My name is Matt and I use watercolor and ink to tell stories.
I picked up a paintbrush a few years ago on a trip to Lebanon and was immediately interested in how watercolor and ink can be used to document and illustrate the world around us. That was the spark which encouraged me to carry a small watercolor and ink set wherever I go and begin to record the world around me. I like the very tactile and immediate nature of watercolor - it's so expressive and has an ability to capture the imperfections and visuals around us.
My background is in the non-profit sector so a lot of this I bring to my drawings. I’ve lived and worked in Thailand, Myanmar, Japan and Taiwan (always with a sketchbook) and enjoy drawing the hidden corners and nuances of these places. A lot of my work is still with non-profits and I’ve helped them to illustrate their work, whether that's education resources in refugee camps, illustrating human rights interviews or simply adding visual texture to a report.
Recently I undertook a trip to northern France to document to the ongoing refugee crisis.
I’m based in the UK and am always open to hearing about new ideas, projects or personal commissions you have in mind, so feel free to reach out on design@mattgibbonsstudio.com. I also do graphic design for larger projects which can be found in a seperate portfolio here here.
Look forward to hearing from you!
:A few people I've worked with include:
