Paul Daviz

Paul joined the agency in the early 1980s as a skilled storyboard artist and cartoonist. In the 90s he went on to master vector graphics applications, adding to the versatility of his energetic, graphical style. Throughout his portfolio there is an abundance of warmth, humor and humanity – qualities that all came directly from his personality.

The range of clients he worked for really is a testament to his talent, and they have included just about every major newspaper and publishing company in Britain, all the key advertising agencies along with dozens of global organisations. The creative directors he worked with will remember him for his ideas, and the way he was able to bring fresh and intelligent concepts to any project no matter how challenging the brief.

But most of all he’ll be remembered for his friendly nature, because alongside his creativity Paul was a kind and helpful artist, willing to share advice and lend encouragement to younger creatives whenever called upon.

Born in 1960, Paul grew up in Blackburn, Lancashire, and seemed destined to join his parents and grandparents in the textile mills. From Blackburn he took an industrious work ethic, but his passion was to draw, and he did so prodigiously with his two brothers on whatever paper they could get their hands on – even the backs of old wallpaper rolls. Aged nine, he won a Black Beauty annual in a drawing competition.

He drew all over his schoolbooks and got in trouble, a pattern that would repeat itself when he found work in a pyjama factory, where he drew on the manuals. Inspired early on by Mad Magazine, and later by Soviet matchboxes and film posters, he began to find work as an illustrator and signed with Garden Studio (later to become IllustrationX) in 1984.

Paul’s body of work makes him one of the most important illustrators in British advertising.

When he wasn’t drawing, Paul loved playing his eight-string lap steel guitar in a country band. Country and Western from the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s was his passion – particularly Hank Williams, and the cheesier the better.

Harry Lyon-Smith, MD of IllustrationX, said: “We are all devastated that Paul is no longer with us. He was a joy to work with and will be sorely missed by our agents and, I am certain, by our clients who benefitted so much from his creativity. It has happened so suddenly we can only imagine how painful it must be for Paul’s family and friends. We send them our most heartfelt condolences.”

Words by Garrick Webster