In this Q&A with Robson Stannard, the London-based fashion portrait artist shares the journey behind his vivid, intuitive style. Blending his background in Fashion Illustration with a fine art sensibility, Robson creates multi-media works that are as expressive as they are precise, each one exploring the human figure through energetic linework, tonal depth, and a distinctly playful edge.
1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your artistic journey?
Robson Stannard graduated from the London College of Fashion with a degree in Fashion Illustration in 2017. Working fundamentally as a fashion portrait artist, he creates images using a variety of media. His vivid, illustrative aesthetic builds upon the human form with multi-tonal strokes of colour, in a way that is at once playful, yet always identifiable.
2. What inspired you to pursue your craft? Was there a defining moment or influence that
sparked your passion? I’ve always wanted to pursue a career based in the Arts, throughout school its what always felt like the right direction for me to explore.
Your craft
3. How would you describe your work in three words?
Playful, Graphic & Fluid.
4. What materials or techniques do you use, and why are they important to your process?
I mainly work in Acrylic & coloured pencils and then collage using these techniques.
Creative process
5. What does a typical day in your studio or workshop look like?
If its a day creating then I will always start by making a coffee to wake myself up and get the creative energy flowing, I will then aim to draw and paint as much as I can and catch up on any admin throughout.
6. Do you have any unique rituals or habits that help you stay creative?
Caffeine
7. How do you handle creative blocks? Do you have any strategies or tips for overcoming them?
Sometimes we all need a break and I think its important to realise as and when that’s approaching.
Inspiration
10. Where do you draw inspiration from for your work? What sparks your imagination and creativity?
Francis Bacon
11. Do you have a favourite artist, maker, movement, or tradition that has influenced your craft?
Francis Bacon and a plethora of illustrators.
12. How does colour influence your practice; is it an important part of your process? Do you have a particular palette or favourites?
Any go-to sources for colour inspiration? I aim to be as colourful and impactful with colour as I can.
Perspectives and goals
13. What role does your environment play in shaping your creativity?
Throughout lockdown when I was based in Suffolk, it shifted my work to begin to look at nature more and my flower collages were the result of this.
14. What do you want people to feel when they experience your work?
Joy
15. What are you currently working on, and what excites you most about it?
I am currently working on getting back into more fashion illustration portraits.
Advice and reflection
18. What advice would you give to someone starting out as a maker?
Create create create and aim to not compare yourself to others.
Closing thoughts
20. If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Francis Bacon, I think he’s an incredibly interesting figure and somewhat strange.
21. Where can people find your work, and how can they support you?
Mainly Instagram or through SHOWstudio
Blending fashion, portraiture, and expressive colour, Robson Stannard brings a bold, illustrative energy to everything he creates. Whether working on editorial commissions, large-scale collaborations, or live workshops, his distinctive style captures the human form with movement, emotion and unmistakable flair.
Explore Robsons’s latest collection and follow his creative journey:
Support Robson Stannard by exploring his dynamic, character-driven portraits and following along as he redefines the space between fashion and art, one bold stroke at a time.
