Interview with Lloyd Harvey [shrunkendesigner] on Whohub

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How and why did you begin to be creative?

I've always been creative, even from a young age but when I met my girlfriend Claire, I seemed to focus on it more. When I became an atheist though, I realised that we only get this one life, which made me think that I'd better spend my life doing the thing I love doing. Thats also why I started to play drums. Life is too short to waste time.

How do you avoid repeating yourself, or falling into formula? How do you stay fresh?

By being mindful of my artistic weaknesses and making an effort to attack them and make them a strength. Trying new things and working across different mediums and genres will also help to keep your work fresh.

Do you have a ritual like retiring to a lonely place from time to time to cleanse your mind?

No... but I do day dream in the shower, on the toilet and on the bus a lot. Sleep also helps.

"To give birth to ideas." Is this only an expression, or are there really parallels between giving birth and creativity?

Literally no. I don't push ideas out of my... well, as a man I can't really compare. It doesn't hurt when I create things and it doesn't take 9 months. Its more like rasing a child though. Ideas come from anywhere and take time to nurture and grow.

Does spirituality contribute to your creativity?

Not with me. I'm an atheist so I'm not spiritual but because of my non-beliefs I push myself to not waste my time on earth and do the things I love.

Declaration: With what person or business would you like to work?

The armchair psychologist: Is creativity an act of rebellion for you?

No, its a compulsion and a love. I love to be creative so why not just do the things you love to do? I can see how that may be seen as an act of rebellious behavior but I don't see it as that at all.

What city in the world currently attracts you due to its creative environment?

L.A. because it is the home grounds of the style and genre of work I've fallen into doing. I'd like to live in New York for a year and would like to end up in Amsterdam (me and my girlfriend went there and it's such an amazing place).

What do you feel when, after two or three years, you see an idea of yours again?

I get excited because I feel like I can improve on the idea so much. You learn a lot in the space of three years.

Ideas can come simultaneously to different people in different places with no connection to one another. How do you explain this phenomenon?

Thats a psycological question and has to be chalked up to coincidence, and probably nothing else. There could be a connection there, but one we can't see and not a spiritual one.

Here we would have to examine how each person came up with their idea, look at what influenced each person and look further into their own backgrounds. There is so much to consider and a real explaination would require an acedemic to write an essay, which is why so many people would for-go that and go for an easy answer, such as a spiritual one.

Such short cut answers fill the world with misinformation.

You are as good as your last idea. Wouldn't you like to have a more secure type of work?

Not really. I don't actually believe that statement becasue if say, you had 9 consecutive great ideas and your 10th is a stinker, why would the last one eradicate the good work of the previous 9?

I think that statment comes from industry bosses who use it to put pressure on creatives to work more like slaves.

What was your favorite comic book as a child?

What is hardest to draw?

I find women tricky still but as a male, it's a common problem.

What type of music do you listen to while you work?

Anything really. Predominantly it's classical stuff or some orchestral soundtrack from a film but at the moment, its prog-rock stuff like Dream Theater and Tool.

Do you have a favorite work of art?

I have lots of favourite pieces by so many artists so it's difficult to name them.

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

I try to work out why by asking questions and trying to find out ways to include the client in the improvement process. If the client becomes difficult, you have to try to (not to sound arrogant) educate them as to why their demands are wrong, unreasonable or damaging to the piece. You're the illustrator, trust your instincts.

Being an illustrator is all about being a problem solver.

What part of your work do you do on paper and what part digitally?

The final piece is always digital for me, that way changes are easier to make. A lot of the planning is done in sketch books and on loose bits of paper.

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

Be prepared for a lot of hard work and a lot of practicing, a lot of rejection and alot of frustration. Its all worth it if you love what you do.

What do you do? How do you define yourself as an artist?

Well, I like to think that I'm a little hard to define as I explore and use various mediums to be creative. Predominantly I am a Lowbrow (pop surrealist) artist who uses acrylic paints but I also see myself as a sci-fi and fantasy painter... and a drummer... and a writer... and an all round illustrator.

I guess I define myself as a busy creative person.

What is your message?

As an atheist, I believe that our time here on Earth is all we have so I work on the basis that you should enjoy this life and spend it doing what you love and not waste time. I guess my message would be something along the lines of that, no matter what you believe in, don't waste your time here... and to show love and affection to the people you care for.

