Mick Marston has perfected a series of processes he uses to effect the forms he comes up with. The result is an ever-changing kaleidoscope of unique shapes and patterns in his decorative and eccentric illustrations.
As he goes on to tell us, Mick applies various constraints on himself, coercing new and original choices out into his work. By giving himself restraints on what he can and can’t do or use, he adds an element of reaction to his designs.
It’s a great exercise in switching up productivity and something we can all try when looking for a little inspiration.
I’m an illustrator and printmaker.
I draw a lot, I’ll use anything— pencils, pens, brushes, charcoal, sticks, ink, tape etc.
When drawing, I’m primarily interested in creating ‘good shapes’, I’ll know when I’ve got one, but it may take a few versions to get it right. I’m not interested in realism or accuracy and i’m not precious about the process.
I like flatness and mixing up scale and I like contrasts of clumsy and skilful and beautiful and ugly. I enjoy working to constraints— size, colour, time, shape etc.— sometimes ,I don’t allow myself to use circles for instance— this is difficult when dealing with a subject such as snooker but leads to interesting things.
The drawings are then scanned and then redrawn (not traced) in Adobe Illustrator.
If it’s a commissioned piece for advertising or editorial etc., then it remains as a vector file. If it is intended for an exhibition or is a commissioned print then I will seperate the colours in Illustrator and then screen print them.
My work usually has a limited colour palette— this is the printmaker in me— if you can make something two colours as opposed to ten, then you do it.
© Mick Marston, 2014
