The Arts & Culture Journal

You only really notice how bland most illustration is when you come across something as dazzling as the work by Simon aka Vietnamthemovie.

Unbelievably, Simon confesses to being scared of colour and has even considered producing all of his illustrations in black and white. His bold (and brave) choices are a mixture of startling contrasts and comforting complement.

"Colour-wise I get most of my inspiration from fashion. Just a walk around my local New Look is enough to inspire me. Other than that I just vomit colour at my pieces until I'm happy."

Fashion also plays a strong role in the main features of his work - the people. Sultry poses, beautiful angles and confrontational stares combine to create confident, sometimes erotic, imagery.

Whether through a strong background colour or the same material sweeping over two figures, each piece is expertly crafted and offers a cohesive, strong solution. There is no surplus, nothing that looks as if the picture could survive without it.

A purely self-taught artist, Simon thrives on the limitless possibilities of modern illustration: "I messed about making a few films and writing but found the process too restrictive. Illustration feels a lot more free without so many limitations - only really your skill and ambition."

Simon's work here is a celebration of bold creativity, heavily influenced by fashion but it is an altogether different direction that the artist is planning for the forthcoming year: "Believe it or not I am keen to get into religious illustration and also do some more heartfelt/personal pieces instead of churning out things that just look 'cool'. I also find the military very inspiring."