Follow Friday: Sam Russell Walker
Illustrator Sam Russell Walker caught our eye this week with an Instagram feed that reminds us to never stop experimenting.
Sam Russell Walker creates striking, contemporary artworks full of playful marks and eccentricities. We interviewed Sam as part of our ‘Grad Spotlight‘ series a few years ago. And since then, we’ve kept up with his creative adventures through his regularly updated Instagram feed.
Since leaving University, experimentation has continued to be a key part of his creative process, giving himself permission to play with techniques freely, resulting in a growing collection of spontaneous drawings.
Artwork by Sam Russell Walker
A glimpse inside Sam’s sketchbook
Taking cues from a multitude of sources, his creative output is diverse, mixing analog and digital techniques to produce a prolific collection of patterns, portraits and explosive photo-collage.
I keep a tumblr full of images as a sort of visual diary of things I like aesthetically or things I’ve seen that spark ideas for work. I’ve found doing that has helped me a lot when creating work and is good to reference, allowing for my work to be influenced by so much more than myself.
Artwork by Sam Russell Walker
Some painterly floral pattens by Sam Russell Walker
Since graduating, Sam’s account has become a sketchbook of sorts. He believes the key to creating confident work is to stay relaxed and not doubt yourself. The ability to do so allows Sam to create and share an immense amount of dynamic and engaging work. Emphasis placed on experimentation and idea generation. A refreshing alternative to artists who use social media to share their finished work.
Sam’s illustrated depiction of a viral YouTube video
Inky experiments by Sam Russell Walker
An inky monstera leaf by Sam Russell Walker