Interview with Oliver Hydes [oliverhydes] on Whohub

Oliver Hydes [oliverhydes]

ILLUSTRATION

What is your specialty in illustration?

Hand drawn typography, Concepts, Portraits, Large scale artwork.

Is there a web address where we can see some of your work?

www.oliverhydes.com
www.oliverhydes.blogspot.com

How did you get your first full assignment? What did it involve?

I first started by holding my own exhibitions with friends from Brighton University and that led to a some commissioned portraits and I sold artwork as well. At first it was all about the exhibitions and selling work and then I got more into doing client work as I found I preferred to solve creative problems rather than sell fine art.
My first big assignment was in 2003 doing advertising work for channel 4 which i got within a couple of months of graduating. It involved getting up at 5am and going to media companies headquarters throughout London and drawing the channel 4 logo with portraits of presenters from channel 4 around right in front of the front door to emphasize the presence and power of the channel 4 brand. I did that for 10 days straight and it was still the best job i have ever done.

What past or present day illustrators do you admire most?

Saul Steinberg and Pushpin Studios.

Do you have a favorite work of art?

Guernica by Picasso or anything by Eduardo Paolozzi.

What do you do when a client simply says "I don't like it"?

Work on it until you are both happy - thats your job.

What are you working on now?

Working on some maps and illustrations for Brighton and Hove Council in UK and getting together some artwork for a stall that I will be running on Brighton Seafront over the summer.

What advice do you have for someone who likes to draw and would like to make a living from it?

1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Fact.