Another one of our regular illustrators, Daniel David Freeman sat in our office and drew pictures for a few months. Today he spoke to us about his little doodles and why he spends all the money he earns on old records he can’t even put on an iPod, and even drew us a picture to fully get his points across.
INTERVIEW: ROBERT FOSTER
How did you get into drawing?
I’ve just always done it. I don’t remember a point where I thought to myself ‘I’m into this.’ It’s just always been what I do. When I was little I used to draw either Dennis the Menace, Batman or Judge Dredd everyday. I think I used to draw Bart Simpson as well, although I’m pretty sure I didn’t actually see an episode of the Simpsons till I was about 14. I just used to pose with my Bart lunch box and toy and talk to my friends about episodes that only existed in my head.
What are your favorite things to draw?
I always end up drawing people, which is pretty lame and uninspired. I don’t think its because they are my favorite thing to draw, it’s just the easiest way of getting a point across. I suppose my favorite things to draw are just stupid little doodles that I screw up as soon as my pen leaves the paper. Things like miniature graffiti, penises and cats.
Who is your favourite drawer apart from yourself?
If I had to pick one it would probably be Brian Bolland. He did all my favorite drawings for Judge Dredd, some Batman and loads of other stuff. He also did loads of covers for a fantastic comic called Animal Man. It’s about a man (Buddy Baker) who can use the power of any animal but has a wife and kid that he is permanently doing wrong by. He is a mild failure that dies and comes back to life regularly, but I quite like that. I read about a series where his family get killed whilst he’s off galavanting somewhere. He manages to work out that there is no way anyone could have killed them unless of course he is in fact a character in a comic book! So he comes out of the book and convinces the author to write his family back into the story.
What are your inspirations?
In the past year I’ve got really into comic books but find it really difficult to find any with drawings I actually like. I love 80′s movie poster paintings; the ‘Innerspace‘ artwork is mind blowing. Whenever I draw I have a film on in the background. Recently I’ve been watching a lot of woman films like Indecent Proposal and Pretty Woman in an attempt to combat any occasional thoughts about killing someone caused by the months spent in front of budget horror and action films. I love all the Parliament and Funkadelic artwork, I bought ‘Funkentelechy vs The Placebo Syndrome‘ recently and it had an immaculate little comic book inside telling the tale of ‘Dr Funkenstein’ and the ‘Bop Gun.’ I’ve always got loads of old toys around I love looking at them. I suppose anything that reminds me of being a kid inspires me. Anything that makes me happy makes me want to draw. I can’t draw when I’m in a bad mood.
What other stuff do you do for fun?
I listen to all my lovely records, eat chic peas with my fit girlfriend, drink tea and look for affordable early nineties silk Versace shirts on Ebay.
Why do you like drawing so much?
It gives you a freedom to communicate absolutely anything and if everything goes to plan and my hand doesn’t fall off its an excuse to never really have to grow up.
Why do you spend so much money on records when you can easily just download stuff?
Having an object I can take pride in and feel real ownership over gives me a much more personal connection to the music. Having a list of songs squeezed in between thousands of other albums just seems a bit sad to me.
Thanks Daniel.