Do you upload your work to the web? If so, where could we see it?

I only upload my work to two places on the internet now. http://www.Redbubble.com every so often but to see my full portfolio, you have to go to my website... which is http://ww.shrunkenheaddesign.co.uk

How is an idea born? For you, what is inspiration?

Like many artists, an idea or insipration for me can come from anywhere, at anytime and any place. The key is to nurture those starting points and build on them. I bounce a lot of my ideas off of my girlfriend Claire, who is very understanding and supportive of my work.

Movies, games, books, other artist's work and nature are my central wells for inspiration but like I said, I can find an idea in almost anything.

What role does technology play in your creative process?

Technology is very important to me. Obviously there is the use of the internet to put out my work, communicate with others and gain inspiration from but also I use cameras to take photographs of strange objects or of me modelling a pose, for reference purposes but mostly, when technology plays a role in my creative process the most, I will use a computer to create a digital painting.

When do you get your best ideas?

Three places: In the Shower, on the Bus and on the toilet.

When and how did you begin to see yourself as an artist?

Oddly enough, I haven't started to yet. I don't think about things like that too much but if you examine what I do, on paper I am an artist.

Why do so many artists and creators have such volatile personalities?

In my experience, the artists I have spoken to and speak to are generally really nice, gracious and modest. But arrogance, pompousness and stress can cause anyone to become volatile. Hopefully my friends and girlfriend will keep me grounded enough to stop me from becoming a jerk.

With me, I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform. I was working a full time job, painting every evening, band once a week and shared time with my girlfriend Claire. I became burnt out and very stressed and was a real bastard to be around... all self-inflicted.

I'm changed now. I strive to be a much better person and to not put so much pressure on myself.

Do you consider yourself postmodern?

I see myself as modern, because I exist and create in the here and now, regardless of what I create and the style I choose to create in. I know that it's not exactly an "art" way of looking at it but wouldn't post modern mean... like tomorrow? Like in the future or something? Post being afterwards and modern being, today? I don't know, postmodern is a stupid term.

Must an artist reinvent him/herself everyday?

NO! Why would you have to? Why would anyone have to? An artist should just be themselves and be true to what they want to be. It is important to grow and develop, push yourself further all the time, but the word "reinvent" suggests to me a complete change. An artist should evolve.

Which artists do you admire and how do they influence your work?

Silly question to ask an artist really. The answer is always a really long list of names.

So, Chet Zar, Keith Thompson, John Howe, Alan Lee, Paul Kidby, Alex Ruiz, H R Giger, Christopher Shy, Alex Pardee, Tom Kidd, Jasaon Chan, Francis Tsai. That list isn't complete and will definitely grow in a few weeks when I have time to remember more.

I have come to see my love Claire as a real influence on my work. She is such a kind, caring and selfless person that I realised I painted for her. If she wasn't in my life, my work would become pointless and I would probably stop doing it.

Does it pain you to let go of a piece you have sold?

It can do but it depends on the piece. Once I was happy to sell off a piece because it was so big. I don't like it when my work area gets really cluttered with pieces.

In art, there is no guide. How do you know what the next step is?

If you know what your artistic weaknesses are, the next step is to destroy them. You have to be mindful of your own process and what you seem to avoid drawing/creating so that you can study and learn that weakness and make it a strength.

What role have the figures of art dealer, gallery owners, representatives, and intermediaries in general played in your career?

I'm in the early stages of my career so it's difficult to answer that one. Some day I will be able to say for certain that....

Do you personally collect any items?

I love art books and DVDs and CDs with really fancy covers. I used to collect pogs, Alien and Star Wars toys, comics and trading cards & stickers when I was younger though... Still have most of all that in boxes somewhere. When I have money I do plan on buying some art by artists I admire.

Which websites do you frequently visit?

What advice would you give to those just beginning?

Don't worry about how good your work looks and don't fret if you're not as good as the artists you admire. They would have undoubtedly spent hours upon hours working on their craft and when they started out, they would have been like anyone starting out... rubbish. I guess that the best advice I can humbly offer is practice, practice, PRACTICE!!!

What do you do? What is your musical specialty?

I am the drummer in a band. We all work on the lyrics together though.

What was your musical education?

Have you ever awoken with a melody created from your dreams?

As a drummer, I don't think up melodies... I haven't actually dreamt up drum beats yet though. I'm quite methodical in my approach to drumming and tend to create beats for songs over long periods of time. I like them to evolve.

