Jamie Coe

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Cartoon & Humour

Graphic

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Retro

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A piece by Susie Boyt published in The Telegraph Magazine

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Visual showing signs of chronic stress in daily life

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Artwork showing NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes with head coach Andy Reid

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Comic-style multi-panel illustration showing diverse character interactions

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Artwork of Donald Fagen by Jamie Coe for The New Yorker

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A true comic nerd

Comic art has always been part of Jamie’s creative DNA.

Key influences are Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes and Jamie Hewlett. He developed his drawing skills as a teenager, honing them further during his Illustration degree at Central Saint Martins before publishing his first graphic novel through Nobrow in 2014. As well as the versatility of his drawing style, clients love the way Jamie puts everything into his work, offering ideas and solutions and communicating well throughout every project. He’s also a talented storyboard artist.

Approach

For Jamie, images begin as thumbnails, knowing that if a composition works at a small scale it will be effective at any size. He typically uses pencils and inks to begin his drawings, colouring and editing them digitally. His palette is bold and dramatic, using warm and cold colour combinations to build atmosphere.

Style

Colourful, atmospheric and expressive, Jamie will adapt the style of his work to fit his brief. Character illustration is a specialty, bringing emotion to the narrative through facial expressions, posture and composition.

Impressions

Interview

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Interview

What led you to become an illustrator? It's a great crossover of the things I love: comics, animation, design and fine art. I really enjoy doing both commercial work with a specific brief as well as more personal work, so it works for me. Did you study illustration in college? I studied at Central Saint Martins in London. Where did you grow up? Just outside of London. Do you have a childhood memory relating to drawing/art that you hold dear? Learning from Art Attack and reading comics!Where do you live now and what drew you there? I live in East London. There are loads of great cultural and social things going on so it’s a really fun place to be. That said, I need regular trips out of the city to relax.Describe your studio for us A big robust desk, a large computer screen, pots of pens and paint brushes, prints, natural light and lots of snacks. Do you have a studio pet?I wish! I want a staffy. Who or What is your biggest inspiration? I'd probably say different inspirations for different projects. Sorry that sounds so vague. I'm always going back to my art books, comics and graphic novels for inspiration but I like to think that some things come from life experiences too. How do you get your ideas? Hard question! I guess they're some sort of extension of what I'm interested in at that time. This often involves research and a large amount of time staring into the abyss. Do you collect anything? I've got a pretty sizeable collection of graphic novels and comics, as well as a few retro Japanese robot figures. What are your interests outside of illustration? I love cooking and watching films. What is the first record you bought? First album I had was a Jackson 5 compilation CD I think? First album I bought with my own money was Outkast, Stankonia. What was your favourite assignment ever?I've had a few. The New Yorker commissions are always something I look forward too. For example, I got to draw the cast of Search Party one time, which was really fun interpreting those characters. I also had an absolute blast collaborating with Cecil Castellucci and Marley Zarcone on 'Shade The Changing Woman' for DC Comics. What would be your dream commission?Book covers, album covers, film/TV posters, character design for animation. How much of your work is hand drawn? I pretty much always sketch and draw up my illustrations by hand and then colour digitally. I usually pencil out a design and then ink with a brush before scanning it. I love having a tangible piece of artwork, so I find the mix of traditional and contemporary mediums keeps me happy. Who is your art hero? Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes and James Jean. If you were not an illustrator, what would you be? I'd probably work in film. Or voice acting. I always thought that would be really fun. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? “You do you”If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? I'd love to do a road-trip across the US and visit Japan. How would someone who knows you well describe you? I'd like to think: motivated and someone that doesn't take themselves too seriously. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Southern California. If you could travel back in time, who would be the one person you would want to meet and why? 1947. Roswell. Aliens! How do you keep on trend and up to date in our quickly changing industry?I love following the work of other illustrators, as well as film-makers, fashion brands, music artists etc so I guess that helps feed into that aspect. I try to stay clear of being too stylistically trendy though, as that can sometimes put you out of step down the line. What is your go-to comfort food?I always make a chilli, garlic and tomato sauce with spaghetti when I need a boost. Simple, but works every time. What movie can you watch over and over?Home Alone. It's kind of an annual Christmas tradition but I've seen that film at least 25+ times. What do you listen to when you’re illustrating?When I'm coming up with ideas I usually go for silence or something really chill. When I'm drawing I'll switch between music and true crime podcasts. What is the last show you binged?Westworld!What was the last exhibition you saw and loved?It was a while ago now because of the pandemic! I really enjoyed the 'Into The Night' exhibition at The Barbican. I also got to design and illustrate the Kids activity sheet for the exhibition, so that was cool. What is your favourite book?Black hole by Charles Burns.What do you do when you have creative block?I'll look through art books that inspire me or talk to another illustrator to get the creative juices flowing. Sometimes it's just a case of going for a walk and taking my mind off the project for an hour or so to refresh my brain. Which languages can you speak?I'm half Greek so I can speak some Greek. What is your favourite ice cream flavour?Salted caramel or mango. I can get two scoops, right?