Monday 30 April 2012

Stop Press!: The Artist's Canvas: An 'Urban Klothing' Artist


Article also published on:
http://www.heruni.com
(Photograph of artwork kindly provided by Urban Klothing/Maurice Henry)

       We have all seen art in some form - from Da Vinci's paintings; Warhol's commercial pop art; children's finger-paint pieces; jewel art on Iphones, nails & makeup; and graffiti art on the streets - art is everywhere, and it is no surprise that art takes its form on t-shirts too.

That is the very fibre of Urban Klothing - from draft sketches materialised into creative and unique drawings, to then be imprinted onto clothing - 25 year-old Maurice Henry has brought his art designs to life (and sales!). Armed with stationeries and a sketchbook, Maurice draws and designs his way into entrepreneurship. Jessie Jing meets the brilliant, young artist and has an insight into his life.


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Please tell us a little about you and your ‘beginnings’– how did all this come about?
“Well, what can I say? I’m 25, from Nottingham, but NOW I live in Sheffield. I came here to study BA (Hons) Animation for nearly 4 years, but later found that Animation wasn’t for me.
I’ve always had a creative family – been given pens, pencils and inks from an early age and always had an active imagination.”
(Photography by: Jessie Jing)

Where does your inspiration derive from?
“Well back in college (2006) I went through a ‘Comic Book Phase’. I looked at copied artists like Jim Lee (Batman) and Frank Frazetta (Conan), action movies. My biggest fad was Michael Turner – he passed away in 2008. I have a signed poster somewhere that’s very close to my heart.
Nowadays, I tend to look at posters; magazines; and club flyers for inspiration. From there I get little snippets of inspiration… It never turns out like it does in my head.”
(Photography by: Lenka Schreinerova)
What is your personal style in drawing?
“My style has definitely changed over the years. At first, I started as assumptions of what the object looks like. After studying tons of ‘How to draw manga’ and basic anatomy books I soon learnt to break the body and everything else… Over time you soon notice your images have more integrity.
Personally, I would say my style is CLINICAL – think thin outlines; defined. I like to work with music and get my ideas down on paper with BLUE pencil first– therefore if it doesn’t look right, it wouldn’t show on the final image.”
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
"In 5 years’ time, I hope to have hit more places on the map national and internationally. So far I’ve gained sales from Sheffield, my home town Nottingham, London, Northern Ireland and even San Diego, USA."
Urban Klothing is a business of yours – has it always been a smooth journey? What were some memorable experiences with your UK brand?
"Assuming that I’m a ‘household name’, – no, it definitely hasn’t. There have been times when ‘The Super Noodle Diet’ has truly been tested – due to the fact that I’ve spent more money on the business than I’ve budgeted for. But you live and learn."
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You can see Maurice & Urban Klothing out and about in Sheffield! More photographs, artworks and information on live demonstrations & products are available on: http://facebook.com/urban.klothing
Independent, lifestyle shop, Balance (Devonshire Street), now stocks Urban Klothing products.
(Logo kindly provided by Urban Klothing/Maurice Henry)




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