Erm – Dan. How did you paint this? It’s fucking amazing.
I started this as I do with most of my work with an initial sketch, loose composition, in my sketch book or now on my iPad. I then use this as a loose basis for Photoshop on my Mac, where I use a graphics tablet to digitally paint the image. It’s all done freehand with no reference, as I like to capture the mood and atmosphere spontaneously, rather than labouring over exact details and architectural accuracy. I wanted to capture the idea of dappled beams of light streaming through tiny spaces in all the black abstract mechanical forms, creating small pools of light on the rail tracks,
How did you get into the tunnels by Liverpool St?
Ah well, having commuted to London for my work for over 12 years, it’s always been in my mind, something that never ceases to fascinate me, the strange abstract forms, that you only get glimpses of as the train passes by. I find it quite beautiful, it’s something overlooked by most people. I like this idea of finding inspiration in the most everyday and overlooked places. The dark and shadowy works also inspires my darker side…
Do you scare yourself with how real your paintings turn out?
Ha, well I quite often just paint these intuitively so never really look at them until they are finished. I also seem to have developed the right cut off point, so not to over work, once I stop and step back, I do get an enormous sense of satisfaction when I see what I actually set out to achieve initially,
How do you go about what you do?
Well I seem to work 24/7 on some form of creative pursuits! In the day I animate and create various motion graphics in London, I sketch when ever I have a spare minute and I am usually painting in my studio, or on walls/streets at the weekend, so it’s a full time, never switch of approach to my art and work. It’s full on, but I love it.
What are you going to paint next?
I am hoping to paint this image or something very similar on a large scale wall, with Flem and Nor from the crew I am in – IM Crew. I am over in Barcelona for a few days as before, so hoping to paint there, no real plan, I’ll see what happens.
Where can we see more of your work?
My main site is here. I also have this site, which shows my large scale murals, graffiti and wall work. I set this site up for my commissioned wall and murals, so it’s a focused web site for this type of work. I also have Flickr account which can be accessed from my main site, and let’s not forget my shop, where I have canvases and prints of this type of work for sale.
