Artist Jay Wilkinson talks us through his second LeftLion cover, a collaboration with Rupert Rennie...
Tell us a bit about yourself...
I’m inspired by a lot of eighties and nineties nostalgia, movies, graphic novels and album art.
What was the inspiration behind the cover?
With this issue's theme focused on generations, I wanted to represent both genders' journey from childhood to death. We all start and end at the same place.
What was the biggest challenge that you faced in creating the piece?
For me it was taking a different visual direction from the last cover I illustrated (LeftLion #119, November 2019) using clean linework and simple design practices rather than my usual high detail/grunge textures. The biggest challenge was probably stepping back and knowing when to stop which, if you ask any creative, is always tough.
Tell us about some projects you’ve worked on in the past…
I always take any projects that are given to me; creating artwork for bands, t-shirt designs, etc. Most recently I worked on a charity t-shirt design for The Chameleon, which has been struggling during the lockdown period. It’s a good feeling to help out such a great independent venue.
What have you got planned for the future?
Grasping any opportunities that come my way! I’ll hopefully create work for some big events in Nottingham and showcase my work to potential new clients. I would love to do more work for magazines and printed media.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?
I hope you enjoy the artwork for the ‘generations’ issue! If you’d like to see more work or contact me for art, hit up my Instagram.
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