An illustration on a pink background featuring three distinct elements. At the bottom, a row of figures in white clothing stand on a green strip, facing a figure in a black suit and hat. Above them are a red flame and an open book topped with a black star.

George Wylesol’s experimental illustrations are inspired by found imagery

Words: Rebecca Fulleylove
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Date: 6 June 2017; Work
Illustration

Since we last checked in with Philadelphia-born illustrator George Wylesol, he has been busy working on commissions for The New York TImes, Bandcamp, Oogst magazine, the University of Texas and Vinyl Moon – in which he created a gatefold cover and a 22-page newspaper-sized comic.

George has also just published his first “real” book, which is a collection of comics published by South London-based Avery Hill Publishing. “In the collection are three comics, The Rabbit, Ghosts and Worthless. I’ve also self-published a smaller zine called Porn and I’m just about to publish a Risograph zine called House through Tan & Loose press,” George tells us.

When we featured the illustrator in August 2016, George was drawing “in the most basic, no-frills way possible” yet the illustrator has developed his approach further and feels he’s really loosened up. “My drawing in general has gotten a lot simpler and quieter as well. I’m always tweaking my process, so I’m currently experimenting with bringing more hand-drawing back into my work,” he explains.

An illustration of a white, high-tech machine against a pale green background. A dark, amorphous shape huddles beside the device, while a single red circle floats to the right.

An illustration of a white picket fence against a pale orange background. A small red sun hangs in the sky, and a single blade of grass grows from a yellow strip of ground.

A range of subjects are covered in George’s work with everyday scenes often accompanied by abstract and occult-like symbols in a multitude of vibrant hues. “I’ve been looking at a lot of found imagery lately, which has been inspiring. The Public Domain Review on Facebook posts a lot of old, kind of forgotten imagery scavenged from abandoned corners of the web like Internet History, God Bless this Home, RoomHole, Craigslist Mirrors,” explains George. “I find this out-of-context, unplanned imagery really compelling and I’ve been using references from long-abandoned image hosting sites lately in my work – it feels more candid.”

George’s work is wonderfully weird and unexpected, and he’s trying to find the right balance between his client’s expectations and the more experimental aspects of his personal work. “I stress a lot about whether my clients will find my work too abstract to use, or if my concepts are either too conceptual or too cliche. I’m working around this by sending clients a lot of different ideas, some ‘safe’ and some ‘weird’. I’m always thrilled when the client picks the weird idea.”

An illustration of several figures in a confrontation on a red ground against a yellow sky. One person is held back by two others, while another figure lies on the ground nearby. — Above
George Wylesol

An illustration of a person in a white shirt and green trousers holding a fishing rod. They stand in a yellow landscape under a bright red sun. To the right, a dental probe is positioned vertically. — Above
George Wylesol

An illustration of a mid-century modern house under a dark purple sky with a red sun. The building features a slanted roof, yellow windows and a stone-clad lower level. — Above
George Wylesol: Vinyl Moon

An illustration of a cream-coloured vintage telephone surrounded by large pink and red roses. The phone sits against a yellow background with a small, repeating diamond pattern. — Above
George Wylesol: Vinyl Moon

An illustration for an album release titled “Circadian Rhythms”. It features a two-storey house under a pale green sky containing both a crescent moon and a red sun. Below the image, red text reads “Saturday May 13 · Philamoca”. Further details list guests including “Mavis the Dog” and “R.R. Perkins”, with tickets priced at “10$”. — Above
George Wylesol

A comic strip with six panels. The images include a piece of graffiti, two people playing basketball, a building in the snow, a person standing outdoors, a red devil mask, and a diving board. — Above
Left
George Wylesol: Porn

A six-panel illustration in a comic strip layout. The panels show a flatbed trolley, a dark sign with the word “CRACK” scrawled on it, a white object in a black container, a landscape with an orange sky, a yellow sign that reads “WE BUY HOUSES CASH” with a phone number, and a person wearing a white head covering.

An illustration of eight comic-style panels arranged in two rows. The scenes include a red sun over a horizon, a person with pink hair, a church in the snow, and a Black Sabbath album cover. — Above
George Wylesol: Porn

An illustration for a book cover with a yellow background. A person in a dark suit and red tie stands in a lift next to a hospital gurney, under the title “Ghosts, Etc.” and the author name “George Wylesol”. — Above
Left
George Wylesol: Ghosts
Right
George Wylesol: Ghosts

A comic strip divided into three horizontal panels. Each section features simple illustrations and text describing different imagined lives in various US cities. The final panel shows a person lying face down on a grey floor in a sterile corridor. Text below reads, “my life in north dakota is not that different from my real life under the real hospital.” — Above
George Wylesol: Ghosts

A comic strip with three horizontal tiers of panels. The panels show a person searching through a series of sterile, colourful rooms and offices. Captions below the panels read “I opened every door looking for my office but couldnt find it”, “just computers, files, boxes everywhere,” and “the radio in the ceiling playing at full volume”. — Above
Left
George Wylesol: Ghosts

A comic-style grid of panels featuring various abstract and everyday images. The panels include a solid red block, a clock, a clown’s face, and a red sun over a yellow landscape.

An illustration of a person carrying a massive pile of cassette tapes on their back, bound together with thick black rope. The person looks down at a small digital device in their hand while walking across a green ground against a pink background. — Above
George Wylesol: New York Times

An illustration of a person carrying a large, heavy sack on their back against a green background. They are surrounded by various objects, including a book titled “TAO LIN”, a vulture, a rabbit, and a single eye between two columns. — Above
Left
George Wylesol: Oogst

An illustration of two people facing each other against a bright yellow background. One person wears a red top and black trousers, while the other wears a white T-shirt and blue jeans, holding a bouquet of flowers. Surrounding them on a green border are various objects, including a brown door, a set of teeth, a crescent moon, a white sweater, a black silhouette of a head, and a cocktail glass.

An illustration of a person in a green shirt against a yellow background. A white rectangular card with a red crescent moon covers their face, and a red circle floats to the left. — Above
George Wylesol: Oogst

Further Info

www.wylesol.com

About the Author

Rebecca Fulleylove

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Rebecca Fulleylove is a freelance writer and editor specialising in art, design and culture. She is also senior writer at Creative Review, having previously worked at Elephant, Google Arts & Culture, and It’s Nice That.

George Wylesol’s experimental illustrations are inspired by found imagery

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