Will is an illustrator and skater based in Manchester

Skateboarding has inspired me artistically from an early age.

 

The graphics and illustration that were around in the early 00’s shaped me to be the illustrator and designer I am today.

 

The creative process itself of trying different things and experimenting with ideas are present in both skateboarding and illustration so it feels natural to apply what you learn in each field to cross over and influence the other.

 

When you’re skating street there is a creative process of looking at all the ways of interacting with the surrounding obstacles and architecture and trying things non-skaters or non-creatives could never think of.

 

Art that has inspired me growing up to create would have to include:

 

Mark “Fos” Foster, who does Heroin skateboards and who’s style of type still inspires me to this day.

 

Mark “The Gonz” Gonzales skating and art.

 

Locally, my mate Harry McKenzie’s illustration work is always great to get inspired to draw.

 

 Joe Gavin‘s recent Madchester Monday series has been really great for inspiration to create and then go skate the streets of Manchester.

 

The No Comply Network is a brilliant platform for like-minded people in the skate community to meet and to find potential collaborators and creative job opportunities. It will certainly help to create some great collaborative projects for the years to come.