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Artist Spotlight - Booboo

Artist Spotlight - Booboo

Using super cute imagery, booboo creates adorable illustrations of various characters and magical looking worlds.

Carl (booboo) is an illustrator/animator living in the north of England. Using predominant digital means, he focuses on character design, plus he's also a fan of ghosts :)
When we came across Booboo's work we knew he'd be an excellent fit for our Artist Spotlight! We are huge fans of the colours and composition used, as well as the cute edge to everything.

Booboo also has some beautifully detailed work, which have layers of intrigue. We absolutely love the image's from his 'The Journey' series!

So what did he create for us?
Booboo has designed a Sad Ghost Club first, fridge magnets! Each pack contains three differently designed magnets. We can't decide which one is our fave because they're all so cute <3

You can find Booboo's fridge magnets HERE!
You can see more from Booboo via these handy links:

Instagram
Website
Now onto the Q&A's
1. What's your favourite fictitious Ghost from popular media?
I really liked the ghosts that were often in Scooby Doo cartoons just because I watched it loads as a kid with my mum, but nowadays I'd say High Five Ghost from The Regular Show. I'd play basketball with that guy.
2. What's the best item in your pencil case?

At the moment I really like drawing quickly with Sakura Micron pens, the brush pens they've made are lush!
3. Paint? Pencil? or Tablet?

Definitely tablet, I recently got an Ipad Pro and it's too easy to draw on that because I can use paint, pencils or whatever just on the one device in Procreate. I've only been drawing/ illustrating for just over 3 years and learnt using predominantly illustrator, thats not to say I don't use pencils and pens on paper however it always looks like a page of scribbles because I make so many mistakes. I also end up covered in ink due to being left handed...
4. What's your go-to motivational album?

I don't think I have an album that I go to however I do use multiple Spotify playlists, usually consisting of multiple James Brown songs. There is a live set that I listened to loads last year ( and am doing again now) by my friend Pauls electronic band Tokyo Acid Cru which is a Halloween set with loads of cool samples from 80's horror/sci-fi films. It's super easy to listen to because it's just nostalgic and has a constant good beat throughout. Check them out on Soundcloud www.soundcloud.com/tokyo-acid-c
5. How would you describe your work? Are there any common themes?

I think there's definitely lots of childhood in there amongst other themes, I liked playing Nintendo games loads as a kid, watching cartoons and when I got older I really liked skateboard graphics. When I was introduced to Illustrator by my friends Smythers @twentyseventythree & Hails @onethousandeyez they showed me how to draw mostly with shapes before even using pens to make lines and that lead to me making work which is quite bold. I think because my handwriting is difficult to decipher, and my linework on paper is generally not neat, finding illustrator was a godsend because it FINALLY (after 24 years) allowed me to produce illustrations with neat linework, and now I have to inspect every single line/corner/point to ensure there are no awkward points that make it look untidy! In terms of themes of work, I like to draw illustrations that my nephew and niece would like. They're 13 and 14 now but like me love Nintendo/ Adventure Time so I always like to think when I'm finished "would Oliver and Charlotte" like this. I think it's easier for me to ask them sometimes also because it's easy to forget what you saw the world like when you were that young.
6. What's your proudest piece that you've worked on?

Strangely enough in terms of design, it's a real simple one, however, it's the time and effort of craft that I am proud of. I've worked on some cool projects including this one with SGC but this year I managed to make a long sleeve t-shirt which featured a backprint and a front print. I know it sounds odd but I think because it was something that I'd never tried before and didn't know how they'd turn out or even be received it was very much unknown territory. I haven't been educated how to screenprint however I purchased a setup, along with a second-hand heat press and taught myself through trial and MULTIPLE errors. I purchased a large quantity of pizza boxes (which are actually great for storing stuff in) and screenprinted them to use as packaging for the t shirts. It just made it a nice little handmade package with some stickers and mini prints thrown in. When i put them up online they sold out within a night, so i did a second batch of another 25 and they just disappeared too. I've never made any since but thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was cool to see people wearing in it around Newcastle. It very much gives me pride to know that everything in those boxes was made by my own hands, I know I could pay for it to be made by a professional however I really like the craft side of it and have now worked out the workflow for printing onto textiles. I want to learn how to print on to sleeves so expect that to become a project soon.
7. Do you have any/many artist rituals?

I wouldn't say so, I like a cup of tea or a beer with me when drawing. I like having my little forest cat Kupo around me, he usually sleeps on the bed and is just around for a tummy rub for when my hands are aching. I usually draw up a tiny drawing on a sticky note before drawing onto a computer. I think because they're so small it gives me enough room to get a thumbnail sizes drawing, then I just add loads of words around it to remind me of what i'm trying to draw.
8. What motivates you?

I think i just like learning. I've always been fairly active in teaching myself hobbies that I find interesting, I learnt how to skateboard and play guitar when younger, I guess illustrating and printmaking has just been a hobby that's turned into a big project for me. in the part year I've been heavily involved with producing work for a local exhibition called @nowtspecialncl up here in Newcastle which features alot of talented creatives from the North East, I guess having a space for likeminded people to showcase work and attend has been great as it's encouraged me to produce work in lots of different ways.
9. What do you do, that you think no one else does whilst working?

Ermm maybe other people do this aswell, but sometimes I look at my work as a little game or a jigsaw. Trying to figure out how assets should sit together, even down to the colours that are used and how they are used together. I just text my girlfriend to ask her and she said I stick my tongue out loads when concentrating though.
10. Who are you inspired by?

I think most anything with a cool design which looks fun. If you check out the Pictofolio section on the Pictoplasma website it has loads of cool pieces of work which I constantly wish I'd done. It's a cool community for people to share their animation and illustrations on. Pictoplasma was the biggest inspiration for drawing more characters, I first attended in 2014 and got to attend workshops and watch presentations by Brosmind/ Tado/ Yomsnil/ Alexander Rilla who are all fantastic artists. I think it just opened me up to lots of work that I'd previously never been exposed to. I didn't enjoy art at school, and I didn't pursue it as a GCSE as I wasn't inspired by it then. If I was shown Keith Haring's work at school things may have been very different, however, I love how simple his work is whilst also fun and effective.
11. What's your favourite way to practice self-care? (Especially after a busy week)

I can't get enough of the steam room at my gym at the moment, it relaxes me and makes me feel human after exhausting days. I do like going outdoors too hence the influence for my SGC work. Oddly enough though I prefer being outdoors at this time of year as opposed to summer, I just cope better in cold weather. I think it's hard sometimes when I'm at home to not be thinking of what project I'm working on next which however playing Mario Kart and just cutting loose a bit is essential for my brain to function accordingly sometimes. I think it's positive to make things for yourself to look forward to, this often makes challenging days at work easier ( I'm a lecturer) and essentially becomes a good coping mechanism if I'm tired or anxious about anything. I think it's important to talk to people about things that potentially upset or bother you so spending time with friends is one of the best ways to spend time, and if it involves travelling then I'm always on board to hang out :)
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2 comments

  • So proud! I’m very inspired and not to mention jealous :))

    Charlotte Read
  • Proud mum.
    Booboo… Has worked hard and self taught a lot of things. Very talented.

    Tracey Hawkins

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