Katy Dockrill for ALTO

Creative director at Drive Agency, Mark Bulloch, chose Katy Dockrill for the ALTO marketing campaign because her illustration style suited the hip lifestyle drawings he envisioned for the brand.  ALTO is a gorgeous new rental condo development located in the heart of trendy Little Portugal, in Toronto.  The art needed to speak to the young urbanite seeking to live there.

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We spoke to Katy about her work on this campaign and she shared some interesting insights on her process:

i2i Art:  At the outset, this campaign looked like it would involve four major illustrations and hundred's of small icons.  What was your first response to this request?

Katy Dockrill:  Firstly, I saw the direction that Drive agency was working towards, because they gave me a preliminary visual concept, and I loved it. I loved the simplicity, the icons, the central figure idea.  I love drawing individual things, and because it was black and white, I could  simply focus on the line work.

i2i Art: Can you describe your process?

Katy Dockrill:  I felt completely at home, taking pictures of the hood, sitting and sketching. I drew from my pictures, once I got home. I also needed to figure out who was going to be in the middle of all these icons, which took more time because the client was looking for someone in a certain age range, and wanted them doing things that might be particular to them and the neighbourhood.

i2i Art: The art needed to be able to reproduce at any size--blown up huge for signage and small for brochures and Internet advertising.  Knowing that you sketch and draw by hand, how did you approach the final art to accommodate these specifications?

Katy Dockrill:  I knew that these were going to be reproduced at a large size, but I work quite small, with brush and ink. My process in these cases requires I scan all my art as bitmap tiffs and then vector my line work in illustrator so that it most closely resembles the original work.

i2i Art:  What's your impression of the finished campaign materials onsite?  If you were looking for a rental condo, do the marketing materials portray an appealing lifestyle choice?  In what way?

Katy Dockrill:  I'm biased in that I really love how the work onsite turned out. I'm hoping with the icons that surround these figures (who are of a certain age range), that they appeal to the bookworm, the foodie, the nester, the cat lover, the musician, the pal, the mother.  Since most of what I drew came from life, the sidewalks and the stores in that neighbourhood I also hope that perhaps someone sees a bit of their story in there too.

A montage of photos Katy took while researching the neighbourhood.

One of the panels with Katy's art mounted on construction hoarding onsite.

ALTO advertising with two of Katy's illustrations.

The art I call 'Lunching', up close.

This hipster musician would fit right in at Alto.

A day in the life of a mom.

To see more of Katy Dockrill's delightful illustrations visit her profile here.

Dave Murray: Illlustration 57 Reception, SOI, NYC

Big congratulations to Dave Murray on his Indie Alehouse poster illustration--Glory & Consequences, selected for the Society of Illustrators' Illustration 57 annual.  Last week Dave Murray attended an opening reception of the exhibition at the SOI in NYC.  Of this great honor the SOI website says, "the exhibit features works by leading contemporary illustrators worldwide, selected by a prestigious jury of professionals".  If you're in New York this month, drop by and check out the show.  You won't be disappointed.  Details on the show, which runs until January 31, 2015, are on the SOI website.  

We caught up with Dave to get his reflections on the experience and share some of his pics from the opening reception:

i2i Art:  What comes to mind from the SOI reception in speaking with fellow illustrators and art directors?

Dave Murray:   I got a real feeling of community from everyone there. It was my first time at the SOI (and in the annual), so it was a completely new experience. It was pretty amazing just to soak in the atmosphere. I had a bit of a chuckle talking to one illustrator who's work is currently being displayed in the NYC Subway system, but never manages to catch a train that has the work in it. I saw it on nearly every train I took over the few days I was there.

i2i Art:  Did any trends or themes emerge for you in looking at the advertising and institutional art on display at the show?

Dave Murray:  Themes were harder to nail down - I feel like the SOI does a great job of varying the style of the selections - no one style was represented more than another.

i2i Art:  What did you think of the overall quality of the art in the show?

Dave Murray:  The quality of the art on display was amazing. Conceptually and technically, pretty much everything blew me away. Going back to the variety of work - there was such a mix of styles and media...Coming home, I feel incredibly re-energized and inspired.

i2i Art:  What piece of art by a fellow illustrator was the highlight of the show for you?

Dave Murray:  My personal favorite from the show - Andie Dinkins' absolutely unreal "New Years Eve at the Beverley Hills Hotel" piece.

Dave with the poster he designed and illustrated for Indie Alehouse's Glory & Consequences, hanging on those historic SOI walls.

Dave's personal fave, Andie Dinkin's, New Years Eve at the Beverley Hills Hotel.

To see more of Dave Murray's award winning illustration, visit his portfolio here.

Introducing new i2i Art illustrator, Dave Murray

Meet Dave Murray.

We wanted to share with you a recent conversation with Dave Murray to give you a little insight into the person behind the art.

i2i Art: Why illustration?

Dave Murray:  Well, I've been drawing for as long as I can remember, and it's something I've always enjoyed. I started with drawing my favorite characters from comic books, and went from there. My illustration career formally began at Sheridan College, I guess - I always thought it was kind of a funny thing, to go to school for art, but it's what I loved to do - so giving myself the chance to make my living from it was really the only decision.

i2i Art:  What makes you tick?

Dave Murray:  Maybe it's a boring answer, but it's keeping my life pretty simple and finding pleasure in the small things. Making interesting work, walking my dog, spending time with my wife, and friends...that's pretty much it.

i2i Art: How do you come up with new ideas when presented with a brief? Tell us a bit about your process?

Dave Murray:  I find a lot of success when I break down ideas and concepts into words and definitions - I'm a bit of a crossword fanatic. At that level, I feel like there's a lot of freedom to play with meanings and definitions - and then translate that wordplay into visual metaphors. From there, small thumbnails and sketches in my sketchbook, larger sketches on the computer, and then a mishmash of stuff to create the final piece.

i2i Art: What other creative projects keep you going aside from illustration?

Dave Murray:  I like to keep myself busy. Aside from illustration, I have an ongoing text-based mapping project. It's mostly focused on Toronto, but I've been brought out to cities such as Stratford and Halifax to apply my work there. I'm also a co-founder of the Garrison Creek Bat Co., which is an artisanal baseball bat company based in Toronto. At GCBC, we focus on making each bat a piece of work in itself, and occasionally curate events where we invite other illustrators, artists, and craftspeople to customize our bats however they like.

i2i Art: How do these projects influence your illustration?

Dave Murray: My other creative projects allow me to take a step back from illustration, and put other creative aspects of my brain to work. It's like a breath of fresh air, which allows me to come back invigorated and often with new perspectives in regards to my illustration work.

i2i Art: What are the best parts of being a freelance illustrator?

Dave Murray:  Probably the whole thing. The fact that I'm doing something I love to make my living is incredible in itself, but it's the opportunities and experiences that I've had solely because of illustration that make it truly special.

Citizen Draper:  Crowd-Sourcing in Advertising

Green Hotels

Commission Dave Murray to contribute to your next campaign or feature!  Check out Dave Murray's entire portfolio here.

Digging Clare Owen, self-confessed cat lover and fabulous illustrator

Recently we shared some of Clare Owen's new work and the response was fantastic!  We didn't want anyone to miss out on her sublime illustrations. Check out Clare Owen's portfolio and get inspired to commission an illustration by this fabulous illustrator!

John Webster's New + Quirky!

John Webster can't stop making lovely art. Kellogg's, Sony, EMI and Mirvish Productions are among his clients.   John has a quirky eye, that mixed with his penchant for pop culture, give his collages a unique edge.