Paul Daviz

Draw. Draw. Draw. This has been the story of Paul Daviz’s life from an early age. He drew on his schoolbooks, he drew when he got his first job – in a pyjama factory. After studying graphic design he worked for a greeting card company in his hometown of Blackburn, but was never allowed to create the illustrations. Instead of getting frustrated, he built up a portfolio of his own artwork and went freelance. By the mid-80s he found himself in London visualising storyboards and mock-ups for TV commercials, animated productions, packaging and print campaigns. Now a leading illustrator, confident working in a whole range of cartoony styles, Paul is still drawing on a daily basis. His original inspiration was a copy of MAD magazine handed to him when he was 10, and sometimes you can still spot that irreverent humour in Paul’s work, even today. He also loves Soviet matchbox covers, produced using only two colours, and 1970s cinema advertising, which was cheap but effective. When it comes to music, cheesy country is Paul’s preference, and he plays an eight-string lap steel guitar in the Carter County country band.