We're Luke's biggest fans! Our TDK relationship with this legend started when he gatecrashed Frankie' birthday party in 2011 - since then has done live artworks on the studio walls, got listed as one of the 14 designers to watch in 2014, featured in the TDK x Bone Machine skate show, Terrible Twos with This is Neu, Threesome with Paul McNeil (Artpark, Mambo), he's our Gold Coast contributor and he's about to represent us at Let's Face It next week! All this and he only graduated a couple of years ago!
Tell us a little about yourself and what your working on?
I'm a designer/illustrator currently residing on the sunny Gold Coast. I spend my days working in a studio for clients I don't really like and my nights either drawing for my self or for clients I do like. Recently I have been working on some stuff for The Quiet Life, which is a pretty big thing for me, but I can't really say much about that since it won't be released until July/August. Also got a few little collabs happening, one with local lads Yorke Pressing which is turning out to be a fun one! Other clients include Save the Kimberley, Scallywag skateboard company, Hunt and Co, and Wundae Skateboards.
Who are the top 5 creative people in the Australian design scene who inspire you?
If I had to pick five I suppose it would be Christopher Doyle, Gemma O'Brien, WBYK, MASH, Luke Lucas.
What advice would you give students starting out?
I'm struggling with this one because I'm still figuring it out for myself! Go out, meet people, talk shit and get involved with the creative community in any way you can. Observe and learn and make sure you're having fun! I'm working hard on that last one.
What got you into design and illustration?
I remember having an interest in design/illustration when I was about 16, but I was talked out of it by some stupid fuckin' careers adviser at school. So being the young impressionable kid I was I got an apprenticeship, nearly finished it, hated everything about it so I quit. I then moved from Adelaide to Brisbane, spent all my savings so I could go to Shillington College and now I'm here. I learnt a lot of life lessons from that. Since graduating I have found myself getting back into drawing and now hand lettering, which I hope to be doing full time as a freelancer by the end of the year.
