South African illustrator Jayson Mars (AKA Mars) says his artistic passion is the result of an epiphany. “On 06 December 2017 I had an epiphany,” recalled the artist in an interview with African Digital Art. “For some reason on that day I realized I wanted to do art and nothing else, I have no interest in doing anything else.”
Based in Port Elizabeth, he’s been hard at work ever since, working as a freelance illustrator and growing a small fanbase on Instagram. His illustrations – vibrant, colorful, and altogether unique – are a blend of a vintage aesthetic with futurism.
According to Mars, his work is the result of intuition. “I have always been strict about following my instincts when it comes to the drawing and coloring of artworks,” he says. “My art is mostly influenced by emotions and dreams, a spontaneous burst of creativity spurred on by my most inner thoughts and momentary isolation.”
“I am inspired by dreams and people I see around me,” he adds, saying that he’s “obsessed with capturing the aura of a person who has left a lasting impression on me.” But his inspiration also comes from the outside world, from “raw images of African tribes and culture,” and “European styles of illustration.”
The result is something you’d want to keep your eyes on.
