Exclusively representing
Willie Ryan
At 10 years of age, Willie Ryan had a conversation with a friend at school and decided that it would be a good idea to become a commercial artist. So he drew his way through school and eventually ended up living in Hastings with a view of the sea and a career as an illustrator.
Besides drawing his bold graphical images, he loves playing guitar and has ambitions to record something and play live. He lives with his twin children who also play instruments, and his artist influences include Hergé, William Heath Robinson, Aubrey Beardsley, Edward Hopper and Norman Rockwell. Willie’s future ambition is to sofa surf in Nashville, Tennessee.
Training
Willie has a BA in Graphics and Illustration from Central Saint Martins in London.Approach
To begin with, he scribbles down words and basic doodles on lined paper, often using the web to find reference images of people if any appear in the picture. Sometimes he’ll also take reference photos. He then creates roughs using ink and scans them in to be traced in Illustrator to create a vector drawing that he can tweak, scale and resize until the illustration is perfect.Styles
Willie’s images are simple, graphic and minimal, with a limited palette of strong, flat colours. He works in two styles. For one, he creates bold emblems and icons using line work or flat, contrasting colours. The other is more figurative with a diagrammatic or instruction book feel to it plus, of course, a touch of humour.Client list
The BBC The Economist Ford UK The Guardian Heinemann The Independent Lloyds Bank Chase Manhattan Oxford University Press Pan Macmillan Quirk Books Random House The Telegraph USA Today Volkswagen London Zoo Friends of the Earth Vauxhall/Opel Fruit of The Loom
Beautiful images Willie. Really very nice indeed.
Matt Inwood, Absolute Press
Willie has worked on 4 cover illustrations for us this year. All his works were delivered clearly on brief on tight timescales and have positively enhanced our visual identity. Willie’s clean line work and eye for graphic composition make for iconic imagery that is effective at a variety of sizes.
Hal Ritson, Director,, MofoHifi Records
You're a pleasure to work with. I hope I will be able to pass you onto other folks as well.
Richard Eisermann, Prospect Design
Willie consistently applies his incisive wit and fine line to all challenges. Over the years, for every commission, it has been a delight to see what he comes up with.
Robert, Lucy or Robert
Thanks for these -Bang on target!!!
The client is super exited, and the signs are being produced stateside as we speak!
Garry Martin, Fracture Clinic
Thanks Willie! It looks great, really varied and interesting so that you want to flick the whole way through! I've just heard that ‘When in Rome’ has nearly sold out and we're already looking at when we can reprint it, so I thought I'd share the good news with you!!
Claire Marshall, Anova Books
On them now! You are a celeb. Best illos ever!
Brilliant! Stunners as always!
Dave Kelsall , The Week Junior
Willy!... your new site is F@@KING BRILLIANT!!!!!
So clever, stylish and bloody funny....particularly like Miss Piggy's personal trainer!!!
Seriously brilliant
You must send it out to everyone on planet earth!!!
Jonathan Whitelocke , Holland and Barrett mag
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