1. What inspired you to create a Star Wars collection in 2015? We’re guessing it’s the release of Episode 7 but we might be wrong.
I’m a Star Wars fan. My earliest memory is probably sitting through all three when the local cinema did that for the Jedi release, but like most what really cemented it was the countless more adventures we all had in that world with the Kenner toys. I’ve forgotten the majority of names and faces of those I sat next to throughout school but can recall entire narratives like that one time Luke Skywalker had that epic battle with a Transformer on the edge of our sofa. It was gripping stuff let me tell you.
Despite being somewhat burnt in the early part of the century *cough* Jar-Jar *cough* I’ve heard nothing but ticked boxes for the upcoming sequel. What was an initial “I have suffered enough cruel demon beast! Leave me be!!” was coerced into a cocked eyebrow, and is now ever-shortening bitten nails excited trepidation.
I watched the teaser trailer for ‘The Force Awakens’ when it came out. Watched it for a second time. Then started breathing again. It felt like a peek into the Star Wars I recognised, a genuine honest try at giving us a small slice of our childhood imagination some playtime again. They paraded the fact it was exactly a year until the movie will be released, and I so set upon a challenge to keep my interest, and pass that time in some sort of productive way with the only skill people claim I possess.
A Star Wars portrait every week until episode seven. Fifty-two illustrations of all the characters that come to mind when I think of those adventures from my youth. Casual fans may not recognise every one but in my head that’s just like those Kenner action figures – “some three eyed weirdo from behind someone’s shoulder in that scene with the other thing? They’ll buy that!” My parents did buy that, so all this is their fault really. That alien guy had some great times on that aforementioned planet sofa.
It’s all probably a fools errand, but who’s the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?
2. Your style of Low Poly design is practised by quite a few artists, what would you say sets you out from all the other Low Poly designers?
The style is somewhat en vogue for certain. I dearly wish it had been embraced as such when I started doing it back in the late nineties – then it was mostly greeted with blank faces. It wasn’t consciously aping or adapting anything I had seen (except maybe elements of Futurism, or Kryten from Red Dwarf’s head which I doodled a lot), I didn’t have the internet back then, or even a tv for a lot of that time. I know that for certain at least. The smell of spray adhesive still conjures vivid memories of ruined carpets from collage debris however.
The way I draw now is a direct evolution from that university work, back then all the straight lines were just a simple answer to make the coloured paper collages I was working on a more friendly cutting experience for my fingers. It’s all digital these days of course, and much more palatable to my borderline OCD now I’ve actually bothered to embrace and learn Illustrator last year.
Taste is, of course, entirely subjective but I will say a lot of the artwork mine tends to get grouped with doesn’t look similar at all in my eyes – that’s not to say either is inferior, a lot of people tend to flood a canvas in purely triangles which isn’t actually what I am attempting to do. I’m a frustrated sculptor if anything, I enjoy describing the forms of whatever it is I’m drawing in shapes and tones in a way that makes sense to me.
3. We love Star Wars, and we’re super glad to see you producing this series, but will we see another series for other popular titles?
I’ve done other series previously – superheroes form Marvel and DC for example. I’ve even got a (much smaller than this) Star Wars set I did in 2011ish out there. I’d say I fit into whatever you classify as ‘geek’ so I’m certainly into a lot of stuff, and tend to draw what I like between the paid jobs so anything is possible.
Basically ask me again in around fifty Star Wars pictures time..
4. What sort of artwork influences your creations, do you look at other low poly styles or are you influenced by artwork thats a contrast to the work you produce?
The illustration work I love is varied for sure, my Twitter streams awesome work from countless talents daily. I guess you could count that as a direct influence for me to keep working, keep learning, keep putting images out there. That’s always happening.
This series is blatantly just an outpouring of my adoration for the franchise, I hope that comes across, there’s no higher purpose than that. Though it’d be fairly appreciated if a few people purchased a couple as I’ll have cinema tickets to buy come December.
Liam Brazier
