I first saw Ryan’s work on the University of the Arts ‘Showtime’ gallery, where his brooding, geometric print work seared itself into the inside of my head. There’s a tangible depth of texture and tone to Ryan’s work that creates a dusty, antiquarian level of museum-like detail. Somewhere locked in the old museums of East Berlin, I imagine there to be DDR public art proposals with elements of Ryan’s work to them. Then there’s the subtle dynamism – a contorted, almost trapped feeling of movement in the creatures and shapes. It’s almost as if parts of the works are the lost blueprints of a taxidermist.

There isn’t much work out there like this at the moment and I think it’s pretty special. So I caught up with Eoin to ask a few questions about his work and his influences (see the interview below). If you fancy checking out some more of his work, have a peep at his site.

1) Can you briefly sum up your style or do you prefer not to pigeon-hole yourself?
I’ve always had difficulty describing it to people, Nick Talbot from the band Gravenhurst came up with an interesting one though, ‘Pastoral Soviet Block’.

2) Are there any common themes in your work, if so, who or what influences them?
I’ve looked at a lot of Japanese woodblock art by Hokusai and Kuniyoshi, also old Chinese maps and acupuncture diagrams. Haida Indian art is some of the most amazing work I’ve seen, it has a timeless quality to it and feels contemporary even now. When I was young we had a Haida print of an orca hanging in our hall, which my parents brought back from Canada. I think that was one of the earliest images that made me want to draw. Escher is a big influence too.

3) What sort of process do you go through with making a piece?
All my work usually starts out as a pencil or ink drawing, which I then put through a photocopier/scanner and arrange and colour them digitally.

4) How important to you are computers in your illustration work?
Very important, most things I do end up on the mac eventually, but I try to maintain the handmade feel of the images. The computer allows you to do things for tight deadlines you could never do by hand, so in that way they’re an invaluable tool.

5) As a recent graduate from a London-based Art School how do you feel that studying in London has affected you, was the experience useful?
London has definitely been a positive influence, it’s a mine of creative experience and information. There’s almost too much happening, I miss things all the time.

6) What has London got going it for that keeps you here?
The same things as above, and it is a hub for the creative industries. Living here as an Illustrator means you’re available to meet with Art Directors, Editors etc at short notice which I think is quite important in the early stages of your career.

7) Any other illustrators and artists out there who are doing it for you right now?
I’ve been looking at a guy called Guillaume Ninove, he does some great drawings, also Sam Weber and Sam Green, two illustrators whose work I think is pretty amazing.

Thanks to Eoin for taking the time out for this.