Drawing, and Drew

Drew Millward, illustrator, is the man behind the marketing designs for Leeds’s craft-beer-and-street-food extravaganza, Bundobust. He talks about doodling, dead heroes, and feelings of achievement.

I grew up in the north of England, where I remain. I draw pictures, and have done for quite a long time now.

Simply drawing and never stopping, and by always wanting to do something different, due to never being happy with what I’ve done.

How did the collaboration with Bundobust come about?

I’ve known Marko [Husak, one of the founders of Bundobust] for a number of years. It was always planned to do something in conjunction with Bundobust, and eventually it took the form that it did. It was fun. I like their beer and food.

Primarily I’m a print maker, so I would have to say the series of screen prints.

Ever get stuck for ideas? If so, what do you do?

All the time. Some days it’s easy, and some days it simply doesn’t happen, so I find myself answering interviews and hoping that inspiration rears its head.

Describe an average day when you’re working on an illustration

I drink coffee, then retreat to the cabin, where I will plunge into hours of doodling, until something clicks and I push it to the final stages.

I have a beer and feel an enormous sense of achievement. Probably on a similar level to that of a firefighter, who has spent the day rescuing orphans from a burning building.

Advice to illustrators wanting to establish themselves?

Don’t stop.

My heroes are… ‘dead’.

I wish I knew…. ‘the answers’.