Illustrator Ellie Andrews on selling merch and her first solo show

South London self-termed graphic artist Ellie Andrews’ work is as bold as it is distinctive, partly due to her repetitious use of a (particularly satisfying) hue of royal blue, but also down to her cheekily cute characters.

Ellie was one of our Grads back in 2012, and her work is both highly commissionable and highly wearable: she’s worked with big brands like Urban Outfitters Fred Perry, MTV, New York Times, Bloomberg Vew, The Debrief, Lazy Oaf, Business Week, and the entrepreneurial undercurrent of London’s subcultural scenes like BNTL, Wavey Garms and Keash Braids. Lately, the graphic artist has been working on t-shirts for her own brand and for Urban Outfitters, working on a publication of her own and plotting her first solo show.

We asked the Camberwell College of Arts BA illustration graduate to talk us through four of her latest and greatest personal and commercial projects.

Pinche Coche

Pinche Coche is a publication I’ve just completed with photographer Stefy Pocket. This is my first experience with working alongside a photographer and directing all the content for the publication, in addition to designing graphics and visual substance to sit alongside the photographs. The photos were shot in Mexico — a collection of “hood” cars customised with a juxtaposition of heavily religious iconography, and painted trashy flame logos.

Puppy Gang screen printed tees

These are part of the T-shirts I’ve been designing under my own brand. This is something I’m aiming to expand upon and create a collection of tees/hoods. I really enjoy designing logos and typefaces for branding, so whenever I get the opportunity I love to put my own concepts together. I use Instagram as a platform for selling merchandise, this means I’m not restricted a UK network. I’ve been shipping tees across Europe, America and Australia.

Urban Outfitters USA: Artist Selects

I designed these T-shirt graphics which were released last month as part of Artist Selects. This project gives some focus to independent artists, who design a limited run of screen printed shirts as a collaborative effort with Urban Outfitters.

Acrylic paintings on wooden boards

These are being exhibited in California in 2017. I have been offered to do an artist residency in San Francisco next year, where I’ll be working for my first solo show. My painting work will be the main component for that exhibition.