“My work is about losing control”: Thomas Bryson-King on his fun-filled animations

Nostalgic and slightly unnerving, Thomas’ work is an invitation into worlds descending into “total nonsense”.

Date
30 May 2023

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London-based illustrator and animator Thomas Bryson-King has made a career for himself out of creations that dazzle with bright colours and delight with silly humour. Initially drawn to the world of animation by what he describes as its potential for “strangeness and rule-breaking”, he now has a portfolio full of freaky yet friendly characters. “I guess drawing is fundamentally what I do to entertain myself, so trying to make myself laugh has always been part of that,” he says. “But recently I’ve made more of a conscious effort to focus on positivity in my work — I think there’s enough negativity in the world already and I don’t want to add to it.”

Flitting between commercial and personal projects, Thomas’ signature style remains consistent. From a recent commission by W Magazine to create a collection of fun animations for its video on Tyrell Hampton to a small personal piece about a nonchalant dog staring off into space while passers-by smile at him, Thomas’ work always retains its boldness and whimsicality. “I like to create happy, weird worlds full of eccentric, flamboyant people,” he tells us. “I used to draw people on the verge of freaking out, now I like to draw people that are unsettlingly happy — like a reverse panic attack!”

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About the Author

Daniel Milroy Maher

Daniel joined It’s Nice That as an editorial assistant in February 2019 and continues to work with us on a freelance basis. He graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Journalism in 2015. He is also co-founder and editor of SWIM, an annual art and photography publication.

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