interview with an illustrator
Duncan Beedie
Bris tol based illustrator
& animator Duncan Beedie's
childhood influences from
Geor ge Lucas and Star Wars
to The Royal Air Force . . .
u SB What drew you to illustration and animation? Duncan: I
have been fond of drawing for as long as I can remember. My
parents would watch me lying on the living room floor for hours,
doodling away in my sketch pads. Like any young boy growing
up in the 80’s I had a wealth of pop culture icons to inspire
me, but drawing Star Wars characters was by far my favourite
pastime. u SB Do you have any formal design training? Duncan:
I attended the three month animation course at UWE, Bristol.
My path into animation and illustration was far from orthodox.
I studied English and American Studies at Swansea University
and was all set for a post-grad course in journalism, then the
little 8 year old boy inside me said ‘nah, this isn’t for you.’ u SB
Where are you originally from? Duncan: Born in Lincoln but
moved around a lot due to my Dad’s role in the Royal Air Force.
u SB Where do you live now and what drew you there? Duncan:
Bristol for over 11 years now. I was drawn here by the animation
course and Bristol was a hotbed for animation at the time. u SB
Describe your studio for us. Duncan: I work in a shared studio at
Paintworks, just off the Bath Road in Bristol. There’s a plethora
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