For a while now, I've been visiting Rob Hodgsons blog for his inspirational, funny
and beautiful drawings and paintings. I even bought one of his prints recenlty on
Etsy (as the stalking fan I am) and still wanted more... an interview.
And quess what? When you ask nicely you get what you want...
Can you tell a little bit about who you are and what you do?
My name is Rob Hodgson and I am interested in pictures. I tread the line between
artist and commercial illustrator. I make prints and all sorts of pictures. I was born
in Torquay, which is a little seaside town in England. I’ve lived in a couple cities
since then. I’m in Bristol right now, but I’m going to France in a couple months.
What or who inspires you?
Music is really inspirational to me. I like a lot of music. I could deconstruct it all
but I think that’s boring, so I’ll just say music is the most inspiring thing for me
right now.
Visually I’m kind of a culture vulture. I collect a lot of ephemera and art from my
friends. Things in supermarkets, things in books, things in magazines, art galleries.
My favourite image makers are the European painters from the first half of the
Barrett. I’m lucky to live in the same city as some of the good guys right now like
like Becca Stadtlander, Emma Lewis. It’s a really exciting time for image making.
What does your work process look like, any specific techniques or combination
of techniques you prefer?
My process changes for everything I make, but it usually starts with drawing in a
sketchbook, just little drawings and lots of writing and more drawing. Usually
something comes out of there. I’m pretty into silly lists of words, and lots of drawings
start that way.
When I’m making a thing I like to do as much with the hand as possible, so I work in
lots of media- pencils, monoprints, ink, and paint. I try to mix up the line weights a
lot and I’ve been working on a big chalkboard in my kitchen lately. And sorry to be
a bore, but like a lot of people these days I arrange these shapes and lines on the
computer. It gives you so much flexibility with composition and colour, but I just wish
sitting in front of a computer wasn’t so lame. The iPad looks exciting, but I’m looking
forward to the day the computer becomes more in tune with moving about! I like to
make a lot of things without the computer though- ceramics and paintings.
How do you promote your work and do you have a 'best tip'?
The internet is huge and exciting/scary and important for getting your work in front of
people. It blows my mind on a daily basis to think how a picture can be in someone’s
home on a computer in the Alps at the same time it’s on a little screen on a phone on
a train in New York. Oh my god my brain explodes when I think about it. But above
all it’s important to have physical things, prints, exhibitions, because there is so little
attachment to digital things. Everything must exist in real life! Face to face is ace.
What would be your dream assignment?
I think murals and public space stuff is really exciting. I’m getting into architecture
quite a lot. I’d like to art direct something big too, like have full control over the
décor of a hotel or bar, so all the way from the wallpaper to the pictures on the wall.
TV and films? I’m into environments I guess, when art becomes a real life thing.
Thanks so much Rob for your time and effort to give us a peek into you creative life!
When you first share something about Hodgsons' works, i'm charmed by his illustrations and thanked you to make me know about her.And one more "Thank you very much" for this interview Kim!
ReplyDeleteYay Rob! x
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