Computer Arts - Issue 61 Sept 2001
Lawrence Zeegen Profile - Rob Carney

"It's a little bit cheeky and doesn't take itself too seriously," is how Lawrence Zeegen describes his bold illustrations... by Rob Carney, Computer Arts

"I've got a dog warning sign I picked up in Athens a weeks ago which is screen-printed onto tin, and next to that I've got some vinyl graphics which I picked up in Tel Aviv - it's all in Hebrew so I've no idea what it says..." Lawrence Zeegen is commenting on just a tiny portion of his vast array of ephemera adorning his shelves. His collection of what he calls 'stuff' plays an enormous part in his working life, for this established freelance illustrator's work is a combination of heavy black line work, bold flat primary colours, and manipulated imagery.

"It varies from stuff that'll be used in my work, to things that will never appear but somehow I draw an influence from," he continues. "I like a low-tech, low-grade, no-nonsense approach. I like the work of graphic designers that have not been trained as graphic designers." This may sound strange at first, considering that Lawrence is Course Leader of Graphic Design and Illustration at Brighton University, but you know where he is coming from when you look at his work; it's littered with contradictions of form, line and colour.

Having been a successful illustrator for over 11 years, Lawrence's client list stretches right across the board. From The Financial Times, The Observer, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph to Elle, Top Gear and New Scientist, his editorial illustrations have adorned the pages of some the country's most respected publications. "I like editorial because you've got a very short time to turn around an idea and get the thing back out," he says. "And the budgets aren't that great, so art directors and designers are keen to get more creative input from you as an illustrator".

The ability to work everywhere and anywhere is vital to Lawrence. He's currently in the process of shifting to a totally mobile way of working, with as spanking new Powerbook G4. In terms of software, he's recently upgraded to Photoshop 6, as well as updating his vector application of choice, Freehand, to version 10.

Aiming to bring his unique talent to his students in Brighton, Lawrence's prophecies on how the Graphic Design and Illustration courses should be taught follow the underlying messages in his own work. "It's about trying to instill enthusiasm and confidence, and create some kind of individuality to how they are approaching things. It's about getting a message across, but at the same time doing it with a bit of gusto, with a bit of guts."
Lawrence intends to continue with what he is doing, whilst working on his Web site at www.zeegen.com. His plan is to carry on creating, with a little helping hand from his past: "I've been toying with the idea for some time of revisiting work I did 10-15 years ago and re-introducing elements into my work now."

He concludes with his theories of what being an illustrator means: "Unless you're involved in publishing, or books that are going to be around for some length of time, it's very much of the moment. The ability to fall in love with your work, then get rid of it and move onto the next is a big part of the job.'

© www.zeegen.com