Ashley Percival is a freelance illustrator living in the U.K. In 2010 he graduated from the University College Falmouth, where he studied art and design. He then went on to study marine and natural history photography. As far as illustration goes, however, he is self-taught. He has been drawing and experimenting with materials since he was a kid and—don’t tell his high school teachers—most of his drawing education occurred during math and English lessons! He gets some of his inspiration from wildlife and nature, and the rest from his quirky imagination.
Shortly after graduating in 2010, Ashley decided to open an Etsy shop, which proved to be a very good decision. His sales went through the roof, and led to Ashley having his artwork licensed by Urban Outfitters, Monsterthreads, Forever 21, iPhone, and several stationery and card companies.
JC—Describe the first moment that you truly felt like an artist.
AP—The first moment I truly felt like an artist was when I sold my first art prints from my Etsy shop. I was very shocked to wake up on the first morning after opening my shop to find that I had sold six prints!
JC—Do you have any advice for artists who want to sell their work online?
AP—My best advice is to be positive and don’t give up—it’s not easy at the beginning. Try to challenge yourself to come up with fresh and original ideas.
JC—What do you have in your creative toolbox?
AP—I like to use lots of different materials when making artwork. I never think too much about what medium to use; I like to grab the first thing I come across. The main materials I use to create my artwork are pencils, colored pencils, pastels, felt-tip pens, and watercolors.
JC—Which artist’s work are you most jealous of, and why?
AP—I am mostly jealous of the work by Salvador Dalí. I love how surreal and strange his work is. I can look at his art for hours, but can never seem to work out what was going on in his head. I was lucky enough to see some of his original work in an art gallery in Edinburgh.
JC—Why are you an artist?
AP—I have always loved to be creative; making art is a great way to express how you feel and to show your imagination.
JC—If you weren’t an illustrator, what would you want to be?
AP—I would love to be a wildlife photographer. When I’m not illustrating, I love to go out on adventures with my camera—you might even see me chasing butterflies, if you’re lucky.
JC—Do ever have creative blocks? How do you push yourself through?
AP—Sometimes I get creative blocks—they are very annoying. When I feel like this, I love to go out walking to refresh my mind. I also find that visiting art galleries and museums is very interesting and inspiring.
JC—Other than those galleries and museums, where do you find inspiration?
AP—I find most of my inspiration in wildlife and nature. I would love to travel the world to see as many amazing animals and places as possible. I also get a lot of inspiration from myself—many of my characters wear similar clothes to me, most of them wear hats, like to skate, and try to look cool.
JC—Would you ever throw one of your drawings away?
AP—No, I don’t tend to throw work away. I will work on a piece until I am happy with it. I treat every piece of work like a pet, and I would never throw a pet away.
JC—Do you take criticism personally?
AP—No, because you can’t please everyone—people will have art that they like and dislike—the main thing is that you as an artist are happy with your work.
JC—Do you have an inner critic?
AP—Not really. I enjoy making art and am always thinking of new ideas. I don’t think about how I can make a piece better, I just want to make more art.
JC—When do your best ideas come to you?
AP—Most of my ideas come to me quite randomly—sometimes when I’m drawing, an idea for a completely different piece will pop into my head. I spend a lot of time daydreaming—this can help with ideas. Oh, and right before I fall asleep.
JC—How do you feel when you’re in a true “creative zone”?
AP—I don’t want the day to end, because I need to be creative forever! Sometimes I forget to eat, then I realize that I must move from my desk—so I make breakfast at two in the afternoon.
