Li Chi Pan : Interview With Illustrator Sammoorecandraw.

When I woke up to this personalised and rather unexpected illustration in my inbox - it put the biggest smile on my face and I couldn't help but jump at the opportunity in getting to know more about 27 years old, Sam Moore aka sammoorecandraw, illustrator and story teller.

The determined artist now resides in London and recently collaborated with AdidasUK to produce a series of illustrations for the #supercolour campaign. I spent some time with this talented human being and here's what he had to say.

So...Tell us about yourself

I’m Sammy. English, 27 years old, illustrator and designer at Golden Wolf, East London, UK.

What’s your secret talent Sam?

My secret talent? People seem pretty surprised when I tell them I can sew. My mum is a dress maker and taught me over the years. So if you pop a button, rip a seam or need a tote bag whipping up. I’m that guy.

What does your day look like on a daily basis?

I live in North West London. I work in East London. So I spend a lot of my day walking. busing and tubing.

I really love it though, this is when I like to zone out and read or draw. I’m really lucky to work as a full time illustrator and designer in an incredible animation studio. I work amongst some incredibly talented people in a really exciting space. Everyone is a director in their own way. We all get a say in projects from pitch to delivery, so I spend a lot of my day drawing, chatting and collaborating. I love it.

How did you get into illustrations?

I’ve been drawing ever since I was a kid. I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself through drawing rather than through words or writing. I was encouraged by several teachers as a kid to never stop drawing and to continually practice.

I like to think they saw something in me. I worked freelance from the age of 17, doing mixtape covers and portraits for friends. That turned into a casual freelance career and eventually led to increasingly bigger projects, particularly during my time studying graphic arts and design at university. I graduated and moved to Australia for two years where some of my most valuable inspirations came from.

I’ve been fortunate to work with brands like Nike, Adidas, High Snobiety, Starter and UEFA. Earlier in the Year after returning from Australia and some extended time soul searching in Japan, I decided to leave freelance behind and get into a studio. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

What would you describe your drawing style as?

My style is often informed by the things around me. I draw a lot of inspiration from my time in Sydney and Japan as well as my love for fashion. I’ve always been fascinated by drawing female form, since an eventful life drawing class at art college.

My process and techniques can change from day to day, as well as my work’s general aesthetic. However I always make an effort to draw everything I work on by hand, before any digital treatment. This has always been important to me. It’s great to feel as though you have a ‘style’ Thats something I always gave myself a hard time about. It’s great to feel that your work is recognisable or consistent, but for me right now, it’s all about versatility and being open to learning new things.