Andrew Selby is from London, and went to a school where nearly everyone left to go into the civil service, the military or finance. He was different – he went to art school and today he’s a careers advisor at the same school for pupils who’d like to do the same.
Beginning his career in the early 90s, Andrew thinks an economic downturn is the ideal time to get started – if you can make it then, you know you have what it takes. He’s worked hard studying the world of illustration and animation, and has taken trips to Laika and Pixar to find out how they do things. One of his biggest inspirations is Saul Steinberg, whom he’s visited in New York where he reveled in the aura of the great artist’s workspace.
Andrew has written three books about animation, and also collects wooden and vinyl toys, masks, weather vanes, jewellery, textiles and furniture. He has swum the English Channel for charity.
Training
Andrew studied graphic design specialising in illustration at Leicester Polytechnic.
Approach
No two illustrations start from the same point for Andrew. Sometimes he draws from scratch, sometimes he borrows ideas from his sketchbooks, works over photographs, montages elements together or makes models to shoot. Variety is what keeps his work original and interesting, but he has developed his own distinct drawing style, or visual language.
Style
Andrew takes pleasure in the imperfect, the chance encounter or the element of surprise. He has always liked folk and outsider art, and there’s a particular East European feel to his own work – it’s simple and a little naïve, with metaphors, motifs and a playful colour palette.
Client list
Starbucks
Chronicle Books
Running Press
Boots
The Lancet
American Express
Eurostar
DHL
Pentagram
IKEA
Barclays
Lonely Planet
The BBC
Radio Times