My Mother Caught me Doodling
Creativity and the clandestine have always made raucous bedfellows. When these are joined by a sumptuous appreciation of the female form – as in Mike Perry’s wonderful new book, My Mother Caught Me Doodling, the combination becomes a brilliantly bold, boisterous ménage a trois.
The tome, which is published by Bellykids, sees Perry experiment with a number of different media to explore undressed women with a playful relish and verve that sees the bright colours and lovingly drawn ladies leap of the page.
We had a chat with him about the book, and the naughtiest thing his mum has ever caught him doing.
Design Week: What’s so inspiring about the female form?
Mike Perry: Curves. The lines. The movement. The poetry of fawning over them my entire life. The strength. What isn’t inspiring.
DW: You use a number of different mediums in the book – do you have a favourite way of working?
MP: I don’t have a favorite media or way of working. I try and keep everything fluid. If it feels right to make marks with a paint brush I do it. If I’m yearning to feel the lead of a pencil push into a sheet of paper then that is what happens. Its the act of making that I love.
DW: Who are the women in the book based on?
MP: None of the women in the book are based on anyone. For some I used references and others playful danced from my mind. A lot of the book is dedicated to just feeling comfortable drawing the female form.
DW: What are your favourite images of female nudes throughout art history?
MP: There are so many. My first encounter with the work of Egon Schiele really inspired me. I love the paintings of Alberto Vargas. And all of the cartoonists who worked for Playboy and Penthouse still inspire me!
DW: What’s the worst thing your mother has ever caught you doing?
MP: I got arrested when I was 13. It happened in the middle of the night. Me and some friends were stealing shit from unlocked cars. It was a snowy night and the police followed our footprints to my house. I had to wake up my mom and tell her the cops were outside. It was pretty intense. Spent that night in jail, went to court and had to do 50 hours of community service. She was pretty pissed.
DW: Any plans for a book of nudie gents too?
MP: I would love to do a book of naked dudes! Just need a publisher to ask me to do it!
DW: What’s next for you?
MP: A shit load of drawing.
My Mother Caught Me Doodling By Mike Perry is published by Bellykids on 1November priced £11
Read this next
-
Post a comment
