Who are you?
My name is Joel Clements, I’m an illustrator living in Leeds, UK doing watercolour tattoo flash paintings and more simplified black and white work which I hand print and sell online and at art markets. Traditional tattoos are a huge influence on me, especially the work of Sailor Jerry, Bert Grimm and other tattoo artists from the 20s/30s. I also love advertisements from that era, with the limited colour palette and minimalism. As well as this I’m lucky to have an amazing group of creative friends and peers who I’m constantly inspired by to work harder.
What was the last movie you watched?
The Hateful Eight. I’m a huge fan of all of Tarantino’s movies and also of how he views being a writer/director. There’s a quote I love which was when he was asked if he went to film school he said “No, I went to films” which as a self taught artists I relate to hugely.
What was the last book you read?
A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I’ve read it a few times and it’s one of my favourite books. It’s about a future society where less and less people are able to have children so they force “handmaids” to have the children of the rich and powerful. It’s a really dark but powerful book, a must read for anyone into dystopian novels. I really enjoy reading and often find a lot of quotes and ideas to use within my work.
What is your next creative project?
Mostly I plan on building on what I’m already doing, getting more designs and products in my shop, particularly moving into get more clothing and accessories. Also practicing and progressing with my painting and tattoo designs and eventually find myself a tattoo apprenticeship which I’m really excited about.
What do you like about Portfoliobox?
As an artist a great looking portfolio is super important. With Portfoliobox it’s possible to make one that’s stylish, easy to update and I can customise fully to make it exactly the way I want it. Also as I’m not the best with computers I was quite nervous about setting it up but was amazed at how quick and easy it was to get the website built and ready to show people.
