Review: Illustrator Peter Mac
After leaving school illustrator Peter Mac became an apprentice sign writer, as well as various other jobs including working on a sailing ship for two years. He studied Illustration at Brighton University, graduating in the late 90′s. And since then he has been a self employed illustrator living and working in Brighton. JohnstonWorks asked Peter what life as an illustrator is all about:
What is your daily routine?
There is a fantastic coffee shop near my studio just down the road from Brighton station called ‘Coffee@33′. I start there! I share my studio with about 13 illustrators and designers, I start work start at 9-ish and work through till 6. I am a great lover of music in all shapes and forms so I will listen to people like Gilles Peterson as I’m drawing. We have a very relaxed easy going atmosphere to the studio and we all help each other with various aspects of being self employed and creativity. Just down the road is ‘Resident’ record shop so a visit there once a week is always on the cards, apart from that its lots of tea and heads down.
Are many of your projects self-initiated? How do you go about seeking out commercial work?
I make time for personal projects. They have fed into my more commercial work and driven it forwards. I have also found that putting personal work into my portfolio has got me more work than a lot the commercial illustrations. I search out commissions on Twitter and LinkedIn. I enter competitions and jury led books like the AOI Images. I do a fair bit of mail-outs and send Giclee prints to clients.
How do you delegate your time between self-initiated and commercial work?
Quite a lot of the time the paid work takes precedent over the self initiated work but sometimes I have to stop the paid work to get some creative moment going. I keep a sketch book on the go at all times and I love drawing people on trains. It all feeds into the mix.
Upcoming projects? Which of your projects have you enjoyed most?
The recent illustrations for Bob Geldof’s charity ‘One’ viral animation were great fun to do and to see my work animated was fantastic.
Also last year I was commissioned to produce illustrations that accompanied a fully orchestrated production of Peter and the Wolf at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. The narration was by Mark Little and my illustrations were projected onto the cinema screen behind the orchestra. It was a great success, a sold out gig and a fantastic commission.
What is the most important aspect about being an illustrator?
I love problem solving, composition and drawing. I feel very lucky to be doing what I do. To sit and draw and colour in all day listening to top music makes me smile. So I guess the creative freedom is very important.
Also, would you refuse a commission that you feel compromises your way of working?
I was asked to work for a certain lads magazine a few years back. The ideas they wanted me to illustrate were not good. I turned it down. So yes if I’m asked to do work that is morally wrong or that maybe is in a different style then I will turn it down.
What biscuits do you eat?
I don’t eat biscuits on the whole but I have an 85% dark chocolate habit…..gets expensive.
Here’s examples of Peter’s work:
The B of the Bang!
Marcel Pagnols quote
From Aintree to York – Transworld
For more information, please contact Peter on 07734 593448 or email petermac@brighton.co.uk
www.peter-mac.com
Posted by: Tom McWilliam
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