at the work that inspires you
and speaks to you. It‘s fine to
copy others‘ work when you are
learning, but then go out create
your own style.
NA: How do you bring
traditional painting and drawing
techniques into your work?
JT: I’m definitely what you would
consider a ‘classically trained’
artist in a sense that I sat in life
drawing classes at college and
constantly poured over Old
Masters‘ work. I’m fascinated
how artists capture light and
shade, especially skin tones.
The ability to be able to draw
and put down on paper what is
in front of you is so important –
learning about perspective and
foreshortenings will broaden
your mindset when approaching
the simplest of works.
NA: Paint a picture (in words) of
how your work fits into your life.
JT: I have a studio and office in
Bristol – it’s a large space that
I love. One end has my desk
and digital setup, I have several
walls set aside for hanging work
and one quarter of the studio is
a spray booth covered in high
grade plastic. It contains the
overspray and fumes that are
associated with spray paint, but
allows light in evenly.
My pieces typically take a day
or so to execute but sometimes
weeks of preparation and
thought. I seek the permission of
the models and photographers
to use their images as much as
possible. I tend to establish a
piece over a day then sleep on
it and come back the next day
to make the finishing touches.
I often say that the last 10% is
often 90% of the effort.
I’m a designer and artist so
my time is split 50/50 between
designing corporate identity,
website design and art directionand I paint internal and external
murals commercially. For my own
work, I need an event to focus
my mind and time. I tend to work
late at night so it doesn’t infringe
on my design work – it‘s also
quieter then!NA: What’s next?
JT: I‘ve been invited to direct a
couple of music video ideas; it’s
a very different discipline but I’m
keen to learn! I’ll be working with
more models and taking photos
myself over the next year.Left to right: Climber
for The Indoor Climbing
Centre in Bristol;
finished and work in
progress model pieces;
hand dripping black
goo for Upfest 2015.ARTWORKYEAH WHATEVERARTWORK:UPFEST STREET ARTARTWORKREDPOINT CLIMBING CENTREWorking on a scaffold tower,
it’s hard to see the piece until it’s
too late – ie, when the scaffold is
taken down!
Bristol-based art director and graffiti
artist, Jody works in different sectors and
exhibits around the world with See No
Evil Gallery and the Affordable Art Fair.MORE INFORMATION
Owww.digital-fire.co.uk
Ohttps://uk.pinterest.com/DigitalFires/
my-graffiti-art/Jody Thomas
PHOTOGRAPHY:PAUL GREEN