Art & Design blog

Paul Catherall is one of the country’s leading linocut printmakers and has been one of Transport for London’s most popular and prolific poster artists of the past ten years.

Catherall draws much of his subject matter from the city’s more characterful landmarks, with a broad focus on modernist design. Each linocut print is created entirely by hand in a painstaking relief process that can take several weeks to complete.

XETH: At what age did you start to take an interest in art?

Paul Catherall: I honestly can’t remember but there’s a film of me drawing pictures in the sand very studiously around five years old. I started taking a serious interest in art when I was around 12 years old. That’s when I realised I could draw.

XETH: What is it that drew you to printmaking?

PC: I really like the methodical process – I always say it takes a few seconds to mess up a painting that you’ve spent days on – while although printmaking is thought of as non-forgiving your can see problems arising and can nearly always tackle them. Also, just love the simplicity of it and the fact that it can throw up surprises and happy accidents.

XETH: Have you got any exciting projects/commissions coming up?

PC: I’m working on a cover for George Orwell’s Down and Out in London and Paris for Penguin at the moment which is just a very nice thing to work on – it’s the kid of thing you did as a project at college and daydreamed about doing it for real one day.

XETH: Have you got any exhibitions in the near future?

PC: Yes a joint one with Ed Kluz at Potterton Books for all December – a lovely little bookshop with collectable books on design/artists/architecture etc then a large solo show at the.gallery@oxo next May.

XETH: If you weren’t an illustrator/printmaker what other career would you have chosen?