designfeedr

Located in Bath in the UK, the Couscous Kid has an easily recognizable yet intricate style. We asked this up coming image maker a few questions and show off some pieces.

Please tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, my name is Mathew Thomas and I work under the moniker Couscous Kid. I have a studio in the world heritage city of Bath in the UK. I’ve been a graphic designer for over 13 years working with clients that have included: Jack Daniel’s, Hewlett Packard, Coca-Cola and Southern Comfort. Only recently however I picked up a ink pen and started to doodle and have been exploring, developing and creating new illustration styles.

I launched the Couscous Kid website in January 2006 as a way of letting people see what I had been up to. Since then it has grown and I now sell limited edition canvas frame prints online and have had commissions from Canon in Sweden and HMV in the UK among others.

My style is pen and ink based, dream-like and innocent, naive fantasy, fairy tale doodles that combine intrigue, mystery and sex! With my images I attempt to draw the viewer into a deeper and sometimes darker space, with ideas, messages, humour and physical freedom. It is a never ending journey of discovery, a work in progress!

Some of your pieces combine a lot of hand drawn elements with photography. This obviously makes you stand out a lot against the illustrators that use vectors a lot. Was this a conscious decision or did you just evolve this way?
I think I did make a conscious decision to work with hand drawn elements at some point, mainly to help create an organic feeling that could be truly original and unique to me. The addition of photography did just evolve over time but I do also use a lot of vectors, especially lately as it can be so much quicker. The detailed doodles take a long time to do and usually I sit and fill doodle pads at night curled on the sofa with a bar of fruit and nut chocolate.

How do you feel about the design scene these days?
I love it! I have been inspired to push myself forward by so many amazing contemporary image makers that are around today people like All Your Prey, Insect, Hort, Dave Kinsey, Vault 49, Non Format, Si Scott, Eduardo Recife, Swak, Universal Everything, Kristian Olson, Stunt Kid, Hellovon, Tiffany Bozic and Deanne Y. Cheuk. The list is endless!

What part of your average workflow is digital and how much happens away from the mouse and keyboard?
I think about 70% is digital, the rest is scans and hand drawn elements which are then pulled together in Photoshop but if I tell you any more secrets I will have to kill ya :)

Everyone always asks artists their inspiration. Let’s switch it around, what’s your biggest turn off concerning design/illustration?
People blatantly copying other peoples styles or ideas really annoys me. Sure designers have always done this but if your going do it at least try and bring something new to the party.

Name the one book every designer should read one day
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson.

What’s your most valuable lessen you’ve learned in this business?
Step away from the Mac! I have to remind my self of this lesson quite often! It’s all to easy to just start designing on screen but its always so much better to start out on paper. Even half way through it helps to go and do some more ideas on paper. Go for a walk and the ideas can start to flow without you hand being glued to the mouse.

Anything exciting on the horizon for you?
Designing some children’s socks is the next thing I am getting tucked into which is a totally new one for me. Some illustrated belts are also on my list of things to do.

That wraps this one up! We’d like to thank Mat for his time. Make sure to check out his site for more illustrated goodness.