FeedMeCoolShit.com » Andy Smith

Andy Smith

Contact: andy@asmithillustration.com
Site: http://www.asmithillustration.com

FMCS: Hi Andy how’s things?

Andy: Good, but today its too hot and I’m having to sit with several fans aimed at me.

FMCS: Andy Smith is an unusual name how did you get that?

Andy: My parents are very creative types who really let themselves go when it came to naming me.

FMCS: Are you an East end boy born and bred? Do you have a West end girl?

Andy: No I’m not, though I’ve lived in the east end for a while, I’m originally from Norfolk, a part of the UK mostly known for inbreeding and Michael ‘king of the chavs’ Carroll. I don’t have a west end girl either but a Scottish one (so no inbreeding there)

FMCS: What got you into illustration a compulsive disorder? Therapy?

Andy: It was going to be illustration or tractor driving. I picked illustration and headed for the city.

FMCS: Any desires to pursue other creative avenues aside from illustration?

Andy: My background is in screen-printing and every now and then I make an edtioned book which I then hand print myself, some to send out to clients and some to sell. I’d like to take this further some day and do some kind of book as I can only do fairly small editions myself.

I’ve done a lot of work about my character called ‘Fatty’, which has led to posters and a book called ‘Fatty’s Big Bubble’ and I’d like to extend the book to a longer story. I’d also like to do more animation. A couple of years ago I directed ‘Run London’ an animation for Nike which was a lot of fun and it would be nice to do more as it seems with my work the next step is too make it move…

FMCS: Do you recommend the Royal College of Art for studies? We hear a lot of mixed opinions about the place these days!

Andy: I had a really good time there. I think it depends on what you want from it. I went there from following a degree at Brighton and I think I needed the 2 years at the RCA as my style wasn’t really formed yet and I didn’t really know what I was doing. It meant I had more time to play around and could also experiment in different areas such as animation and printmaking.

By the time I left my style had sorted itself out and I felt confident about what I was doing. I think if you know what you’re doing and have a strong style already then maybe you wouldn’t get so much from it.

FMCS: Typography is a very strong element in your work. And a feature that you seem to have a really good understanding of…We love the way that you use typography in an adventurous and dynamic fashion. Fill us in on how your love affair with typography arose?

Andy: I think I started putting type into my pictures at college as I hated having to explain what was going on in my work, I think if you want to get something across why not write it on the picture. I also like the way a line of copy can make an image more direct and means you can really get an idea across.

I also like telling stories and developing characters so type is important and I want it to be built into the picture rather than just added on top, more recently I’ve begun making pictures that are just based around type, like my ‘Regrettably YES’ print which is based on a favorite saying of my old landlord.

FMCS: My favorite letter is ‘B’ because it reminds my of a perfectly formed lady’s butt! But some days I like ‘Y’ cause it reminds me of the front end. Given that you’re a master of rearranging the alphabet do you have a favorite letter too?

Andy: Mines ‘Q’, I Ilke the way its got a curly bit in it.

FMCS: Are you exhibiting soon? Where can we check out your work?

Andy: My screen prints are available from Soma Gallery along with some good work by other illustrators, My silk-screened books can be bought from Shelf and Playlounge or if you’re in the US from the Drama Store I also have badges at Pinpops and Prickie.

FMCS: Favorite motto?

Andy: Never trust an agent.

FMCS: Follower of politics?

Andy: Not at all, I’m into the politics of what’s happening on my street, but once it reaches the top of the street its out of my jurisdiction and for someone else to worry about.

FMCS: There are a lot of good designers and illustrators out there at the moment! Who do you rate? And who provides you inspiration?

Andy: At the moment I really like the work of Chip Kidd http://www.goodisdead.com I’ve been doing quite a few books covers lately and his stuff is quite inspiring.

FMCS: What are you working on at the moment?

Andy: I’ve just finished a doodley press ad for Filofax, and am halfway through a set of 10 book jackets for the author Joseph Connolly.

I’m also working on some of my own stuff, 2 small books as follow ups to ‘We are the target people’ and ‘They quickly ran from the enormous finger’ that should be done for Christmas.