Looking at Dylan’s body of work, it’s probably no surprise to learn that he’s always had a particular fondness for children’s books. In particular, those of his hero Roger Duvoisin: “his use of layering to find new tones and textures is a great source of inspiration for me”. But, in quite a stark contrast, it was Dylan who discovered Ralph Steadman’s work, through his illustrations in Hunter S. Thompson’s 1971 novel. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas which really boosted his love of illustration. “Stylistically, our works differ, but I’ve always admired the way he values spontaneity and the unexpected when making.” More recently, however, Dylan has obsessively sought out and purchased new zines and magazines (such as Wobbly Club, Counterpoint and Beneficial Shock) to flick through and find himself “lost in the wonderfully designed and organized artwork they contain”.
Fairly early in his creative journey, Dylan found his footing in Risograph printing. Introduced to the method during his first year, he began to experiment with it more throughout his course. “The reason I love working with Riso,” Dylan explains, “is because of her recognizable characteristics. She’s never perfect and is celebrated because of the imperfections she has.
These unique elements particularly shine through in Dylan’s collaboration with Kobean Coffee, an independent coffee roaster based in Stockport, Manchester. Focusing on the ethical sourcing of “rare and experimental products”, in an early project with Kobean, Dylan has created three Riso prints that pay homage to where they source their beans, the Riso’s signature rough edge a nod subtle eye to the biological roasting process. In a more recent project, Dylan worked on a new brand image for Kobean, in which they decided to introduce some vibrancy and color, something they hadn’t tackled before. In terms of content, Dylan came up with the idea to “focus on familiar home comforts, to let consumers know they can enjoy rare, hard-to-find coffee the same way they would with n ‘any other brand’. And, the end result – lively and charming in equal measure – is sure to have you craving a coffee with your loved ones.
Looking to the future, Dylan seeks to “keep collaborating with like-minded people, while finding out what works best for me creatively (and what doesn’t).” But, having not yet ventured to sell his work in person, Dylan is also very keen to get involved in some print fairs and maker’s markets this coming year. Safe to say, we’ll be at the front of the queue.