Call for entries: The HOW International Design Awards closes the evening of Monday, Sept. 25.
London-based Designer of the Week Andrew Rae recently caught the attention of our editorial team with this #hashtag10 illustration he did for Twitter. Rae, who art directed the award-winning BBC animation “Monkey Dust,” has worked with an impressive list of clients including The London Science Museum, Google and The Guardian, and he is a regular contributor to The New York Times.
Name: Andrew Rae
Name of Studios: Moonhead Studios and Peepshow Collective
Location: North London near Highgate Cemetery
Website: www.andrewrae.info
Design school attended: University of Brighton
How would you describe your work?
I try not to, but when pushed I’ll say drawings, mostly linework, often character based and commissioned.
Where do you find inspiration?
I go for walks on Hamstead Heath most days, and that tends to be where I have new ideas, but having ideas isn’t the problem; getting them done is the difficult bit.
Who are some of your favorite designers or artists?
Tove Jansson, Chris Ware, Charles Shulz, Heath Robinson, Bill Waterson, Saul Steinberg, Dan Clowes, Charles Burns
Do you have a favorite among all the projects you’ve worked on?
My graphic novel story Moonhead and the Music Machine was a real passion project, and I hope to make a followup soon.
Is there a project that stands out to you as having been the biggest challenge of your career so far?
The cover I recently did for The New York Times magazine entitled “Trumplandia” was a real challenge. There was a lot of information to process and a lot of drawing to do in a short space of time; it was a great subject to tackle though, and it’s always great to get a cover.
What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
I’d like to create an animated television show.
What’s your best advice for designers today?
Be yourself and do the thing that only you can do.