Evening all, hope you’ve had a good day.
It’s interview number THREE of ‘With What Do I dOOdle?’. I love using all sorts of things to draw with and I’m always up for a favourite tools chat, SO I’ve been asking some fellow creatives what they like to use.
This time we’re talking design tools with the creative genius Dan Witchell.
DAN PORTRAIT is by Hiller Goodspeed
Dan is a London based Creative Director and Multidisciplinary Designer. He is currently Executive Creative Director of branding agency Koto in London, and co-founder and designer at clothing brand Tenter (love them).
He was previously co-founder and curator of Kemistry Gallery — London’s only gallery dedicated to graphic design. He is the recipient of many awards, his work has been featured in numerous publications and exhibitions around the world. One of his posters was exhibited at the Art on Paper show alongside Saul Bass, Milton Glaser and Paul Rand.
Here we go.
Dan Witchell…
What’s your favourite thing to draw?
I have a strange fascination with the craft of my own handwriting - does that make me narcissistic? When I was a teenager I trained myself to write in this spiky script, inspired by a combination of my fathers architect-like handwriting and graffiti tagging. More recently though I have been drawing garments and their details for our clothing brand, Tenter.
Where is your favourite place to draw?
I’ve never really thought about that, I’d say my desk or the kitchen table, anywhere kind of upright, I can’t draw on my lap on a sofa or anything, it’s too wobbly.
What’s your favourite thing to draw on?
It’s quite specific and probably not very original, but I always have a black Moleskine notebook with a soft cover and squared paper. It started years ago when I was creating TV brands, we would constantly be drawing 16:9 boxes for storyboards, it got so tiresome, the grid paper made it just about bearable.
What’s your top favourite tool to draw with?
Many years ago I bought a wax based pencil that is designed to write outdoors, I think it’s waterproof. It’s made by Lyra and feels great. It’s a nice weight, size and the waxy graphite means it doesn’t really smudge. But most of the time I use my Lamy Rollerball pen, a design classic that writes beautifully.
Do you have a favourite COMBO of tools you use?
Nope. One at a time. Haha.
Is there a tool you always avoid?
Paint makes me nervous, I’ve been a graphic designer for too long, I can’t handle not having Control Z undo. I’ve made very few paintings in my life. I made some in Art College and then one for my wife when we first met, it took me hours, days, weeks even and it’s very simple. Heavily inspired by Gary Hume.
Is there a drawing tool you’d LOVE to try?
I’d wanted to do it for a while, and I recently tried drawing on the iPad, I really enjoyed it - although somehow it feels a bit like cheating. I like having different layers to play with, it reminds me of reverse glass gilding; the old sign-writing process or the way Walt Disney used to do Cel animations.
And finally
What’s your TOP favourite drawing snack?
I don’t snack and draw. You can’t mix biscuit and eraser crumbs.
OOOOO, not sure I could concentrate without something to nibble!
Love this interview, thanks so much Dan. I’m off to buy some Lyra pencils.
AND I’m SO excited about Tenter, having had the pleasure of watching it develop from a tiny seed of an idea over the past few years, to the anticipated launch a few months ago.
You can get 20% off at TENTER too with the code DOODLE20.
It’s utilitarian clothing at its very best Tenter.co.uk