When did you first develop a serious interest in art?It’s hard to pinpoint exactly, as an interest in art wasn’t something to shout about where I grew up. I think I probably internalized my artistic interests a lot of the time, for fear of being judged, or simply because it held little social value at home or at school. I suppose my first artistic interest was film. Having older brothers offered many opportunities, and the amount of good VHS cassettes lying around the house was a real blessing. Later on film crit and photography were two subjects I studied from the age of sixteen. Poetry came out of keeping a diary when backpacking, and it’s been a daily habit ever since.
Apart from Raymond Pettibon, who do you really dig and who have others influenced your work?
‘The Ren & Stimpy Show’ and Garbage Pail Kids both made a big impression on me as a child. As did Quentin Blake’s illustrations. The extreme close ups in Ren & Stimpy and the fear I felt looking at the Pail Kids, all covered in spiders & gunk, gave me a nice sort of jump. It intrigued me. Blake was different, thinking about it, his drawings are probably part of why I have been drawn to watercolours. Ralph Steadman was probably the first artist whose name I could remember. I adore ‘The Curse of Lono’ and always go back to it. The way he portrays power and movement is truly amazing. I admire Aubrey Beardsley’s work, the way he uses patterns and block black is something to behold. Robert Crumb’s artwork blows my mind and I particularly like the way he draws clothing. James Ensor is another I really like, especially the faces and Otto Dix too, in particular ‘The War’ drawings. And Goya’s ‘Black Paintings’ have stayed with me since seeing them a few years ago. I saw Ruben’s ‘Saturn’ the same day and it’s possibly my all-time favourite painting.
How did you go about developing your illustration for George Anderson's chapbook 'The Beast With Three Legs'?
When I read something I know I am going to illustrate, I make short-hand notes; a mixture of physical details, inanimate objects, screenplay-type descriptions. It’s important to me that I am able to verbalize my immediate feelings about the manuscript. There is always a key element that will dominate my thoughts and that thing is my starting point - for The Beast with Three Legs, it was a tomato.
It’s really about how that starting point interacts with ideas that come up during further readings - and of course how that all fits with the author’s opinion. I sketch out a rough draft, often adding cut outs from print media. I then scan the sketch and work on it digitally, sometimes adding photographic details or messing with the balances etc.
For ‘Tomato Head’ I knew early on I wanted to use a dotwork effect. I feel that black marker pen has a combativeness to it. I am a big admirer of Raymond Pettibon’s artwork, and I think most people would agree, fat markers are just nice to write with. I use two different sizes and I begin with the smaller of the two. Once I have the outline and the main areas marked out, I use the larger nib to add heavier shading. I first began experimenting with this style while producing screen print designs, and then later adding them to acrylic backgrounds.
Are you largely self taught or have you studied elsewhere?
Yes, I am an autodidact. I have no formal training in drawing or painting. I am a magpie, I spend many hours studying the things I like and I really try to understand, dig into the why & how of it. My wife & friends tell me I am a weirdo. Fair enough. Ten years ago I was doodling on post-it notes, passing empty hours as a temp in a government transport department. Those sketches were shit, but some of them would make my colleagues die laughing, which naturally encouraged me. I think I’m mostly interested in comedy deep down.
Can you show us further examples of your work?
https://www.theunfoldinghead.com/
https://www.theunfoldinghead.com/neverkillarainbow - screen print designs
attached images ‘Raspberry Rabbit’ & ‘Coronation’ first published in Obscure Quarterly II (Dec ’21) https://clairobscurzine.bigcartel.com/product/obscure-quarterly-issue-2:
‘Sunshine Junkie’ cover artwork, first published by Between Shadows Press (Oct ’21):
https://betweenshadowspress.bigcartel.com/product/sunshine-junkie-by-danny-d-ford You have been living in Italy for about a decade. What do you like most about the culture?
I like the way people just say it. They tell you straight up. There’s little sense of shame or embarrassment when disagreeing or discussing difficult subjects. Italy has taught me how to speak up and be honest about how I feel. It’s not about waving your hands and shouting (it totally is) it’s about saying ‘hey, I’m here and I have an independent voice’. People make time to listen to one another, and as you would imagine, take time to eat well and eat in company. When you walk into a bar here, you get involved in the conversations around you, every time. It would feel more awkward not to.
What's next in the pipeline?
More poems and more drawings. I want to keep mucking around with different materials. Hopefully work on more collaborations, cover designs and put more poems out. I have an illustrated poetry chapbook ('Seven Letter Cities') coming out with Between Shadows Press in April, and one with River Dog Press in August, with a further collaboration with Analog Submission Press currently under construction. I want to continue making absurd & abstract short films, in particular I want to make more episodes of Walrus Lady, and of course I want to continue screen printing with Never Kill a Rainbow. I am also working on the feature length Gavin Fennelgrip comic. He’s a cartoon character I’ve been getting to know. He’s a proper cunt, but very loveable.
