Owen Harry

Owen Harry’s distinct illustration style has been shaped over the years by a multitude of influences: queer culture, the gothic and high fashion. Now, knowing his style, he won’t mould it to fit the desires of agencies. Alongside illustration, Owen has taken a path into creative teaching to support himself financially and ensure he stays true to his work. From building confidence in his practice to growing a following online, Owen talks us through his creative journey.

What I do

How would you describe what you do?
As an illustrator, I create illustrations inspired by queer culture, fashion, performance and makeup artistry, as well as my own personal experiences. I aim to create illustrations that are reflective of not only the subject, but also of my own personal style and inspirations.

What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
When I first started developing my illustration style, my inspirations were very evident: I’ve always loved the work of Tim Burton and the movies of Henry Selick. But as I grew older and started to develop my interests, tastes and identity as a queer person, I felt more comfortable expressing my ever-expanding knowledge of myself and queer culture in my work.

This led me to take inspiration from people like Alexander McQueen, Leigh Bowery and Gaga, as well as brands like Viktor & Rolf and Schiaparelli. I found that the more I created work, the less other creatives had an impact on my work visually, but rather on my work ethic and attitude. 

Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
While I considered myself a self-taught illustrator before taking a BA and MA in illustration at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, studying art and design was one of the best decisions I made and really benefited my work. To be surrounded by other creatives in the classroom and to feel understood and supported by the staff throughout my studies helped instil a confidence in me that I didn’t think I could rebuild after previous negative experiences in education. 

What’s been your favourite project to work on from the past year, and why?
Over the past year, I’ve been pursuing a PCET so I can teach art and design at university level. This means I haven’t had much time to pursue external projects and have mostly been creating work to keep my Instagram alive. I think it’s important to keep creating, even if it’s just to keep your finger on the pulse. Drawing is often my escape and my sweet treat at the end of the day, so I don’t mind dedicating a few hours to an illustration, even if it's just for a few likes on the gram. However, I graduated this Summer and am now looking to collaborate with brands and other artists.

What does a normal day-to-day usually look like for you?
Currently, I work for a teacher’s agency, so my day-to-day routine is anything but usual as I don’t know where I’ll be! At the moment, I’m working as a classroom assistant in a local college, supporting students with additional learning needs, which I’m really enjoying.

On my days off, I’ll drag myself to the gym, stay for one complete listen of ‘Mayhem’ and then walk home with an iced coffee. The rest of the day, I’m drawing, creating content for my Instagram and scouring the internet for new sources of inspiration. In the evening, it’s a doom-scroll in the bath, a few episodes of Golden Girls and a replay of a favourite video game. Rinse and repeat.

If there was a starter pack for your job, what would be on it?
The ‘cakelikeowen’ starter pack would include the following:

Cynthia Erivo illustration

How I got here

What was your journey like when you were first starting out?
When I first started to share my work publicly, mostly on Instagram and on Tumblr when it was a thing, I didn’t really know what or who I was making it for. All I really knew was that I liked to draw and wanted to make it a part of my future career, but back then, I didn’t have the confidence to pursue it, nor did I know how to find my audience. Thankfully, through consistent posting and sharing my interests through my work, I've slowly begun to build a following online – specifically on Instagram.

How did you go about landing your first few jobs, clients and/or commissions?
My first commissions, and pretty much all of them to this day, are initiated through Instagram. It’s where all of my work and content is shared, and where I have my largest following. Fortunately, all of my larger commissions have been initiated by the client, as sometimes it can be quite daunting approaching potential clients with an idea. It’s a bit like asking someone out – you overthink every word, reread their profile 20 times, fear the rejection and want to send a follow-up message without seeming desperate…. But be bold, hype yourself up and double-message! Then again, I am hopelessly single.

What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
A big challenge for me has been finding an illustration agency that would be perfect for me, and me for them. My style is described as alternative, which agencies don’t tend to sign up, as they might not have the clients for you. However, I’m stubborn and very much married to my illustration style, always on the lookout for an agency willing to take a chance! 

How important are social media and self-promotion to your work?
Personally, I wish social media wasn’t as important to self-promotion and marketing your work as a creative. We’re constantly competing with algorithms to have our work seen, chasing social media trends and fads in order to appear relevant and becoming content creators in order to build a following. Given the choice, I probably would completely remove all of my social media and make all of my work from a cabin in the woods (if there was WiFi and Uber Eats in range). 

What are three things that you’ve found useful to your work or career, and why?
There are so many social media accounts I recommend creatives check out, no matter the stage of their career or artistic development:

Have there been any platforms you’ve found helpful or would recommend to get into your sector?
I would definitely suggest checking out Fida if you’re into fashion illustration; they host competitions, have resources for creatives and have ties to the fashion industry. Their community is also full of very supportive and friendly artists, so I would highly recommend checking out their socials.

What have been your greatest learnings with making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
While I would love to just draw at home and be handed money for it (who wouldn’t), it’s such a good idea to take on other work to support your creative goals. I used to be adamant about wanting to work in art and design in my style and on my own schedule full-time, but it just wasn’t realistic for me. This led me to pursue my career in education. 

I think it’s so important for all creatives to know that just because your personal practice isn’t your full-time gig, it doesn’t make you any less of an artist. Times are hard, jobs in the industry are often few and far between and bills need to be paid. Take your options and current situation into consideration; if keeping your creative practice going means going back to university, working in an office 9-5 or taking a retail job, it’s worth it to do what will be financially best for you in the long term.

Illustration inspired by makeup artist Christopher Grave

My advice

What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
“Be patient, but persistent”. Every artist you admire was ‘not good yet’ at one point, and the only real failure is quitting.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into a similar role?
If anyone is looking to become a freelance illustrator, the first piece of advice I would offer is ‘you don’t ask, you don’t get’. If there are people you want to work with, email them. If there is a brand you want to collaborate with, that one email you’re putting off sending could be your first big client! It can be hard not to take rejections personally – my work is my baby – but just know you are taking steps to build your confidence and career as a professional creative.