In the sixth installment of the '13th Hour', we engage in an uplifting conversation with Luke McConkey, a super talented illustrator from Liverpool whose client list is as vibrant and joyful as his artwork. His growing roster includes prestigious names such as Apple, ESPN, The Guardian, and The New York Times.

Throughout our discussion, we delve into various subject matters, gaining insights into Luke’s love for his hometown of Liverpool. We explore his approach to tacking briefs in the early stages of a project, as well as the advantages he's found in using an agency to kick his career on to the next level. From Nirvana's iconic MTV unplugged performance to the ultimate dinner party stitch up, our discussion covers a wide array of fascinating topics.

1 - At 13am, we aim to celebrate and showcase a broad range of creative roles, disciplines and skillsets. How would you describe yourself and your role within the creative world to those unfamiliar with yourwork?

Embracing the silliness of life is probably how I would put it into words. Life is tough, and as an illustrator, it's a privilege to try to brighten people's days with some goofy drawings of pretty much anything. I always try to bring character to my work and often think of the life within inanimate objects and how we engage with things every day. At the end of the day, if I can make someone smile with an illustration, that's the job done.

2 - Another aspect that sets 13am apart is our commitment to diversity and representation among our artists. Could you share a bit about your background and where you call home?

Born and raised, and still living in Liverpool. I’m really lucky to be able to do what I do as a career, and it’s not lost on me that I’ve had a fairly smooth run (touch wood) and been given the opportunity to take risks and commit to it, you know?

I came to the realization that I wanted to be a full-time illustrator a few years ago after working in graphic design for almost 11 years (yeesh) and only finding myself truly inspired when I was drawing. Did the uni thing, which had its pros and cons, and I tried to follow what I thought was the right path in branding and website design, which arguably it was, as it gave me the platform to focus on illustration.

If you’ve never been to Liverpool, change that. I absolutely love this city and feel proud to call it home. It’s vibrant, exciting, and full of life. Probably a testament to me not leaving, I’ve got everything I need here, and I love it.

3 - How would you define your artistic style? Has it evolved or undergone any changes over time?

Positive and silly. I try not to take things too seriously in real life (I do have a serious side), but I guess my work is an expression of wanting to just have fun, appreciate what we’ve got, and find joy in the smallest of things and not get hung up on the negative side of life.

I guess I do this by using nice, bright, and engaging colors along with a key line around all my work. I love working with smooth shapes too; nothing beats the feeling when you nail a curve! That’s the life of a '90s kid raised on cartoons. Which I think I try to bring through with a sense of movement or energy!

I’ve definitely changed over time, which I think all artists should do. I spent a lot of time without a sense of visual identity to my work, which I blame on social media and having access to so many amazing artists and styles. I would always flit from one to another without giving anything too much time and respect to hone in. Over time, it’s worked into what it is now, but I even look at work from a year ago and can see changes. I tried explaining them to a friend the other day who I think was a little lost... but I know what they are, haha.

4 - Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you transform an idea into a tangible piece of work?

Is scrambling around in a dumpster fire until you have something a process?!?! Just kidding! It’s super simple, really. I sketch on an iPad in Adobe Fresco, and once I’m happy and the client is happy, I bring it into Adobe Illustrator to refine, vectorize, and add color.

I guess a key point for me is that I do fairly high-fidelity sketches. I like to communicate with clients pretty much exactly what they’re going to get in the sketch. I find it adds clarity and saves time ultimately. I’ve seen other illustrators' sketches, which are super conceptual, and I applaud their ability to communicate that with a client. It also helps me in the final stage of rendering as a vector, as it’s pretty much a tracing job at that point, which is a nice process.

5 - In terms of inspiration, where do you go to find this? Who were your main influencers and inspirations as you were growing up?

I wish I knew exactly. I’ve always said I take inspiration from video games, music, food, etc., but inherently I don’t think it’s a conscious thing. We’re all sponges, aren’t we? And I think we absorb a lot of inspiration subconsciously. I can’t remember the last time I listened to an album and said, “Right, let's do an illustration based on this,” although the idea sounds wicked… maybe I should do it more.

As I mentioned before, I think my style comes from a '90s childhood, lots of cartoons and animation, and my desire to live in a colorful bubblegum world with no worries.

In terms of artists I love, I’ve got the staples: Keith Haring, Hiroshi Nagai, Roy Lichtenstein, who I could maybe point to and say their work inspires me. I think it’s just a nice thing to appreciate other artists regardless of the style or medium. I’ve got a real affinity for Francis Bacon and his bleak gear, but I don’t think any of that would come through in my work (not that I’m comparing myself at all).

6 - What advice would you offer aspiring artists or illustrators looking to establish themselves in the industry?

