A Graphic Life: Andy Singleton: artist, illustrator (english version)

Andy Singleton is a paper artist and illustrator based in Wakefield, England. He studied Animation with Illustration at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has produced work for variety of clients, including the Crafts Council, Liberty, Hermés, Kensington Palace, Seifried and Mack, DDB Australia, The Hepworth and Lazerian, (specific installations, window displays, illustration, brand graphic...) Andy is available for private and commercial projects. Passion and patience is probably the most important point in this work. I feel like this artist is a kind of engineer, because he have those skills: observation, techniques, and good sense for details. I can pass hours to figure at how he create those papers installations. He presented himself and his work, below. Thank you to him.

. What is your approach to life?

If you have an opportunity, take it! Work hard to achieve what you want but never forget to have fun and enjoy life. Travel when you can afford it. Don't live in the past, try to look to the future.

. How did you get started as an illustrator?

I've always been interested in drawing, even as kid I was into it deeply. I eventually studied Illustration and Animation at Manchester Metropolitan University, but it took me few years to settle after graduating and start taking things seriously. I worked for free a lot on my own projects trying to get the right people to notice me. I was working on big, intricate pieces, like murals and installations, that were hard to ignore. So my practice has grown from more than typical illustration. This approach was really encouraged on my degree course and its one I would encourage for others.

. What is the average number of days that you take to creation your design?

It varies really, I find the two dimensional paper cutting works take longer to realise than the 3D pieces. But there are more stages to the 3D work, which usually takes a couple of prototype model before making the final piece. The 3D paper chickens took 5 days to make from sketch to prototype to final model. The London Cityscape paper cutting I created recently took about a month of solid work to complete. So it depends on what I'm making.

. What is the best part about your job?

I love being able to come into my studio everyday, get some music on and just make things for myself and for other people. It's exciting to get a new commission and produce a new piece of work and it's usually something really different so its always interesting. Being able to do what you love for a living is amazing.

. What is the hardest thing about your creation?
Having the focus to achieve the work in the given time.

. Where do you go for inspiration?

I go into my own head for inspiration. I spend a lot of time observing and thinking about all sorts of things. I like travelling on long train journeys and looking out the windows to help me think, I like to go for walks in the countryside and I like to just take the time to enjoy looking at the beautiful things we see day to day. I have a great fire escape I use as a balcony at my studio which is great for watching the world go by. Its also really important to travel the world to gain inspiration from other people and cultures. I Just wish I had the time and money to do it more often.

. What have you learned from your past design?

I think its always good to push yourself and try and create something fresh. Don't play it safe.

. Professionally, what’s your goal?

I just want to be able to continue to produce interesting and beautiful work. I love working with paper but maybe down the line things will change and I'll be sculpting from wood or clay. In the short term, I want to get more exposure for my hand drawn illustration work.