While our genders, religions, sexual orientations, politics and tattoo preferences may separate us, one thing remains the same—we all have a skeleton. Brighton-based artist Will Blood has used this concept as the driving force for his art by transforming popular cartoon characters into bone-ified masterpieces. From treasured Disney characters to Nickelodeon’s finest to the always-entertaining Simpsons gang, Blood has left no stone in the toon world unturned. His work invites the child within to come alive and makes us excited to see who he’s going to put into an illustrative x-ray next. We caught up with Blood between sketch sessions to uncover the origins of his Bare Bones series and reveal what’s going on beneath the surface of this internationally recognized illustrator.
When did you develop your love for art?
I’ve been obsessed with art since an early age. As a child, I collected tropical insects and arachnids— which gave me my first subject matter. I always loved classification illustrations in my books.
Did you go to art school?
I didn't study art. I spent the ages of 15 through 25 pursuing music and I wanted to be a rockstar. I found that I enjoyed creating the merchandise and artwork more than the music, so I slowly moved my focus back to art.
How did you develop your signature style and how has it evolved over time?
This story is from the March 2021 edition of Inked.
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This story is from the March 2021 edition of Inked.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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