Jay Taylor is illustrator that have a charming and quirky drawing style. It is like looking at the world from a 12 years old point of view - honest and funny. His works have been featured in major publication such as The Guardian, The Independent and Readers Digest apart from magazines such as Juxtapose, Communication Arts and Digit. Thank you to Jay for answering these questions.

Q. How do you describe your style?
A. I think style is a very hard term to pin down. I spent two and a half years at university trying to find my ‘style’ because that is what I thought you had to do but it never seemed to work out well for me. There is pressure to come up with an amazing way of working that is completely unique and edgy. I think I wasted a lot of time looking at other successful illustrators and trying to emulate what I thought would be a popular style commercially. One day I had a revelation and just started drawing the way I naturally draw; no tricks, no gimmicks. I just looked at things and drew them. This way of working eventually just evolved into what I do now, which I suppose you could call my style.

Q. Where do you get your inspiration from?
A. I find inspiration in the daft things we as people do every day of our lives. Social issues really intrigue me. I’m interested in the news and the crazy theories that come out of the world. For example, I recently read that scientists claim to have found a ‘fat’ gene that they say can cause obesity! It’s these laughable attempts at today’s society trying to justify things like an obesity crisis, which can be cured by simple exercise and sensible eating. It makes me sigh and giggle in equal amounts but also makes me want to comment on through my illustrations.

Q. Have you done any exhibition?
A. I’ve been involved in several exhibitions since starting as an illustrator in 2005. I’ve never had a solo exhibition, which is something I would like to get round to doing one day. I’d like to shut down my computer completely and just have an exhibition of original artwork but unfortunately my illustration work means I just don’t have the time at the moment.

Q. Who are your favorite artists?
A. There are so many great artists out there but off the top of my head, they would be people such as Banksy, Dave McKean, Basquiat, David Shrigley, Paul Davis, Josh Cochran and I recently discovered the work of Antony Micallef. I also love Japanese art.

Q. So far, what was the most interesting project that you have been involved in?
A. I enjoy every job I do. I really like the problem solving and even if I get a boring brief, I like the challenge of making something interesting out of it. If I had to pick a project though, about a year ago I had to do a front cover and seven feature illustrations for a science magazine who where running a big ‘renewable energy’ feature. It was my first front cover for a magazine, which was quite a proud moment seeing it in print on the shelves.

Q. Have you done any collaboration with other artist or company? Who do you want to work with in the future?
A. I’ve collaborated on a few exhibitions and events with an artist collective called, “We’re Still Alive”. It’s basically a bunch of artist who live local to me, who pull together and organize exhibitions and events. There is always the collaboration with the art directors that I do illustration work for as well I suppose. There are many great design companies I would like to work for in the future, maybe something to do with animation would be great. I’d love a project where I had free reign to shout off my opinions about world issues as much as I wanted but I’m not holding my breath for that project.

Q. What are the things you do to relax?
A. Draw! haha. I’m just an art bore really. It’s my life! Saying that, I am training for a half marathon at the moment though, which I’m doing in March, so I do enjoy going to the gym after I have been sitting at my desk all day. I also enjoy spending time with my girlfriend and friends.

Q. Apart from drawing and illustration, what other form of art that you also interested in?
A. Most art forms really. I’m interested in music, animation, film, graphic design and photography. If something is good, I have an appreciation for it. One thing that has never interested me though is sculpture. I don’t know why, I just have no desire for it.

Q. what do you think are the most important things one should have to become a successful illustrator?
A. Beings one’s self and hard work. Don’t worry about creating a commercially viable style, create work you are happy with and enjoy doing, then from that, work tirelessly to find the audience that will pay you to do it for them. Digital collage seems to be very popular at the moment but people placing black and white photos onto a textured background are just over saturating the market in my opinion. I’m finding it hard to tell which artist is which because so much of it looks the same. So don’t follow what you think will sell, just do what you want to do.

Q. What are your future plans and projects?
A. I’m always creating personal projects for myself to do. At the moment, I’m doing a limited edition book about the concept of celebrity, which I hope to put in my websites shop in the coming months. I’m also just starting to enjoy the craft that is screen printing, which is great fun. Commercially, I’ve always got editorial jobs on, but I’ve just started to try and break into advertising, so hopefully some interesting jobs may come in from that.

Website : http://www.scribblejay.co.uk

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