Embracing the positive with illustrator Luke McConkey

In a fast-changing world, full of conflict and nastiness, here’s an artist whose only aim is to spread smiles and love.

Big smile. Big strides. Big hugs for the trees he knows. Luke McConkey is a Liverpool-based illustrator whose positive attitude seeps into every aspect of his life and his art. With their Robert Crumb-style elongated limbs, large ears and Simpsons-esque three-fingered paws, Luke’s characters bring a sense of fluidity, fun and bags of expression to every image he creates.

And clients seem to be lapping up this positivity. Taking that big step out of the world of design agencies and into full-time illustration three years ago, he’s worked with brands he never imagined possible – Costa Coffee, Nike, Apple, Uniqlo, The Guardian, LA Times, and Hyundai, to name a handful.

“I’m a little bit of a goofy guy,” says Luke. “I try to see the world in a positive light because – and not to get all existential on you – it’s all a bit mad, isn’t it? This blue marble in the vast expanse of the universe… I think my style naturally reflects the silliness of life —the colour and beauty of it. I don’t really have any proper training either, which I reckon adds to the weirdness of my compositions.”

While he may not have any illustration qualifications, Luke has always been a doodler. He studied Interactive Media Design at Liverpool John Moores University, mixing graphic design, animation, film and ActionScript 3. (Remember that?) Then he set off into the design agency sector at a tangent – first as an account manager, side-stepping towards the role of creative lead. In 2017, he became a freelance graphic designer focusing on logos and type.

When he noticed he was encouraging his clients to add more imagery to their briefs, his career gradually pivoted towards illustration. So, Luke focused heavily on developing his unique, cartoony style and worked hard to catch the eye of Handsome Frank, the agency that now represents him worldwide. Much of his inspiration came from 1990s animation and European comic book artists.

“Rather than getting distracted by the tidal wave of content online and trying new things, I wanted to focus on what I loved as a kid. Growing up in the 90s, with a boom in hand-drawn animation for films, TV shows, and even games, I think it was a natural step. Older stuff too – what I now understand to be ligne claire from the likes of Hergé’s Tintin and Joost Swarte’s work – simple linework-led characters with lovely block colours. I also looked at the artists I was most drawn to: Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, Moebius,” says Luke.

According to Luke, his breakthrough job in illustration was an LA Times commission – to create a suite of illustrations for the entire Weekend Edition. It wasn’t just any weekend, though. It was the one welcoming a year of positivity in 2023.

“It was a perfect brief for me but also a very daunting one, a publication like the LA Times was going to trust me with all this work – the cover, header illustrations and spots… the lot! I don’t know if it put me on the map in terms of other clients, but it certainly gave me the experience I needed to say to myself, ‘Right, I can flippin’ do this, let’s goooo!'”

You may also have come across Luke’s work for the coffee chain Costa, which is eye-catching for its bold characters doing silly things against a backdrop of amazing scenery, nicely balanced with Luke’s pastel colour palette. “Jobs like this, where the brief matches your personality, are just a delight. It all came naturally, and working with a great group of art directors and project managers on the client side always helps. We just kind of got it and the sketch phase through to the final vector artwork became a breeze. It was a good lesson for me that working with the right people, even for massive brands like Costa, can be effortless in terms of getting the job done.”

Luke has also created the illustration for the official Glastonbury tote bag. Working with Trainline and the Festival, this project saw the printing of 200,000 bags, which were handed out to every ticket holder. His most recent big brand collaboration has been with Nike – wall graphics for the kids’ department in the Liverpool store. Not bad for a kid who grew up just near Penny Lane.

“Life is magic,” he concludes. “We’re constantly being shown the bad side of life, and it can be really bad. I just want to make the most of my time whizzing round the sun, and I hope I can spread as much love and smiles to folks I come into contact with. It sounds a bit hippy-dippy, but I think you’ve got to take time to stop, look at some clouds or a tree, go for a pint with your mate, hug your partner or play with your child, and just appreciate how crazy and weird it is.”

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