Good. Eliot is part of Puck Collective, has been part of many exhibitions including Art Crank and his work has cropped up in some of our favourite places including Crack magazine and the Little White Lies: What I Love About Movies book (available at Papersmiths!). He attended University of Bath and completed a degree in Graphic Communication specialising in Illustration before moving to Bristol and getting stuck into life as a freelance illustrator.
How did you get started in illustration?
When I was a kid I used to do a ton of drawing, either copying things out of books or thinking up weird stories and characters. I would then try to sell my pictures to members of my family. So I guess even from an early age I always wanted to be an illustrator without knowing it.
What inspires and influences you most?
Being surrounded by other awesome people is probably the best fuel of inspiration. Seeing other illustrators create brilliant work definitely pushes you to improve and create great work.
What tips would you give to anyone looking to become an illustrator?
I guess just to draw loads. It's like anything - it takes time and practice.
What is your mantra?
The sky's the limit.
You've recently created illustrations for wall murals and restaurants but what projects do you get most excited about?
It's definitely the larger projects that push me out of my comfort zone that I get excited by. The wall murals are a pretty good example as I get away from the screen and get to work to a large scale.
What's your stationery weapon of choice?
Without a doubt its got to be the Mic mechanical pencil.
Is there any work that you are particularly proud of?
Last year I was asked to create an illustration for Little White Lies 50th issue. The magazine looked at the last 50 years of film focusing on one film from each year. I was given the 1968 film Targets which is a pretty dark film about a guy who goes on shooting rampage. The brief really pushed me and my style and is one of my favourite pieces of my illustration.
A big thank you to Eliot for our little chat! Check out more of his work here.
