The final interview to complete the set in our Hermit Editions Print Box series is with Thomas Boswell. A big fan of screen-printing and collectible ephemera, he uses bold colours and textures to create his work. We're pleased as punch to have this recent graduate as part of our first Print Box series, which is available on our new site www.hermiteditions.com Read on for further insights...
How's life been since you graduated?
Since graduating, life's been a bit of an odd one. I moved back home to Dudley for the summer after graduating from Brighton which was a bit of a shock to the system but it was good to be around old friends and family. I moved to Bristol in September and I currently share a house with Adam Hancher (adamhancher.co.uk) and Jack Hudson (jack-hudson.com) who I've known for years now and we're currently moving into a studio together along with Bethan Samuel (bethansamuel.blogspot.com) which should be really beneficial. I've been in and out of part time jobs as well as doing some illustration work so I'm just kind of finding my feet still. I don't want to settle for a job with no personal gain but I have to balance everything out so I can keep my head above water as well as trying to push my illustration as far as possible. Life can be complicated.
How would you describe your work to someone?
Erm, pretty simple. I like flat and fairly static images. I'm always drawn towards the idea of prints and series within my work - I like to get my teeth into something and create a body of work instead of doing one off images.
What processes go into your images? How do you tackle a new project?
Depending on the project it differs. I've only just graduated so I've not been inundated with projects so its fairly tough to answer. So far with the projects I've worked on its been fairly straight forward. I read the article, quote or brief I have to work too and do some research so I get a better understanding. After that I do some sketches, fill them in with ink and then scan them in and play around with them on Photoshop.
You've experimented with different methods of print making, any favourites
among them? And why?
My favorites so far are relief printing and screen printing. I'm yet to try litho so who knows, that could become a favorite too? I really didn't like screen printing at first as I got real nervous and was too scared about it all going wrong, but once I overcame that I really grew to enjoy it. It loosened my work up a lot too as I got obsessed with creating perfectly square and graphic images on the computer. I learned how to enjoy the imperfections in the screen printing process; the way new colours are created when overlapping layers and how offsetting layers can create a whole new atmosphere to an image. Its something I now bring into my digital work when I haven't got the facilities to use printing presses.
The layout of your most recent screen-prints seems to reference old cigarette/matchbox print work? What attracts you to it and how has it influenced your work?
They tick almost all of my boxes. I like simple images, they tend to be print based, they have some great textures and they have a simple narrative that can be read into a lot of them. As I said before, I like to produce work that comes as a series and this can apply to cigarette and matchboxes as well as stamps which is something else I really enjoy to look at.
What else inspires you?
I really love Japanese woodblock prints. I saw the Kuniyoshi exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts and it was one of the greatest things I've ever seen - the detail and craftsmanship is mind blowing. Mid century graphic design, stamps, printing processes and great textures all inspire me. Hip-hop also plays a pretty big inspiration aswell as punk, traveling and cycling. I don't look at that many contemporary artists at the moment but someone I really enjoy is Jason Jagel. I really like his use of colour and he did the artwork for MF Doom which is a huge plus too! I also really like maps and food packaging.
Describe a working day.
A working day differs every single day. At the moment all my time seems to be taken up with the building of our new studio. I usually start the day off with a coffee, some hip hop and some loud exchanges with my housemates to wake us up. After that its hard to say - drawing, errands, day job, reading, watching films. It really does differ from day to day.
Describe a day off.
A day off is the same as a working day, apart from I may stay in bed a little longer and have a nicer breakfast.
How do you see your work developing over the coming year?
I'd really like to do more illustrative pieces, with a little bit more narrative and detail in them but still keep it quite graphic. Id really like to step away from the computer more and do more originals, prints and give painting a go. Now we have this studio, I think its really going to benefit the way that I work and how I approach doing work - hopefully it'll push me to create, where as working in my bedroom I feel I must do work instead of wanting to.
Any upcoming projects or shows?
I have a few ideas and series of prints lined up. I'll be relaunching my website soon with a new layout and new work. There's talk about putting a show up as a studio but nothings finalised as of yet. Just try and get everything off the ground and just enjoy working. Its all very exciting though!
Head to Hermit Editions to purchase the Print Box, featuring Thomas Boswell and the four other talents Matt Bromley/Evgenia Barinova/Craig Scott/Linus Kraemer.
Check out more of his work here www.thomasboswell.co.uk