Shout, Illustrations

I wondered over to Illustration Friday this morning looking for some inspiration and 

found some within the illustrations of 'Shout' I love the unique layouts, color and 

simplicity of his art. 

And I love this little tidbit on how he got the name Shout:

Well, of course I have to start from this question, although you must have said it many times in past and sick of it… Can you tell the readers about how you came about using name Shout?

Yes of course.

Between 2002 and 2005 I was represented by a Canadian illustration agent.  They were nice but they didn’t allow me to try different ways of expression.  I wanted to change my visual language but they didn’t let me do that. I signed an exclusive contract with them so I had no choice.

They started representing me in 2002, and I think they were scared of loosing some clients by showing different styles from me, although I didn’t work so often with them at that time. Maybe only about 2 assignments a month, almost always with clients you have never heard of who didn’t have good budgets…

Anyway, during that time, I never stopped creating work for myself, looking for my own voice. I worked very hard, trying and trying again. It finally ‘clicked’ in October 2005. That month, I found a way. My way.

It was an assignment that gave me a spark; I tried to think more on the concept and put less attention on the “make up”. I was enthusiastic of the outcome but the client rejected my sketches. At that point I decided I have to do this all by myself.

For one of my first illustrations, I made a new brand name: Shout, a man shouting from a bottom of a hole in the ground.  I chose the name to hide myself from the agent. I started looking for clients on my own. In 6 months I collected more than 2000 art director’s email addresses. That worked immediately. This was how Shout was born and I left the agency.

Now I have some problem going back with my real name, but I eventually will.

Love that. 

Pop over to Illustration Friday for the entire interview