Phil Hackett × Horsefeathers Collabo

For this year's collection, Horsefeathers introduced a series of T-shirts, boxers, socks and skate decks named Pickles, created in collaboration with a talented illustrator and skater Phil Hackett from Great Britain.

Horsefeathers also interviewed with Phil about how he got into illustration and whether he feels more to be an artist who does skateboarding, or a skater who does art.

 

Hi Phil, could you please introduce yourself?

My name is Phil Hackett and I'm 38 years old. I live and work in Burton on Trent, UK. For the last 14 years, I have been working as a freelance illustrator.

^{Illustrator Phil Hackett and his artwork}

How would you describe your art in one sentence?

Lively, fun, colorful, sometimes surreal, often containing skateboarding.

Did you use to be a child who would always doodle at school, or did you get to drawing later?

I've been drawing since I remember. My mom still keeps my drawings from when I was three years old. At school, I had constant problems arising from doodling in all the textbooks!

When did the point in your life come when you realized "okay, I want to make a living from this"?

I studied at the Hereford School of Art and Design, where I finished illustration. During the first weeks there, they introduced us to illustrators who published their works in newspapers, magazines and books. That's when I decided I wanted to do the same. I grew up trying to become a painter or something, but as soon as I was introduced to the world of commercial illustration, I knew I wanted a career just like that one.

^Pickles

In addition to being an artist, you are also a skater. Would you define yourself as an artist who does skateboarding, or rather as a skater who does art?

Definitely an artist who does skateboarding. When I was younger, I would skate every day, but now I can't do it anymore. Oftentimes, work gets in the way and, apart from that, my body is no longer as flexible as it used to be!

Skateboarding can be found in many of your works. Is skateboarding your favorite theme and inspiration? What else inspires you?

Skateboarding is my muse. I've only been doing skateboarding illustrations for the last three years or so. Previously, I was only creating illustrations for books, magazines, etc. (something I still do - it's my main source of income). I once drew a skateboarding illustration - just for fun. I put it on Instagram and it was a success! That convinced me to pay more attention to it. It's great to have a topic that can be thoroughly explored through illustrations, even more so if I'm a skateboarder myself and thus have extensive knowledge of the world of skateboarding. Skateboards are simply a clear choice for me!

Is there anything else you like to do besides art and skateboarding?

I like to ride a bike, listen to cricket on the radio, cook, read and go to the pub. Nothing extra exciting, haha.

 

„Skateboarding is my muse.“ says Phil Hackett, a talented freelance illustrator and skater from the Great Britan.

 

^{Phil's art on his Instagram account @hackettillustration}

Let's now take a look at your collaboration with Horsefeathers. It includes T-shirts, boxers, socks and skate decks. Why did you choose pickles as an attribute to this collaboration?

I've illustrated pickles before. Designers from Horsefeathers asked me if I could create something similar. We talked about what would look good on skate decks, what pattern would be suitable for socks and such. In the end, I think it works well because it's a little bit different and unpredictable.

What are you currently working on and what are your visions for the future?

I am currently working on several different projects. The main one is a series of posters for a large company producing skateboarding shoes. In the future, I would like to have several more exhibitions (during the last 3 years I have exhibited in Great Britain, Spain and Italy). I would also like to publish my 5th episode of skateboarding illustrations.

^{Phil's art on his Instagram account @hackettillustration}

What advice would you give to beginner artists?

Do not try to imitate trends in art and illustration. They come and go. Create your own visual language, one that is unique to yourself.

 

Finally, we have three more quick questions for you:

1. You own author work OR commercial work with a given theme?

A little bit of both! It's great to have a complete freedom to work on everything I want, but it's also nice to have instructions that lead me away from my usual topics. It helps me develop creativity.

2. Paper drawing OR digital drawing?

Paper drawing. All my illustrations start their lives as drawings in pen or ink on paper. Then I scan them into Photoshop and color them. I also tried to draw on a tablet, but I didn't like it at all.

3. Street skateboarding OR skatepark?

Defnitely street. When I was growing up, there were no skateparks or ramps in my area, so we were all riding street. This is also the reason why I am remaining faithful to street up to this date.

 

 Pickles collection from the Horefeathers and Phil Hackett collabo can be found here.