Hey! My name is Aaron Bevan Bailey

A self-taught artist of Scottish and Jamaican descent, based in London. My work revolves around creating portraits and striking ink illustrations that flow directly from my mind to the paper without preliminary sketches. My mastery of line work blends classical portraiture with a spontaneous, stream-of-consciousness technique, resulting in intricate compositions that convey movement and emotion. My art often features surreal and grotesque figures, exploring themes such as technology, consumption, spirituality, cultural identity, and human nature. Through this, I aim to engage viewers with layered meanings and personal narratives.

In addition to my illustration work, I founded Play Attention, a project that allows me to channel humor and imagination, offering a lighthearted contrast to the more serious themes in my traditional art. Drawing from my background as a storyboard artist and art director, I strive to inspire others while maintaining a sense of playful exploration. My creative process is intuitive—I let each mark react to the last, allowing the composition to evolve naturally, much like advanced doodling.

Spontaneity and energy are central to my artistic approach. I often complete pieces quickly to preserve their vibrancy. I use various tools like Chinese calligraphy brushes and Pentel brush pens and have aspirations to expand into larger-scale works and apparel. For me, embracing mistakes and limitations is a vital part of the creative journey—a philosophy I hope inspires others to unleash their creativity.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with commercial clients such as Revlon, Vogue, Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi, Mercedes, Disney, Netflix, H&M, Sky Arts, and many more. These collaborations have enriched my journey as an artist while allowing me to explore diverse creative avenues.