One thing I truly believe in is being a nice person. I can speak for the commercial side of being an illustrator, as I think being an artist is something different. When you’re working in an industry, I think there is a bit of a toxic culture that you should be out for yourself, be cutthroat, and not waste your time or whatever… but I like to take an approach of being super nice. For one, it makes your time more enjoyable as you’re not trying to live in this ‘hustle’ culture, and I think it resonates with people too. When you’re working with clients, you’ve got to think beyond the deliverable of your work and think about what the experience is like. What is it like working with you? So I’m always positive, reply to emails promptly, meet deadlines, and get excited by every job, large or small.

Second to that mindset, I think I would say take informed risks and put yourself out there. A lot of illustrators I speak to who are yet to submit portfolios or reach out to clients, etc., place the reason along the lines of ‘my portfolio isn’t ready yet.’ My response to that is it will NEVER be ready. We’re forever-changing beings and our work is forever changing. I don’t think any artist would look at their work and say, ‘Right, I’m done now, it’s finished.’ I look at my work from a year ago and see tons of stuff I’m so happy I’ve changed, and yet I sent out that work proud at the time. Sadly, we live in an incomprehensibly fast society and culture, and you need to get on the track as soon as possible. Even if you receive a no or a not this time, you get to go again. Some people will be really helpful and offer advice, some not, but you keep going, keep pushing yourself…and be nice to each other.

7 - Creative roadblocks affect many individuals in our field. How do you unwind and revitalize your creative energy? Are there any hobbies or passions you pursue outside of your work?

I’m guilty of sitting at the same desk every day and sticking to the routine: work starts at 9, lunch at 12, finish at 4:30/5 pm. This is NOT a good thing for creativity. You need to get out there, see people, see how the world interacts with itself, especially if you’re feeling creatively drained. A change of scenery or a break in the routine can be just the trick to get your mind thinking in another way.

I really enjoy playing video games and try (and sometimes fail) to discover little story-driven indie games. As I say, when I’ve done a full day's work, sorted the baby with my wife, and just want to zone out, the video game session can fall into the ‘repetitive, aimless’ category with one of the big shooty multiplayer games, but when I can, trying new stories is really helpful to get me thinking about other things.

8 - Reflecting on your career, could you share a standout project or collaboration that you consider a highlight? How did the opportunity come about?

I’m really lucky that I have the best agents in the world out there getting me work. They lifted my career way up the ladder, and since then I’ve worked with some amazing clients. To name a few (which I do with a smile on my face, don’t feel bad about name-dropping, guys), Apple, ESPN, EDF, The Guardian, New York Times, LA Times, and a lot more. Each project has its standout points for me, and I love that I’ve worked on them all. I don’t think I could point to one and say this is it… maybe one day (hopefully).

9 - Can you provide a little insight into your current projects and any upcoming plans you have in the pipeline? Is there anything we should be looking out for in the not too distant future?

I had a lovely January with two projects; however, they exist in the realm of NDA, which means I can’t really say much. There are irons in the fire, and it’s one thing I still need to get used to—the lull while waiting for work to come in. It’s tough, and I find filling that time with personal work helpful, albeit unpaid.

I’m hoping to carve out some time to work on an illustrated book for a local park I love and have that become a thing. There are a few other ideas rattling around, but nothing solid yet. I always get jealous of these illustrators/creatives who post something on January 5th saying, “…Planning begins, this is going to be an exciting year, can’t wait to share it with you…” Whether it’s true or not is another thing, but I’d love to have a year of creative projects mapped out, but sadly, I don’t live in that world!

10 - What has your experience been like collaborating with 13am thus far, and what motivated you to join forces with us?

It’s been amazing, man. It’s really cool to be part of a community, which I would encourage any illustrator, artist, or creative to do. I think it was the sense of being part of something brand new. Like I said before, taking informed, positive risks is all part of it, so 13AM made sense.

11 - Looking ahead, what would be your dream project or client to tackle in the future?

Jeez, that’s a great question. I think reaching the point in my career where clients want to fully ‘collaborate’ with me as an illustrator would be the dream. It’s amazing to be able to be a professional illustrator and work to briefs, but I guess the goal would be to have a client get in touch wanting to do one of those goofy ‘Client Name x Luke McConkey’ collaborations, you know?

12 - To conclude on a lighter note, imagine hosting a dinner party where you could invite four individuals, living or deceased, who would they be and why?

What a question. I’d invite Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump, let them all arrive and sit down, then call up and say I won’t make it… just to waste their time. I appreciate this is a silly answer. I do, however, operate on a ‘don’t meet your heroes’ policy. I think we build up characters of artists or celebrities we enjoy and love, and I’d hate to be gutted that Ryan Gosling was a jerk or something.

13 - If you were granted the power of time travel, which historical event would you choose to witness firsthand, and what intrigues you about it?

I’m trying to think what I’d take from something like that. My mind goes to music. I’d love to have seen The Talking Heads filming ‘Stop Making Sense’ at the Pantages. Just a mental gig, have a beer, and enjoy the love in the room. If not that, maybe Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance?