brisbane illustratorstevenrhodes makes
art that’s nostalgicandalittle bit wrong.
INTERVIEWSOPHIEKALAGASsinister
in the '70s
Hi Steven! Tell us a bit about yourself. Hey! I’m an illustrator
based in Brisbane, and I specialise in retro-inspired designwith
an emphasis on dark humour and the occult.
How did you get started in the art-making business? I was
interested in art from a young age, but wasn’t sure I couldmake
a living from it. So, I studied and started work as a landscape
architect, while drawing and designing in my spare time. Oneday,
coming home from work on the peak-hour train, I saw a middle-
aged man who looked utterly defeated by the world. I didn’twant
to end up like that guy, so I quit my job and studied graphicdesign.
Around that time, I discovered Threadless, an online apparel
company where artists can showcase their designs. I started
sharing my work and collaborating with other artists, andthat
was the first step towards what I do now.
What’s the concept behind your Sinister ’70s collection?Whatif,
sometime in the 1970s, an obscure publisher had releasedawhole
bunch of wildly inappropriate kids’ books? That’s the basicidea.I’ve
always liked the look of graphics from the ’70s and ’80s – thecolours,
the swash-heavy fonts, those kitschy curved borders. I madeacouple
of designs in that style, mainly for my own amusement, andthey
really resonated with people, so I continued adding to the collection!
Where do you find inspiration for your designs? There’s ahandful
of really good antique stores and op shops in Brisbane, where
I’m always on the hunt for books, board games, activity sets,toys
or anything from the ’70s that inspires me. Little GoldenBooks,
Choose Your Own Adventure novels, Atari videogame coversandold
VHS artwork are some good reference points. Conceptually,though,
lots of my ideas come from old horror comics, trashy paperbacks,
Dungeons & Dragons and occult themes.
How do people react to your dark humour? Most people arefansof
the horror genre or share my warped sense of humour andlove
ofthesource material, so it’s generally a very positive response.
Idogettheoccasional hate message, though – some people miss
thesatireor parody aspect of my work and assume I have some
sortofsatanic agenda.
Canyoutalk us through your creative process? The best ideas
cometome randomly (usually in the shower or at 3am). I keep a
longlistofdesign concepts that I develop further when I’m feeling
inspired.Often I’m replicating a very specific genre, so I start
bylookingat lots of reference material from that era. Then it’s
sketchingtime. I always start with a sketch on paper, which I then
inkwithabrush pen. From there, I scan the artwork and complete
thecolouring and typography digitally on the computer. I use a lot of
half-tones,trying to replicate some of the misalignment effects you
seeinoldcomics.Anyfavourite horror or sci-fi films? You can’t go past the classics:
Halloween,The Thing, Friday the 13th, Poltergeist, Evil Dead, The
GateandThe Exorcist. More recently, I liked It Follows, The Witch,
GetOutand Suspiria (2018).What’sthecreepiest thing that’s happened to you? My wife Claire
andIwerestaying in a cabin in the woods (where all creepy stories
start).Itwas a pretty remote area and really quiet at night. Out of
nowhere,we started hearing one of those really slow, old-fashioned
air-raidsirens in the distance, like it was winding through the
mountainroads. It lasted about 10 minutes, then stopped. It was
prettyunsettling.Onethingwe should know about you? I’m a massive introvert.
WhenIwasa kid, Mum asked if I was ready to go to school next year
andIranand hid in a cardboard box. I still feel about the same.Wherecanwe see more of your work? stevenrhodes.threadless.com
oronInstagram at @stevenrhodesart.pretty pictures