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20th March 2024 | Hot off the press
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Our staff spotlight allows us to shine a light on some of the incredible talent that makes up the G.A workforce. This month, Curiosity Bites interviews G.A Residential Senior Designer, Chris Troy.
When did you become interested in illustration and mural art?
As long as I can remember I’ve been into drawing. My dad and uncles are all artists in some capacity so I always had this influence and encouragement around me. As a kid, I’d spend entire days just drawing and painting. This developed through school, art college then into technical drawings at university and being able to use spatial illustration in my design career. The last ten years living in London, particularly around Hackney, has exposed me to the world of street art which I love and have become involved in.
Tell us about your method? Do you plan everything first or is it a more organic process?
I can think about things for weeks or months before even starting them. So there is quite a bit of planning mentally but this can often scupper the actual idea. Sometimes I find being spontaneous is more fun. Definitely I plan things technically and painting outside has to be done with weather and practical things considered. With hand drawings I still just like to sit with a pen and pencil – just scribble until something ‘emerges’!
What is the most satisfying part of the process?
I think I enjoy the small moments where you have been stuck for hours and start to feel like abandoning the piece. Then you reach that moment where it all makes sense again and you get this ‘click’ – this is hugely rewarding I find. For years I only worked in black and white. Lately I’ve been using a lot of colour which I’m loving.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I am influenced by movies, animals, music, comic books, culture, travel. Just walking around London provides a load of inspiration – there’s street art and adverts everywhere that can provide that little idea spike.
Are you working on any interesting projects at the moment?
I’ve got a load of paintings and drawings on the go that need finishing. There’s some album artwork from a friend’s band that I’m supposed to be doing too. A mate and I are putting some ideas together for a range of jujitsu outfits – (covid has put this on hold though). Then there’s a great spot for a mural in Shoreditch that I want to do – its just finding the time for it all.
