heavy hitter
accomplish a project. Hobbits aside, this Kingston University graduate shows art can be fulfilling as it is commercially viable. While working with giants like Adidas, Barney’s, and Marc Jacobs, Hattie also supports young and independent talents such as Tavi Gevinson. Hattie inches forward with more ink. “I have two solo shows planned and a few big projects that I am yet unable to talk about. I’m excited to see what happens,” she trills. Hi Hattie, your works are cheeky. Would you describe yourself the way your art is depicted? My work is a reflection of myself; I think an artist’s work always is to some extent. My work is playful and tonguein-cheek, but there are more serious or sinister undertones running through it, and I if I had to, that would be one way in which I would describe myself. I can be contemplative, argumentative, and serious, but I can also play the loveable, excitable fool! Since your art can be both extremely bright and dark, how do you balance its polarizing qualities? Would you consider yourself temperamental? I can definitely have a temperamental character. I am a
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generally happy, upbeat person, but I have my moments as every human being does. I don’t really know how anything is balanced. If I notice something is getting too twee or saccharine, I’ll try to create a piece that’s haunting and vice versa. I love all your magazine art! While growing up, what did you read? I used to read Beano and Beryl The Peril comics when I was young, but as I grew up, I began to read Juxtapoz, Vogue, and Lula. Now I love The Gentlewoman, Riposte, and 032c. I love wandering around magazine shops as I’m always hunting down covers to draw over; either that or I’m trying to hunt down articles on fascinating women. You’ve been doodling since you were a wee child. How did you realize fashion illustration is the one you’d want to get into? I became fascinated with fashion when I was 14. I always carried Vogue on my school folder. Although I was enamored with idea of becoming a designer, I remember the thing that engaged
me most was drawing the outfits and characters with no intention of making them a reality. The illustrations were already real; my imagination was my reality. The fact I am able to work in fashion now is exciting. I am a part of fashion but not restricted to it. Pauline Boty is one of your heroes. Can you tell us about your influences? My friends are big influences not only in my work but also to myself as a person. I am eternally grateful for their existence. The work of Martin Sharp was a great influence on my work as I was growing into my style. For someone who studied art and actually practiced it, do you think illustration is more of a gift or a skill? Absolutely both. You can have someone born an incredible singer or musician, someone naturally gifted, but you can
also have someone who can’t sing at all or can’t naturally play an instrument, but they study, they practice, they learn, they bend the rules to work in their favor, and they become exceptional. It isn’t necessarily what you are born with, but it’s your attitude and passion that give you the drive to do what you want. Illustration is both, and it always comes down to how you feel, what you want, and what you like that will define a style. My uncles on either side of my family drew cartoons so I would always draw with them. I hated life drawing throughout education because why bother spending time drawing things I can already see? I’ve got my own world to create! My Uncle Paul can draw anything on demand. He used to go to primary schools around Sheffield and paint murals of famous cartoon characters, and I used to help. [And] I remember