The Dan Leydon Interview
Have a read of my latest interview with fantastic football illustrator (and maker of the illustrations on this site) Dan Leydon.
Where did the idea for Dan Leydon Illustration come from?
Drawing and writing have always been second nature to me since I was able to do them. I studied Product Design in college and learned specific programs that just extended the way I could develop my output. I always did it for satisfaction and I like learning new things. After college in late 2009 I worked as a freelance graphic designer and slowly began to make illustrations instead of purely graphic work. My interest in football started to inspire my work around Febuary 2011. I’ve have been developing that ever since and it has developed into Dan Leydon Illustration.
How does the service work?
I am a freelance illustrator but I also produce more graphic orientated work like logos or posters. Basically I like to read a brief before I categorise myself. I have trouble with the job title, illustrator, designer, illustrative designer are all labels that would seem appropriate at one time or another. If it was boiled down to a sentence you could say I provide visual solutions.
Where do you see the appetite for your service stemming from?
99% of my work is football related, people get in contact wanting commissions or specific football artwork for editorial or social media. I’ve produced artwork for a social media campaign for Nike, I also produced artwork for a studio they used to develop their last World Cup ad campaign. I’ve worked on LA Galaxy artwork for Gerrard’s transfer there. I’ve illustrated Graham Hunter’s award winning Barca book and it’s follow up about the Spanish national team. As you can see it’s all work that utilises my knowledge of football.
Is it purely for corporate use?
No, I also have an online shop where people can purchase the best of my artwork as posters. I also do commissions like portraits of family members, people always have very unique ideas for these so they’re quite rewarding to work on. I love working on new projects so if people have an interesting brief then send it on.
When did you launch Dan Leydon Illustration?
I’ve been working at it for nearly five years now.
Is working in illustration the dream job?
For me, yes. I love what I do. It’s a scary job at times. Every morning you think ‘can I pull a lump of coal from my mind and polish it until it resembles a diamond today?’. I think illustrators enjoy that tension though, it makes the rewarding moments very rewarding indeed.