How often do you practice?

It is 5 pm on a typical Sunday: what are you doing?

Probably watching Friends on E4.

Something in which you are completely incompetent.

I struggle with cooking.

Of what are you an addict?

Diet Coke/Pepsi. Either. And Pizza.

Which animal do you prefer for company?

Another human called Claire.

Did God create the world in seven days, or do you believe in the theory of evolution?

Evolution and the Big Bang because there is so much evidence (and by so much I mean more you can shake a stick at). Why ignore evidence?

Are there too many holidays in the work calendar?

Hell no! There isn't enough. Why should we work all the time?

Do you think the catastrophism about climate change has been exaggerated?

Climate Change is a wonderfully ambigiuos word. Its say anything, everything and nothing. Its a pathetic term used to scare us all and justify tax rises. Global warming was all the rage until it got changed to 'green issues.' Another open term. I heard of 'Global Cooling' recently too.

I do agree that as a race we should do less to impact the world we live on, and by that I mean recycle more, dump less, fish less, kill less, war less but in no way am I conviced we're to blame for the planet warming up.

What is your opinion of the rise in popularity of plastic surgery and implants?

I find it so funny when people overdo it. I think plastic surgery is okay when treating circumstances out of our control, say if you were burnt badly and a bit of surgery could restore you to look how you used to.

When someone feels bad about themselves and have nothing wrong with them, like its down to self confidence from media brain washing, then no. Tough. Go see a counselor and learn to love yourself.

Do extraterrestrials exist?

Its not a simple yes or a simple no. Based on what we know about the workings and scale of the universe, then it is highly likely that life on another world does exist. Whether it is 'intelligent' or simple cell based, is another story altogether.

What do you currently have in your MP3 player?

So much music, a few audio seminars on marketing and a few spoken word books. Don't ask about specifics though. My MP3 player is 40gb so there is a lot.

What books are you currently reading?

I am always reading through art 'how to' books and am slowly making my way through the Discworld series. Also, on my second read through of The God Delusion and once that is done, I have The Age of Spiritual Machines and Anne Frank's Diary to read.

What is that special film you never tire of watching?

It has to be the Back to the Future trilogy. Everytime I watch one of those films, I see something new.

What do you use: Mac or PC and why?

PC, because I can't afford Mac. I do ache for a high end Mac though.

What is to come after consumist society?

A society run by over sized rats, battling for top spot against hungry cock roaches... or a society where everyone is obsessed by saving money, I don't know.

Do you find the saturation of advertising in the media excessive?

Do you believe there is excessive sex and violence in the media?

There is a lot of violence in the news which has a serious impact on the mass public. With media consumption up, more and more people are being subjected to stories of serial killers, stabbings, war, terroism and the such, which is creating an air of fear and paranoia. There is so much good happening on a day to day basis but the media doesn't care.

We now live in a very voyeuristic and nosey scociety. Sex is made out to be somehow so much more interesting when two celebraties are involved, when on the face of it, is it?

So in short, yes, I do believe that.

What were your favourite subjects when you were in primary/secondary school?

I loved playing football (soccer) and thats about it in primary. In secondary school I loved swimming because we got to mess about a lot. Somehow I did manage to scrape through on my grades but if I could go back, knowing what I know now, I would work so much harder. I would have actually taken Art and started to play drums back then too, instead of wanting to be a pro-wrestler.

Do you think video games, chat rooms, etc. have a dangerous addictive effect on teenagers?

Yeah, an addiction to what ever is a bad thing. I used to play a lot of video games and I became a bad tempered little bastard. I don't think chat rooms are so much of a problem, but Facebook and Twitter are pointlessly addictive. I know from first had that such internet sites bring out a bad side in people, not just teenagers.

Has there been a personal-growth book that has transformed your life?

Not really, but reading Bruce Lee's Biography that had a lot of his Mantra's and teachings inside was a real kick for me when I started to play the drums. He was a brilliant man and loved his work, and I got that in his words.

What magazines do you frequently read?

ImagineFX, which is a digital arts magazine and every so often Juxtapoz, another art magazine dedicated to Lowbrow art.

What do you have in your wallet right now?

Moths and loyalty points cards.

How do you kill time?

With a big ruddy knife...

...No, I try to fill all my time with constructive activities.

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