How I get ideas for my drawings can sometimes be very simple. I simply find a picture that really inspires me in terms of the shape of the person, what they’re wearing or the colours in the picture.
I then either add a quote or message I feel that goes with the image (if it needs one) and feel content at the simplicity of what I’ve created.
My ‘He for She’ inspired drawing for example worked really well with being true to the reference picture as the black and white photo really symbolised how a lot of women who are subjects of sexism feel. The pen lines used to sketch the drawing seem very raw and it’s my own way of expressing the harmlessness and realness of women who seek equality.
The lack of colour in the drawing is also a symbol of history and it draws the piece back to a time when coloured photographs didn’t exist. It draws the piece back to a time equality for women was also non-existent. It is therefore an invitation of colourful and new thoughts. Open minded thoughts.
But sometimes, coming up with ideas for a drawing can get very complicated, not only in terms of the elements in a drawing but what it symbolises. Or at least what it’s supposed to symbolise. I guess everyone is truly entitled to their own opinion when it comes to interpreting a piece of art, but when I create something with a particular message in mind, I try my best to get it across.
‘Harry’s Garden’ for example is my personal interpretation of the polarity of people’s minds and the balance we have between our two opposites. ‘His mind was like a garden; flowers and weed alike.’ Our minds grow the wildest and most beautiful of flowers but at the same time, our dark thoughts can just as well become weed in our garden and enshroud our minds. I don’t mean it in a bad way necessarily but for people who battle with mental illnesses, people who deal with anxiety, people who have suffered trauma or even simply a nightmare, the rare flowers in their mind could very well be the only good thoughts they have.
‘New York love birds’ was inspired by Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid. When I first saw the picture of them together, I immediately knew I wanted to draw it but I wanted to add more romance into my drawing than simply copying a picture of the two of them together. I embedded two sparrows in the middle of the piece and called them lovebirds. I refrained myself from looking up what colours real sparrows are supposed to be and played around with the colours a little, giving them both yellow breasts to symbolises boldness with the tips of their wings being different shades of blue to match the sky which I’m sure they soar.
The pink semi-circle behind them stands for a romantic sunset which brings the whole drawing together.
My most favourite piece of artwork to date however continues to be ‘The Muse’. Inspired by Harry Styles, this drawing is what I would imagine the desk of a fashion designer would look like if he was their muse. I particularly enjoyed playing around with the different dimensions and perspective in this drawing. I wanted to take a very classy and very Gucci Harry Styles and put him in the middle of creative chaos.
Inspiration to create a piece of art can come from anywhere. There are no rules or boundaries to what can or cannot inspire you or trigger a thought in your mind.