Eliot Wyatt’s Bold and Playful Journey into Illustration
Eliot Wyatt is a freelance illustrator based in Bristol whose bold, energetic style brings a sense of fun to everything from editorial features to global brand campaigns. Eliot's work combines punchy compositions with playful storytelling. His career began with a simple passion for drawing, and has grown into a full-time creative practice collaborating with the likes of Apple, AirBnb, and The Guardian.
Why did you decide to take up your creative trade?
I have always been drawing from a young age and it wasn’t really until university that I discovered that you could have a career being an illustrator. From that point on, there was nothing else I wanted to do but be an illustrator. Plus, the idea of waking up and doing something I love every day for work was too much of a pull to ever give up and do something else.
How do you get past creative blocks?
It is very cliché to say, but dropping everything and getting away from your desk/screen, I find, is the most successful cure for creative block. I am a big walker and love getting out and about with my dog, Lulu. It’s once you do something else that the blinkers can come off and ideas can start to come forward.
What is your creative process?
Every project of mine always starts with rough sketches. At the start, it doesn’t matter if these are good or bad ideas; it is more about just getting things down on the page (or, in my case, on the iPad) and getting the ball rolling. Often, something that you have disregarded could have sparked something that, when reworked or seen from a different viewpoint, can create something great. For me, the conceptual part of coming up with ideas is the most important part of the process, as it creates the framework for your style to hang on to.
Where do you look for inspiration?
Everything I can get my hands on, really – film, TV, daily life, etc. I used to try and find inspiration online, but these days, you are served up so much AI slop from places like Pinterest and Google searches. I am steering away from that, and I am finding inspiration from other places.
What are you reading or listening to right now?
I am currently loving a band called the High Vis, but it is mostly podcasts that you’ll find me listening to. Podcasts like Chatabix for that comedy fix, What Went Wrong for everything film & Otherworld for everything paranormal are some of the many that I jump into regularly.
Who inspires you?
Some of the big names in illustration that come straight to mind are Dan Woodger, Sam Peet & Pete Ryan.
A big thank you to Eliot Wyatt for contributing to our series of creative conversations with industry experts.