Editorial illustration for Big Issue North Magazine
Thanks to AD Kevin Gopal

I was commissioned to illustrate a June/July cover for Big Issue North, relating to an interview with journalist and author Brian Groom. The article delves into his new book, Northerners, about the history of the North of England as told through the lives of its inhabitants.

I was inspired by the article’s discussion of The North as a creative powerhouse, and decided to pull inspiration from Lowry’s paintings. This isn’t a direct pastiche of one painting, but draws from multiple works to aid the composition and give the viewer a feel for the space. I included the football match, smoky factories, and the quintessential Lowry dog.

I wanted this cover to be moody and vivid at the same time, so I chose a rich blue and built the scene with overlapping multiply layers to give depth. The character up front instantly draws the eye, with a contrasting colour for their skin and a big instrument case to reference The North’s music scene.

Tools: Procreate, Joe Lillington brushes, iPad Pro, Apple Pencil