Good draftsmanship makes my eyes horny. This may stem from my love of Renaissance master drawings where line is king, or it could be entirely un-unique to me and rather a universal appreciation for craft. Either way, the intricate and inviting illustrations of the UK's Andy Council pull me in every time, and I'm always glad I came.
From bunny's composed of tanks to dinosaurs and ducks made of sneakers and booze bottles, Andy's work is consistently inventive and pleasing, not to mention ubiquitous. From Bristol walls to magazine covers and even an editorial illo in The Guardian, this graffitist and illustrator is being seen by more and more people and rightly so.
It was the liquor bottle mallard that convinced me I needed to own an Andy Council original (work in progress), but his unrehearsed inventiveness coupled with a pleasing palette and an attention to detail reminiscent of Geof Darrow at his crazy, simple best make Andy's work frankly hard to resist.
The only readily available reproductions of Andy's work so far can be found here at Wall Candy Art. The giclee prints on canvas are nice and sizeable, though so are the prices ($350-$400). I'd be just as content to try straight for an original, or wait around for more affordable reproductions at a smaller size or on different paper. (hint hint!)
But, my impatience aside, Andy's work is great art, and with participation in shows in Taiwan and the UK, plus a growing body of published illustrations, his career is only building steam. What's more, by all correspondence I've had with him, he's a nice guy, so doubly deserving of your patronage. Spread the wealth.
~benc
