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Featured Artist Interview-Richard Wilkinson
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Richard Wilkinson
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His works speak of a gentle yet worldly soul, and his illustrations are beloved by many. What little we know of Richard Wilkinson belies the fact that he prefers instead to let his illustrations do the talking.
Richard Wilkinson was born and lived his young life on the south coast of England. After studying Fine Art at college, he moved to London where he now lives and works as an artist and illustrator. Richard is represented in the UK by Central Illustration Agency and by Bernstein & Andruilli in the USA. Some of his eminent clients include Time Magazine, GQ, Vodafone, Penguin Books and The Telegraph. This promising artist also has upcoming shows in New York & San Diego scheduled in the pipeline.
TAXI hangs out with this talented individual to find out what makes him tick.
TAXI>>Hello Richard! How are you today and where are you right now?
Richard Wilkinson>>I’m in my studio in my flat in East London. I’m very well thanks. Hello!
TAXI>>Your latest work was for the Spiritual Health Magazine and it was entitled “Learn To Love Fat”. All of us do know that both women and men today have an obsession with being slim. Do you feel that your illustrations would at least change the mindset of these people?
Richard Wilkinson>>It would be great to think that a picture of mine might change someone’s mindset for the better. I think it’s more likely that it will do the job of drawing attention to, and offering insight into whatever written piece it is illustrating.
TAXI>>Your illustrations seem to have an earthy tone to it and you used almost similar colours for all your work. Is that a trademark of Richard Wilkinson?
Richard Wilkinson>>I think that’s more just my taste than a trademark. I prefer to use as a starting point or background something that will inspire or positively limit my choices when it comes to colour or composition. And I like the look of old surfaces!
TAXI>>When you have an initial idea for an illustration, is your end work often the same as the idea that you have in the first place?
Richard Wilkinson>>I usually sketch a few ideas when I first receive a commission. Sometimes the first idea is the best, probably because it is direct and immediate, but sometimes I have to hunt for a solution. Once I have sketched ideas which I think work for the copy, the AD will agree to them (or sometimes ask for changes!) and then, apart from slight changes in execution, I will produce the end work from that sketch.
TAXI>>Your illustrations are interesting and they are variable. Who are your main target consumers?
Richard Wilkinson>>My main consumers for illustration work are those of the publication who has commissioned me. I wont change my work to something outside of what I see as ‘my style’, but I want to produce work that best illustrates the copy in the context of whichever magazine or newspaper etc that it will appear in. For my personal work, I suppose my target consumers are people who have similar taste to me!
TAXI>>What is your favourite piece of work and why?
Richard Wilkinson>>That changes a lot! It’s quite often the latest thing I’ve done. At the moment I like ‘Genesis’ because I’m a big fan of scale and detail. But next month I may hate it!
TAXI>>Your clients are mostly of magazines. We know that magazines do have an impact on youths. Do you feel a pressure to set a line between what's in and what's not?
Richard Wilkinson>>If you mean with relation to trends and fashion - Not really. I would be a terrible barometer of style outside of illustration!
TAXI>>How would you describe your working process?
Richard Wilkinson>>When I’m illustrating an article or story I will read the piece, and make a few notes or jot down initial ideas. Then I’ll brainstorm a bit around the main themes, and make a few thumbnail sketches to help visualise possible solutions.
Once I’ve decided on the way to go, I’ll work out composition in thumbnail sketches. The one (or more) that I like best I’ll then draw full size with most of the detail and play around with backgrounds and colours in Photoshop and submit this to the client for approval. Sometimes I’ll redraw again to work out the linework. Then in photoshop I’ll trace the drawing and colour it.
Sometimes other elements are scanned in. It’s quite involved! I’m trying to do more and more outside the computer but it’s invaluable for bringing lots of elements together and because you can try things out with the miraculous ability to ‘undo’!
TAXI>>Tell me if Richard Wilkinson is not designing, what is he most likely to be doing?
Richard Wilkinson>>Sometimes visiting exhibitions or cinema or seeing friends but most likely sleeping, eating, reading or watching TV.
TAXI>>It’s been great having you on The Front Seat. Before we say goodbye, where would you like a TAXI to bring you right now?
