Fresh Talent
Daniel Hamilton: Playful Pictures
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May 30, 2012 The Fresh Outlook  |
Artistic illustrator Daniel Hamilton talks to The Fresh Outlook about how pictures of robots and rockets can get people thinking.
Originally hailing from Carlisle, Daniel Hamilton came to Cardiff to study Illustration at Cardiff Metropolitan university and graduated in July 2011.
Daniel’s fun and exciting doodles look like they are taken straight out of a young boy’s dreams of adventure, but they keep an air of intelligence and humor that comes straight from the world of adults.
“Since I was a tiny human I’ve always been very influenced by quite ‘boyish’ things (technology, vehicles, space travel),” Daniel tells The Fresh Outlook. “I mostly drew things I liked for the fun of it and as a way of expressing my interest. I continued with art because I liked it and was good at it, but after going to university I realised illustration has a lot of power in explaining things visually.
“Regardless of the subject matter, though, my work is fuelled by my humour. If it doesn’t make me react, it won’t make anyone else react and illustration needs to be emotionally intelligent. I try to make the way my work looks fit the feeling I’m trying to get across. If something needs to be sneaky, what does sneaky feel/look like? That will be different from if it’s angry or lazy or whatever.”
Fresh out of university, Daniel set up Morgan Arcade Studios in central Cardiff which provides studio space for practising artists, mostly illustrators, to display their work. Talking about the future, however, Daniel’s plans are less certain.
“I know a lot of people have very specific goals that are planned out to the minute,” he says, “but that doesn’t allow for very much spontaneity and I think that’s where some of the most interesting experiences happen. I’d like to get into editorial, but maybe next week I will be hit by a meteorite…and get superpowers which, as we all know, are a gift and a curse and a big responsibility.”
Looking at Daniel’s illustrations it’s easy to see that if he were to have a super power he would surely chose to be able to fly. Though he’s currently working on getting his solo gliders licence Daniel’s art flies just as much as he does; his creative and original airborne inventions soar from picture to picture.
The images Daniel creates are filled with childlike excitement, not only are these simple black and white illustrations funny and intriguing but also extremely touching. “I want it to connect with people and to inform,” explains Daniel. “Too many people think learning things is boring. Knowledge is power…and it’s damned interesting”.
If you want to find out more about Daniel Hamilton, and see more of his work, check out his blog at danielhamiltonillustration.blogspot.co.uk.
By Heather Arnold
[Image courtesy of Daniel Hamilton]
