Artist Inspiration - Thomas Hedger

Thomas Hedger is a London based artist and studied at the Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins. I have been inspired by Hedger's work since early 2019 which inspired me to make me create one of my favourite and successful projects so far, in turn making him on one my favourite designers. I believe the reasoning behind why I am so inspired by Hedger's work is because the style of composition he uses is a mix of different styles that I love experimenting with and styles that I would like to experiment with, so it's the perfect balance of stepping out of my comfort zone whilst somewhat staying true to my style. Hedger's work is so fun and unique, as he is using a simple illustration style whilst making the space and placement of the different shapes quite complex and intricate, which is quite a contradiction. Contradicting factors is something which I have noticed I am quite drawn to in design overall so this would be a good thought to keep in mind with my upcoming projects.

The most inspiring factor of Hedger's work at first look was most definitely the shape work. Prior to discovering his work, I was quite set and comfortable with experimenting with techniques that required a lot of detail, however Hedger's work most definitely helped push me to experiment with different styles and step out of my comfort zone, which has helped improve my work significantly. The shape work in his designs are all very clean and perfect, which is quite clear in the plant pots to the right, with the perfect circle on the cactus and perfect rectangle on the top of the pot. This technique allows the overall design to look very clean and precise, which I have already noticed is a reoccurring theme, which inspires me as such precise shapes like this is something I would not usually feel comfortable experimenting as I would usually, at least, slightly adjust some of the shape to make it more realistic, however this approach is much more fun and clean.

Another aspect of this particular design which inspires me is the concept of perspective drawing. During lockdown, I quick sketched a few pages similar to this style with someone sitting on a chair and trying to show how different positions can change the mood of the design. The way the lady has her legs crossed with her arm resting shows to me that she is very relaxed and peaceful, which radiates positive energy in the design. Furthermore, she is looking away from our viewpoint as if she is looking into the distance and lost in thought, which also gives quite a peaceful atmosphere to the design. Hedger has also made the woman naked, allowing him to add more shape work into the body, which is quite an interesting approach because it makes me think - why has he done this? Could this be to further exaggerate the tranquility of the design by the lady being in her most natural state? Could this be a social statement of encouraging people to be more comfortable with the natural shape of their body, whether that being curvy or slim?

Another aspect of Hedger's work which inspires me is the choice of colour palette. A clear reoccurring factor in his work is the use of bright bold colours with no shading. The choice of colour in each design is also quite clearly thought through, for example for the image above, the two main colours are green and red, which are opposite colours on the colour wheel meaning they are complementary colours. These colours contrast against each other well, allowing the design to look very bold, clean and fun, which I am noticing to be a reoccurring factor within Hedger's work. There are two different shades of each colour which helps add a slight bit of dimension into the design, but not too much, as too much dimension would not fit with the simple and clean atmosphere of his work. Furthermore, I have also noticed that Hedger uses the same colour of the background occasionally in the foreground, which is quite a unique and rare approach in design as most designers aim to separate them both and make the foreground the focus point.

The symmetry within this is also very intriguing. If there was a line down the centre acting like a mirror, it would not be exactly matching, however there are lots of similarities in terms of the content. There are two ladies facing each other, holding a board and reaching a pencil towards the board opposite them. This allows the design to look very visually pleasing and detailed. Like it has been planned intensely and been through a journey to get to this final piece, in turn increasing the overall professionalism of the design, and the piece overall.

The line thickness used within Hedger's work inspires me significantly, arguably more than any other visual attribute of his work. The thick lines help highlight each shape within his design, allowing them to appear more bold and loud. The lines are all placed very strategically and carefully, being straight and parallel to each other. The lines usually create harsh angles within the shape, particularly in the top left of the design with the arm and shoulder. This harsh angle helps exaggerate the body position, giving the overall design more character and helps to make Hedger's work more unique, in turn increasing the professionalism of this design.

"Better Days"

‘Sometimes it feels as if there won't be better days, both on a global and personal level but maybe 2020 can bring change, big and small.’

‘This piece is all about better days. Over the years the planet has suffered and globally is suffering, 'Better Days' is about optimism, but it’s not just about the big picture - individually, there are hardships too. 'Better Days' is also about the personal and how maybe in 2020 there can be fewer tears.’

This design is most definitely not one of my favourites about Hedger's work, specifically in terms of the visual aspects. The bright colours and the thick lines is what intrigues me to Hedger's work. "Better Days" design most definitely lacks these two attributes.

However, there is a good reasoning behind these changes, and that is the message behind the design. This piece is created to represent the year 2020, which COVID-19 led to a horrific and tragic change for many worldwide. As well as being trapped indoors and being sheltered away from human interaction and socialising, which most humans need in order to feel fulfilled, many of our loved ones were falling ill to the virus. I think it is fair to say that 2020 is not a year many (if not, any) of us want to be reliving. Because of this, it now is understandable why Hedger's iconic bright colours and thick lines have been stripped from the design. They would not match the meaning, which is majorly important within any design work. It would not work if the meaning is a gloomy topic however the visual content suggests something extremely fun, playful and positive.

https://thomashedger.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/hedgerart/