Why I Draw like I do

Character design start ups

In our first Character Design session with tutor Sacha Beeley (15th Oct 2025), we were invited to consider ‘Why we draw like we do‘ What makes us tick when pen hit the paper and what our innate driving forces are when creating a 2D character.

However complex (or not) a character ultimately becomes, there is always that spark, that push and motivation, which manifolds a genus of our own. A process of talking our truth, drawing from the heart and being honest.

Originality is a mutable concept that expands and contacts according to one’s experience, conscious-memory, auto-memory and subliminal-memory. But wherever the ideas are coming from, in that instance of thought and creation – it’s the intention that counts.

Put on the spot – I have a strong desire to portray feelings and emotions. Simply, quietly and directly.

I would consider myself to be fairly shy and this I feel comes out in my drawings. I rarely see my characters as taking centre stage.

I like the in-betweens, the side glance or implied action.

I am drawn to quiet things, like birds, animals and pencils. Enjoying the simple – like solo playing with marbles.

I like to express feelings and thoughts I might have in a drawing, but am less likely to say out loud: a sort of alter-ego and a companion.

2 corners of influence

When I was a teenager in the 1980s I went to a Pop Arts exhibition at The Hayward Gallery. I don’t recall every work of art, but I do remember the feeling it left me with and one which I draw on within my art ( Why I draw Like I do ) still today. It was bold. It was ballsy. It used text within artworks to heighten the delivery pitch. It was communication and I loved it. A pin badge with the slogan ‘Slip it to me’ by Richard Hamilton, was my physical take away, however the impact of direct and implied animated communication, remains a corner stone of my creative journey. To this day, I use words in my drawings. If it helps – do it.

Jamie Hewlett has the other corner covered.

When I saw the Gorillaz for the first time, my creative mind was completely rearranged. His shifting of goal posts, bringing live interactive animated illustration to the masses, has stayed with me and is within my daily drawing practice. Understatement, care free delivery and ‘real’ life-living, care-worn people.

I will always be a magpie for innovative illustration. I seek it out.

My starting point has to be honesty. How would I feel if that were me.

I really enjoyed our session with Sasha. The drawings here are the exercises we did.