Future Nostalgia with Illustrator Ryan Gillett

Ryan Gillett has a simple goal. "I want my illustrations to cheer people up," he says. Like the rest of his work, his latest project, a "Little Poster/Book" called "The French Alphabet," easily does just that. The illustrations are simple, but by no means simplistic. Gillett has a talent for mixing bright colors and stylistic forms with the typography of a bygone era that is as immediate as it is delightful. We wanted to know more about his approach (his accurate though exceptionally brief bio "I am a cheerful chap who loves to draw" left us wanting more) so we got in touch for a quick chat:

3rd Ward's Perrin Drumm: Have you always been drawing, or is this something you discovered later in life?

Ryan Gillett: The first experience of drawing that I can remember was at the age of seven when my dad drew an aeroplane, and since then I've always drawn. At first it was just random doodles and sketches, but as I got older I decided to take my drawing more seriously. I went to art college, and that's when I began to develop my own personal style of illustration. 

PD: How would you describe the style of your drawings?

RG: I don't like my drawings to be over complicated or fussy. Instead I like to draw cheerful things in a cheerful way, using bright, simple colours. Technically my drawings are created using pencil crayons and stippling brushes and put together in layers much like a screen print. 

PD: Tell us about the "Little Poster/book?" And why call it "The French Alphabet" if it's in English? 

RG: I knew I wanted to make a little screen printed book to send to people to promote my illustrations. I started doodling a few ideas and for some reason I thought the illustrations looked quite French. Because the colours are that of the French flag,  I decided to call that particular drawing "The French Alphabet."

PD: Can we buy it online?

RG: I made just fifty of these booklets as I wanted to send them to blogs (Ed. note: It worked!), to share some of my drawings. So no, I'm afraid they are not for sale. However, I hope to make some more screen printed booklets in the future to sell, so keep an eye out.

-- Perrin Drumm