Concept For Living magazine » Making people smile

Making people smile

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

The work of Doncaster-based illustrator Al Heighton has appeared on everything from belts to album covers. Such a versatile canvas, teamed with a never-ending supply of new ideas, can only lead to bigger and better things for this unstoppable creative.

You might recognise Al Heighton’s work from the pages of the Guardian, which regularly feature his illustrations. Colourful, whimsical and a little bit quirky, they depict playful narratives inspired by everything from tea and biscuits to women’s magazines.

“I think a lot of it is autobiographical with personal narratives,” he said. “And some of it’s media driven.” ‘Tea Flirt’ came about when Al read a newspaper piece about the demise of the tea lady. “Then a few months down the line I read another article about the resurgence of the tea lady – so it was kind of a fun piece for me. Part of me is interested in the English eccentric drinking tea and the British gent flirting with ladies over a brew.”

Anything and everything can trigger an idea for a new illustration – from the political pages of a newspaper to a comment on the radio. “I’ll read me mam’s Woman’s Best, Observer, now and again I might buy Nuts or ZOO or GQ. I’ll read a biography, maybe an old bit of fiction. I try to be like a sponge. You’ve got to look at everything , and try to read everything.”

Read the rest of this profile in Concept For Living issue 126

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