Every now and then, an artist comes along that makes us stop whatever we’re doing to pen an email to them; asking them to join our print party over at endemicworld. Australian illustrator and graphic designer Pete Cromer has that effect on us – his bright colour palettes, playful shapes and all-round abstract awesomeness just make us feel good.
Pete and his best buddy, Bulmer
A corner of Pete’s studio with one of his Black Cockatoo art prints.
Tell us a little about your artistic process?
It’s a bit all over the place, not going to lie. The idea always comes first. This is usually trapped in my brain until I let it out. From a technical point of view, I use stencils, spongers and cut paper. (The sponge is the texture king, it does wonders). Sometimes I do a whole piece or sometimes I do bits and cut and paste them together. Whatever gets me to the end result I guess. Once done and all scanned in, I do like to clean things up with my computer and bump up the colour too.
Pete’s painted works start with stencils and sponges…
What have been some of the best projects/highlights of your career to date?
Easily the collaboration “Enemies Yay” with Laura Blythman. We have worked together in the past for companies, but this project really let us explode in our style and love of colour and happy things.
Pete’s inspo board is an artwork in itself!
What are you working on right now?
I’m working a few different projects. I like to juggle, that’s for sure. I am making a new range of work “future princesses” from paper. These are quite large colour and shape based art. I am hoping to release a series of original artworks and prints in around a months time. Fingers and toes. Also, I am making little rock sculptures called “Druids”. These guys have been in my head for years, so I’m glad they are finally coming out, they will launch soon too. That said my “to do” list is ever growing, which is a bloody good thing.
Pete’s new ‘Druids’
We love Pete’s new paper artworks – this one is Princess Hana, she’s a work in progress from a new ‘future princesses’ series.
This changes daily! Robyn’s Body Talk Pt3 has been on high rotation forever it seems. Peter Gabriel, Grimes, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and Kendrick Lamar seem to get me in the swing of things the best. As I tend to mix it up a lot tomorrow it will be someone else, probably Taylor Swift 🙂
Pete says of these little illustrations: “These are stories that have happened to me in life; like little memories. These are scattered around my house.”
Favourite artist at the moment?
Hands down Mr Todd James. He currently has a show in Hong Kong called “Afternoon Delight”. His use of colour and shape give me heart palpitations. It’s such beautiful and awesome art. One day I will own one of his pieces. One day. #mancrush #yum
We love a good recommendation – tell us about something we should know about..
I would totally recommend crosswords. I find it the best way to calm my ever-thinking brain. It’s the best way to shut off. That or a champari (champagne mixed with Campari).
Four of the Pete Cromer art prints available over at endemicworld – clockwise from top left: Battles, Corals, Man o War, Whale
