With over 15 years of experience in the world of illustration, from live art murals, to traditional editorial illustration, Brighton-based illustrator Matt Johnstone has brought his characteristic comic-style charm to a wide range of projects. He has been illustrating for The Guardian Sports section since 2007, alongside working with his US agent Friend+Johnson and creating personal projects.
Matt graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2005 and quickly became immersed in the professional world, producing a few bits for Dazed & Confused Magazine, and a large map of Brighton for a pub company. “I think the times I have enjoyed what I do the most – and feel the most motivated – are when I am working on a variety of projects in different areas whether it’s illustrations for books, magazines, newspapers, maps, animations, products, or personal pieces.”
His illustrations are reminiscent of the comics and puzzle books he would read as a kid, and today, as a parent, Matt’s children often inspire his work, particularly by some of the funny things they say. The bright colours and bold lines in his drawings portray a weird and dreamy world; a world much more playful and optimistic then the one we are currently in. It is this world that Matt aims to delve into whilst sketching. He says; “I often draw clouds, drips and plants growing and people when I am just doodling I don’t know what that means? I think i’m ok. Am I ok?”. The influence of nature and a fascination with plants and animals also compliments his style which has playfulness and silliness at it’s the core. Ultimately, Matt draws as he “wants to have fun”!
When he first started out, Matt mainly used traditional drawing techniques on paper, creating a rough pencil sketch, using a lightbox to refine the drawing, and then scanning and colouring digitally. Over the years, he has started to use drawing tablets, primarily an iPad, as it “saves a lot of time and makes editing the illustrations a lot easier”. Feeling like he was relying on digital techniques too much, and missing the analogue world and tactility of how he used to draw, Matt decided to start mixing it up, taking his practice into a different realm through working on murals and live art pieces. Loving the use of instinct that this provided, Matt looked to the world of printmaking, with the sense of calm and therapeutic process of printing becoming more and more appealing.
Matt’s sketches have most recently been transferred to lino and brought to life through carving and pressing. “The smell of the lino and ink, the sense of calm and therapeutic nature of carving something by hand. I’ve got a long way to go but I have been enjoying creating something and having full control over the whole process from concept to the final print”. He creates all of his prints by carving into Japanese lino, using Cranfield safe wash ink and Ho Sho paper, and printing on his small portable press, experimenting and refining his process as he learns.
As well as working on more illustrations for books, Matt is looking forward to spending more time practising his printmaking skills, with the hope to add more prints to his store.
www.mattjohnstone.co.uk
@mattjohnstone
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