“I ALWAYS FELL BACK ON SCREEN PRINTING IF I MOVED CITIES OR NEEDED A JOB. HAVING A MANUAL LABOUR SKILL IS INVALUABLE!””

You've become best known for your huge body of work creating gig posters for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. How did this come about?

I still feel so lucky to make work for those guys... how crazy. When I used to work in a warehouse packing merch/vinyl, I met a couple of the guys from Gizz, and that's also where I met Simoen, who is part of the Gizz crew managing and organising merch.

Initially I got an opportunity to make a poster for a Brisbane show a couple of years ago, and it went really well! After that I just kept getting more jobs for them. It's still surprising to me; honestly. Every time the posters sell out at shows or people send me nice messages and emails about how much they love them, I just feel so grateful. Simoen always believed in me and my work, and it's definitely true that I wouldn't be where I am now without the opportunity to make art for Gizz.

"OCCASIONALLY IDEAS COME TO ME IN THE NIGHT, SO I'LL DRAW IT ON MY PHONE WITH MY FINGER - THEN I *TRY* AND MAKE SENSE OF IT IN THE MORNING."

How do you keep it fresh when designing posters for a huge run of dates? Is it daunting or do you see it as an opportunity to explore different ideas and styles within your own aesthetic?

Something people may not know about me is I freak out a lot, hahah. My process is usually a mix of panic, confidence, fear and excitement... not necessarily in that order. I do try to see it as an opportunity to explore different ideas though. Gizz are also the best client, I can basically draw whatever I want. I usually put on a bunch of their albums and pull out lyrics that send me on tangents of research and inspiration.

As an example, the first run of EU posters I ever made was directly inspired by The Silver Cord which had just come out at the time. Every poster is related to one of the songs on the album.

Do most pieces begin for you as a clear idea, a loose feeling, or a bit of trial and error?

Definitely a loose feeling. Sometimes it's more difficult than others. Struggling with anxiety and depression at times, I've learned as I age that my ability to make art is really directly tied to my mental health.

I'll often sketch lots of ideas on a big page/document. Small characters, elements that might make up a bigger piece, lettering styles. Then I'll test out different layouts by sketching thumbnails. I draw a lot of rough ideas before I start seeing a final idea. Occasionally ideas come to me in the night, so I'll draw it on my phone with my finger — then I try and make sense of it in the morning.

How did your style develop? Was it specifically inspired by anything or anyone in particular or something that just evolved over time?

I've always loved Art Nouveau and black and white ink illustrations/comic art, as well as old woodcuts and etchings. Charles Burns was a huge inspiration to me when I was almost always drawing with ink and brush on paper. My work now uses a lot more colour, but I really love simple black and white art the most.

I'm definitely no expert though, I have a lot to learn and I'm trying to get better all the time... I feel like I'm also still trying to figure out my "style".

Was there a moment when you realized texture was the thing for you or did it sneak into your work quietly and never leave?

I used to stipple a lot on paper with felt pens, so I've always loved that vibe.

You use a lot of our brushes and tools. How did you first discover True Grit?

Yes! I think I saw an ad on Instagram for the Stipple Studio pack and was like WHOA... Stippling on paper is a fun meditative process, but digital tools are a great help. Stipple Studio has some really sick brushes and speeds up the process. Some people call it cheating, but whatever. It's a great tool and I love it.

What made True Grit stick when so many brush packs end up… quietly ignored in a folder somewhere

The ease of use and the quality. Every pack I've tried looks amazing and functions smoothly. I can't see the point in looking anywhere else for brush packs/textures to be honest, haha. (No, I have not been paid to say this).

Walk us through how texture shows up in your workflow. Is it an early decision, a finishing move, or a “this needs something more” moment?

I definitely think about it early on. When I'm sketching drafts, I tend to shade areas with an airbrush or dry ink brush that I might want to stipple later on. Sometimes I'll loosely stipple an area in the drafts stage to show the client where I would like to add texture in order to communicate how the final piece will look without spending too much time on the roughs.

Do you tend to keep your process and aesthetic consistent, or are you always tweaking things behind the scenes?

I guess I kind of keep it consistent... there are motifs that keep coming back. I really enjoy drawing plants, and often find a way to work them into designs for people. I also like drawing little demon characters, but not everyone is down with having a demon in their artwork, sadly... hehe.

Which True Grit tools are basically on speed dial for you? Any ride or die brushes you reach for without thinking?

The Jake Foreman InkBot pack. The Line Bot especially just adds such a nice bleed effect and loosens up tight linework. It's also a really flexible tool... I'm still finding different ways I can use the Stipple Bot to add texture to different drawings or type experiments.

My second most used pack is BeatTones. I almost exclusively use the liners from that pack for all my outline work, and the shaders are amazing for adding halftones.

"DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS. IT'S A WASTE OF TIME. JUST MAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO MAKE, AND IGNORE THE NEGATIVE JERKS."

When inspiration runs low, what usually helps you reset or reconnect with your practice?

This is tough... Lately I try and step away from the work rather than sitting there stressing and forcing it. Go for a walk, look at some books/comics, do some sewing... Usually if I leave it for a while and try to relax, I'll get an idea or I'll be ready to try again.

What are you excited to explore next in your work?

I really want to focus more on lino carving. It's something I've always explored, but never really spent solid time on. I'd love to spend a couple of months ONLY lino carving and see what happens. It's such a fun medium — I like that you really only get one chance at making a mark each time you hit the surface... you have to adapt if you make a mistake somewhere.

OH and I'd love to properly set up my screen printing carousel, too... the dream is to have a functioning print setup in my shed some day, just to make my own stuff.

What’s the best bit of advice your younger self wouldn’t have wanted to hear?

Be nicer to yourself and don't stop making art, at least for fun. I stopped drawing for a time years ago... I was bummed out thinking I wasn't good enough (I still mostly feel this way but I try and pretend I don't). I guess in short: don't compare yourself to others. It's a waste of time... just make whatever you want to make, and ignore the negative jerks.

What do you listen to when working?

It varies a lot from music/podcasts/sometimes trash TV (I love Kitchen Nightmares so much, I'm sorry)... But right now I simply cannot stop listening to Chat Pile. They hit my brain in the right way, I love 'em. Podcasts: Otherworld is really fun. Some episodes are very spooky and creatively inspiring.

FAST FIVE

Favorite King Gizz Record

Infest The Rats Nest

What's the one piece of work you're most proud of?

KGLW Bonnaroo Poster

Something about you nobody would suspect?

I played guitar in a band that only released one 5 track ep. Total length: 3min 50sec. Hahah

Most underrated skill required as an artist?

Belief in oneself (it is not easy)

Favorite artist/musician/film maker, dead or alive?

I love Aubrey Beardlsey.