Hi, I am Darren John
I am a motivated and enthusiastic illustrator currently working and living in London. While I enjoy working with various creative disciplines, my work regularly promotes off-kilter, character driven concepts that combine a playful approach to colour and a solid appreciation for composition.
I am a proud member of the FOURPENCE and GNV collectives and when I'm not drawing, painting or scheming, you'll find me rain dodging around the city in search for good terrain to skate on.
Recommended lurking:
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Getting in touch.
You can contact me by using the form at the bottom of the site or at hello[at]iamdarrenjohn.com
Myself and the rest of the Fourpence gang were invited to Cork, Ireland to paint one of the feature walls during their annual HipHop Culture festival. I put together the above video to summarise our mini adventure.
It's always great to hear when hard work pays off, so when Mike asked me to produce a web flyer for him to advertise that he was hiring, naturally I was thrilled for him. I'm told the applicants flooded in and the position was filled pretty swiftly. Good job all round..
Keen Dist distribute some real gourmet stuff - Check 'em out.
14:01 Skateboards // ANTI RAIN SQUAD
I love skateboarding, I always have done. So it was a delight to work with another UK grassroots skateboard company that promote good vibes and quality produce.
I produced a selection of board designs and shirts to create a mini winter collection and wrapped it all up with a short promo video. Above are the selected designs.
Video best viewed in HD HERE
Visit 14:01 Skateboards here
My first short film which highlights a part of Little Gary's journey accross Berlin.
Best viewed in HD HERE
The first of many motion projects for 2012!
A selection of personal spot illustrations:
- Beauty and Beast
- Elbow
- Cold Calling
- This Little Piggy
I have produced another illustration for PointeBlank, this time inspired by the ballet Hobson's Choice, running in partnership with Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Find out more HERE.
Darren John X SuperToxic Urethane Collab
Seeing in 2012 I've worked with SuperToxic Urethane to produce their 3rd wheel design, with an accompanying tee design and promo vid.
Available in plenty size combinations.
Get yours here.
Limited to only a handful of shirts and only available in size Medium.
These have been created entirely by hand and so are thuper thpecial and have also been scientifically proven to make you even radder..
Printed using waterbased and 100% solvent free ink and pulled by my very own hands.
SOLD OUT
Limited bundle pack with CopyEm with magazine ad to feature in issue 6 of Not Guilty Mag.
The Bundle Pack features the deck, an exclusive tee and a sticker pack.
TEE + DECK + STICKER PACK = £35
Decks come 8" or 8.25"
Tees come L or XL
Email info@copyem.co.uk for wholesale and all other order enquiries.
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Exclusively designed shirts for CND, for sale at Glastonbury Festival 2011. I will also be doing some drawing for CND during the festival as part of the Graffiti Life fam.
This is my contribution to PointeBlank, an exhibition of original artwork inspired by the ballet Coppélia, running in partnership with Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Find out more HERE.
Some illustrative venting at the massive surge in clueless scooter kids plaguing skateparks.
GET A GRIP have now got retail premises to coincide with their awesome printing business. This 4 colour tee was exclusively created for them and their debut line of items for the launch of the store.
Printed with water-based inks onto heather brown unisex T-shirts made from 50% organic cotton in transition and 50% recycled polyester. These babies have a great long and comfy fit and feature a custom printed inner label.
This tee has been scientifically proven to make you more rad..
Available HERE.
FourPence production with video by 4P filmer/editor Jonty.
Video link here: www.vimeo.com/23753746
Images commissioned for Sam Westrop's short film, titled Camera Bound.
"A story told through colour, composition and montage. A seriously ill child dreams of being outside his four walls. His father attempts to capture the outside world through his camera, with him spending no time with his son. Escaping the house day after day, attempting to bring the outside world, inside for his son and escaping the reality that he may lose his son."
FourPence wall at Winter Base, Belfast.
FourPence were invited to Belfast to paint at this years Winter BASE International Street Art and Music Festival. The wall was a cornered wall approx. 32ft wide and was painted live without aerosol (due to venue restrictions) over the two days.
Mixed media on wood. Part of the InkyGoodness Dreamboat show which was on show in the Start The Bus Gallery, Bristol.
Mixed media on on canvas. Part of the InkyGoodness Dreamboat show which was on show in the Start The Bus Gallery, Bristol.
Acrylic on wood. Part of the Inky Goodness Dreamboat show which was on show in the Start The Bus Gallery, Bristol.
My good friends over at Get A Grip Studio asked me to contribute to their Christmas card collection, alongside the immense talents of Mister Millerchip, Lee Nutland and Thomas Lacey.
Printed on 100% recycled paper stock using waterbased inks.
Illustration to accompany a great short story by Ceri Ashcroft. Features in the debut issue of Ferment zine.
The zine is available to buy for only £3 here.
Debut EP for Jukebox Invention: Digitally printed onto 100% recycled Ellie Poo Paper.
Limited run of 50. All handmade with love and available to buy direct from their shows ..
The Adventures of Sweet 'N' Sour
Following from my contributions to James Bourne's Miss Hubbard show back in 2009, this year he has been working with schools in Solihull to get the kids writing stories and turning them into comics.
I've been fortunate enough to contribute to the Comic Landscape Project, whereby the selected artists are asked to produce a cover for a comic, which is printed onto a blank books and used to capture the imagination of the pupils aged between 9-14. Their task is to then interpret the comic based on the cover.
The cover, along with the some of the best pieces of work that were inspired by the piece will be exhibited together at Solihull Art Gallery in December.
Mixed media on skateboard deck. Recently displayed at the Decked 2010 group exhibit at The Coningsby Gallery, London.
The first show was held at Stolenspace gallery, London in 2009 and was back by popular demand in August 2010.
I worked alongside FourPence to produce this bespoke bar which will be featured at both Boardmasters (Newquay) and London Freeze (Battersea Power Station) this year.
100% cotton long-handled Tote Bags. Available in 3 different colorways, with a limited run of 10 pieces per colourway.
£6 + Free UK Shipping
SOLD OUT
Spot illustrations for the UK launch of the Apple iPad.
Here's what Steve Jobs had to say about Flash, back in April.
My contribution to the Not My Type exhibition, which is currently on display at the Created in Birmingham store in the Bullring.
I was fortunate enough to get the letter D, which was alot of fun to work with.
Tee design for Cut Out.
Printed onto ladies lemon yellow 100% cotton sweatshop free T-shirts using teal, pink and black waterbased inks.
SOLD OUT
A tale of fabric ressurection and stain prevention.
Available to download as an iPhone wallpaper Here
Mixed media on discarded fin - The start of a long term project with Andy of the Loslohbros
Mixed media on recycled rocketship shaped skateboard. Displayed at the FBBB Art Exhibit which took place at the Reebok Lounge, Shoreditch.
Protest board for the 60 years project, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the United Declaration of Human Rights
300gsm Gloss coated postcards
A family of three tomatoes went for a walk one day, when the little baby tomato started lagging behind. The big poppa tomato walks back to the baby tomato, stomps on him, squashing him into a red paste, and says, "Ketchup!"