Featured Artist: AlbrightIllustration
AlbrightIllustration’s art has a distinctly retro vibe with a hint of humor, “dark undertones and a bit of danger” to them as well. He works to create designs that are both “fun and familiar” but that also suggest something more menacing behind the subtle shadows and detailed shading — like a decomposing zombie who rocks out to Death Metal, a greaser skeleton who croons into a microphone, or the vampire Nosferatu who cracks punny jokes.
AlbrightIllustration confesses that if his art had a taste it would be “like chocolate covered coffee beans... sweet but dark with some spicy, crunchy bits.” Moreover, his unique designs are often encouraged by musicians, like Trent Reznor; not only is he inspired by the sound, but he also appreciates the sense of completeness in “the way they balance the writing, recording, publishing, and tour/performance cycle” and it encourages him to apply a similarly holistic approach to his own art.
AlbrightIllustration recently left a full-time design job to focus on his growing design company. He admits, “it’s still fresh, and can be a little scary at times, but by and large I’m really enjoying the freedom to follow inspiration”. In fact, by being able to “follow inspiration” in his new profession, he pursued a personal dream of designing the visual package/album of the band, He Is Legend. He shares that the band’s music has encouraged his own artistic journey and it was an honor to put a “face to their music.”
Nonetheless, he finds that pursing him own business also means that he is spends more time on the “production side of my business” rather than creating new art. He admits that he has to “put on my headphones and corral myself” into creating art by scheduling time for his illustrations. Still, once he gets “in the zone” he can create for hours with only cup of coffee and heavy metal in the background.
AlbrightIllustration admits he is always trying to find “a happy medium between an energetic initial concept and an overly tight technical execution” in his art. He understands, though, that art is just an “intuitive decision” and that sometimes an artist can just sense when a piece is complete. Recently, he has been experimenting with engraved wood and thinks that his future artwork will start to incorporate more “physical dimensionality” as well as a more colorful and “psychedelic” look; we're excited to see what his future holds.
