Falling in love all over again
Interview
I'm in the thrilling first steps of life as a creative, learning as I go. I try to draw every day, usually in the couple of hours after lunch when the house is calm and quiet. I work on the dining table, so everything has to be reached out and put away which is quite a feat.
Kate Hewer speaks with Patrick Morgan
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When did you first get into drawing?
I've always loved to draw, it's almost like a primal instinct. But I viewed it as a hobby to enjoy and while away the hours, so it never occurred to me that it could be done as 'work'. I therefore didn't pursue it beyond Art GSCE at school, although I did do a one year Art A level at night school for fun! With hindsight, I wish I'd gone to Art College and studied further, simply for the freedom to explore the endless possibilities of working in different mediums.
Why did you choose to make fashion part of your inspiration?
My mum taught dressmaking, so as a child I was constantly surrounded by patterns, material and pins! Dressing up was a favourite activity and I used to spend hours flicking through magazines and clothing catalogues, then drawing my own outfits! So I guess fashion illustration was always buried deeply at subconscious level. With the encouragement of friends one Christmas, I signed up to a four day short course at LCF and fell in love all over again. From figures to faces, I live and breathe form and texture.
What is your particular working day as a creative?
I'm in the thrilling first steps of life as a creative, learning as I go. I try to draw every day, usually in the couple of hours after lunch when the house is calm and quiet. I work on the dining table, so everything has to be reached out and put away which is quite a feat. However, I like to leave whatever I'm working on in sight, it helps me to 'see' the next bit that needs doing each time I pass or catch a glimpse. A drawing will keep calling to me until it's finished, so I often find myself waking in the morning and then that is the first thing I think about.
What tools do you use when creating your images?
I started by honing my drawing skills using graphite pencils and charcoal. Once satisfied with an understanding of the shapes in faces and the movement of clothes on bodies, I dabbled a little bit with watercolour and coloured pencils. My latest discovery are soft pastels. I love working with them, for the colour and texture. They are versatile and quite forgiving. I've also started working on a bigger scale and experimenting with coloured paper. As a relative newbie, my style is still evolving, but I feel within a hair's breadth of finding my voice. I'd love to be skilled at digital art, to maybe find a quicker way of working, but need to get a new iPad first!
Who are what has influenced you over the years as an artist?
To begin with I'd pour over the work of the big names in fashion illustration that I came across mainly on Instagram - David Downton, Blair Breitenstein and Jeanette Getrost. Through them, I explored the earlier pioneers like René Bouché and Mats Gustafson. Being part of FIDA I've discovered a treasure trove of exciting talent, like @Gambrell @nadiacoolrista and @stina_persson_illustration to name but a few. I've also learned quite a bit from the figurative work of animator Eliza Ivanova (@eleeza) and am regularly inspired by photographers like Peter Lindbergh and Lachlan Bailey.
What advice do you have for younger artists looking to be part of this industry?
Be fearless. Be you.
What are you drawing today? Music are you listening to? Books that your are reading? Favourite artist/designer at the moment?
I've been busy working on a series of drawings for the FIDA Bvlgari project. It's been great to have a focus and work to a brief. Usually, I draw anything I see that captures my imagination or poses a challenge. I have a lot of images stored on my phone!
My taste in music and literature is a bit eclectic, but generally speaking, I'll listen to anything with a strong beat that makes my fingers tap and read anything if you can promise me the goodies beat the baddies. I love a happy ending!
It would be impossible to name a favourite designer, they are all so creative in their own right.