Artist Interview with Doaly
Doaly is a story teller and a conceptual thinker. With a clear obsession for pop culture, his work is characterised by visual metaphors and double entendres. Over the years he has created engaging artwork for a wide range of clients including the BBC, Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucas Film, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Wired and Sony Playstation.
What has been your favourite recent project?
I would say it was a recent poster I did for the screening of Enter the Dragon, I’ve been a life long Bruce Lee fan and this was my chance to pay homage to him and create something beautiful.
What is your workspace like?
My workspace is a blank canvas that has multiple distractions/inspirations. It is a place I can work but also relax between various projects. I find it hard working in silence so gather inspiration from movies, video games and books.
Who has inspired, influenced or empowered you?
I think inspiration is everywhere and you can find mentors everywhere. I was very lucky to have some great lecturers at uni but I have also got some great friends in the industry that love to share ideas and inspire each other.
What are the best and worst things about being an illustrator?
I think the best part is being able to create something that didn’t exist before and to think up something new! The worse part is that your brain is always working and its hard to turn off from being inspired and thinking of new ideas.
If you could relocate your studio for a year, where would you go?
I recently visited Tokyo and I’d love to spend more time there, I also love LA so those are two easy places I’d love to spend more time working in.
If you hadn't been an illustrator…?
I think I would always work in a creative field, if I wasn’t a designer or illustrator then I’d love to cook or own my own restaurant.
Whats the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
It’s something I say to myself subconsciously, do the work you want to be doing, if you want to work for a particular industry then start creating and filling your portfolio with that kind of work, there's no short cut to getting better as an illustrator, you just have to do it.
What was the first piece of art you saw that you remember having an impact on you?
Whaam! by Roy Lichtenstein. This piece opened my eyes to the fact that art can be something different and not all art has to be an oil painting.
What is your dream project or client?
I love variety in my work and to create something new, I’d love to create something for a clothing or sports brand like Nike.
Are you someone who prefers a loose brief and total creative freedom, or do you prefer boundaries and a clear brief?
I think depending on the project either can be of benefit but I do like enough freedom where I can surprise myself and try something new with a project and experiment.
If you’ve got a project on the boil and need some inspiration, get on the site or give us a ring on 020 3222 0007
Want to meet us and go through our printed portfolios? Drop us a line at [email protected]