Richard Wilkinson>>I would hope it will enable more people to see my work and that some of those people might have a dream commission or two to offer me!
© 2003 - 2007 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.
Richard Wilkinson was born and lived his young life on the south coast of England. After studying Fine Art at college, he moved to London where he now lives and works as an artist and illustrator. Richard is represented in the UK by Central Illustration Agency and by Bernstein & Andruilli in the USA. Some of his eminent clients include Time Magazine, GQ, Vodafone, Penguin Books and The Telegraph. This promising artist also has upcoming shows in New York & San Diego scheduled in the pipeline.
TAXI hangs out with this talented individual to find out what makes him tick.
TAXI>>Hello Richard! How are you today and where are you right now?
Richard Wilkinson>>I’m in my studio in my flat in East London. I’m very well thanks. Hello!
TAXI>>Your latest work was for the Spiritual Health Magazine and it was entitled “Learn To Love Fat”. All of us do know that both women and men today have an obsession with being slim. Do you feel that your illustrations would at least change the mindset of these people?
Richard Wilkinson>>It would be great to think that a picture of mine might change someone’s mindset for the better. I think it’s more likely that it will do the job of drawing attention to, and offering insight into whatever written piece it is illustrating.
TAXI>>Your illustrations seem to have an earthy tone to it and you used almost similar colours for all your work. Is that a trademark of Richard Wilkinson?
Richard Wilkinson>>I think that’s more just my taste than a trademark. I prefer to use as a starting point or background something that will inspire or positively limit my choices when it comes to colour or composition. And I like the look of old surfaces!
TAXI>>When you have an initial idea for an illustration, is your end work often the same as the idea that you have in the first place?
Richard Wilkinson>>I usually sketch a few ideas when I first receive a commission. Sometimes the first idea is the best, probably because it is direct and immediate, but sometimes I have to hunt for a solution. Once I have sketched ideas which I think work for the copy, the AD will agree to them (or sometimes ask for changes!) and then, apart from slight changes in execution, I will produce the end work from that sketch.
TAXI>>Your illustrations are interesting and they are variable. Who are your main target consumers?
Richard Wilkinson>>My main consumers for illustration work are those of the publication who has commissioned me. I wont change my work to something outside of what I see as ‘my style’, but I want to produce work that best illustrates the copy in the context of whichever magazine or newspaper etc that it will appear in. For my personal work, I suppose my target consumers are people who have similar taste to me!
TAXI>>What is your favourite piece of work and why?
Richard Wilkinson>>That changes a lot! It’s quite often the latest thing I’ve done. At the moment I like ‘Genesis’ because I’m a big fan of scale and detail. But next month I may hate it!
TAXI>>Your clients are mostly of magazines. We know that magazines do have an impact on youths. Do you feel a pressure to set a line between what's in and what's not?
Richard Wilkinson>>If you mean with relation to trends and fashion - Not really. I would be a terrible barometer of style outside of illustration!
TAXI>>How would you describe your working process?
Richard Wilkinson>>When I’m illustrating an article or story I will read the piece, and make a few notes or jot down initial ideas. Then I’ll brainstorm a bit around the main themes, and make a few thumbnail sketches to help visualise possible solutions.
Once I’ve decided on the way to go, I’ll work out composition in thumbnail sketches. The one (or more) that I like best I’ll then draw full size with most of the detail and play around with backgrounds and colours in Photoshop and submit this to the client for approval. Sometimes I’ll redraw again to work out the linework. Then in photoshop I’ll trace the drawing and colour it.
Sometimes other elements are scanned in. It’s quite involved! I’m trying to do more and more outside the computer but it’s invaluable for bringing lots of elements together and because you can try things out with the miraculous ability to ‘undo’!
TAXI>>Tell me if Richard Wilkinson is not designing, what is he most likely to be doing?
Richard Wilkinson>>Sometimes visiting exhibitions or cinema or seeing friends but most likely sleeping, eating, reading or watching TV.
TAXI>>It’s been great having you on The Front Seat. Before we say goodbye, where would you like a TAXI to bring you right now?
Richard Wilkinson>>I would hope it will enable more people to see my work and that some of those people might have a dream commission or two to offer me!
© 2003 - 2007 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.