Drawing the darkness

Whether it’s just a hint of doom in an otherwise uplifting image, or a portrait of an arrestingly hostile character, working with dark themes is a rewarding area of exploration for any artist.

Concept artist and illustrator Jeff Simpson creates work that evokes a sinister ambience, but he doesn’t identify himself as a dark artist. “Like any creative person I try to find elements of reality, nature or people that I find interesting or mysterious and worth exploring,” he says. “When we put a magnifying glass up to any subject, it tends to amplify its complexity and our idealisations and expectations tend to be challenged. If this process makes things feel ‘dark’ to most people then so be it, I suppose!”

CHARACTER PERCEPTION

Jeff’s mother was an