イラストの世界にあなたをつなぐ
Crowded urban scenes, architecture and maps – the things you see today in Mike Hall’s artwork go back to his creative beginnings. As a child he used to love drawing images full of people, and maps of imaginary towns and even entire countries. He says this might be because he grew up in the new town of Harlow in Essex – the modern, pre-planned, post-war setting gave him an interest in architecture, topography and mapping from an early age.
Of course, he liked comics and picture books too, and today he’s also inspired by William Hogarth, Gustave Doré and Wenceslaus Hollar, as well as MacDonald Gill, an artist who embellished his map illustrations with all kinds of colourful motifs. He loves everything Hispanic, which is why he recently relocated to Spain.
I work as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer with a studio in Islington. My profound interest in history, architecture and cartography are reflected in my work, particularly my architectural drawings, map designs and character studies. I specialise in digital illustration and line drawing on paper and have worked for a variety of clients including large publishers, magazines and small businesses. I also regularly take part in illustration exhibitions and craft events across London. In 2012 I was shortlisted for the annual Serco Prize for Illustration.
