- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Geo Law: Armed with a bold creative vision and an unmistakable artistic style, this designer is turning heads and influencing design culture worldwide.
In this exclusive conversation, Geo Law opens up about his artistic roots, the development of his signature aesthetic and the experiences that have shaped his remarkable career in design and illustration.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I'm a freelance illustrator based in London but from Sheffield in the UK. My parents were both Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong and Malaysia. A lot of my upbringing was intermingled with drawing, playing video games, sports and helping at my parents restaurant where we lived above. Work and play were the mainstays of my teen years and it still translates today in my freelance illustration work.
I studied graphic design at Nottingham Trent and then freelanced as an illustrator. Running a street clothing label in Sheffield and then diving into freelance projects from murals, live art and commercial illustration. In my spare time I love reading, fiction, non fiction anything that breaks up my train rides between London and Brussels. As I divide my time up between those two locations. I'm a film and anime nerd and I love cooking, following football and my team West Ham United. Traveling when I give myself the time to do so. I keep my mind and body in healthy flux with exercise and meditation from time to time but there are slippages!
At what age did you realize design was your passion?
Since I was child I was always drawing, doodling and creating my own comic books/characters. Because of the encouragement I got from friends and teachers, I loved art and knew it would be something I'd pursue as I got older. But I struggled with design as a passion when I was studying, everyone else around me seemed really focused on an area they loved but I was more obsessed with drawing, characters and crafting illustration. Only after I freelanced as an illustrator for a few years in my mid 20's I felt more passionate about design, typography and architecture. Mainly when I allowed myself to travel and take in different sights and cultures. I suppose my passions gradually grew as I got older year by year.
"You only get better at your craft the longer you pursue it, you rarely get worse” - Geo Law
What does the future hold for Geo Law?
The future is still very open ended for me, I've freelanced for 17 years as an illustrator and there was never an end goal but multiple milestones I've wanted to hit ie - get a published advert campaign done, create murals at so and so's office etc. But the immediate future is all about growth, chasing after new opportunities, networking with interesting people, maintaining my online shop and growing my Doodle Club workshop project. In the immediate future I have two customised lion sculptures on show for a summer art trail in Yorkshire and a special project I’ve working on for FIFA and the World Cup 2026, other than that I can’t say too much!
What qualities and skills should a great graphic designer have?
Perseverance, an eye for executing their work in the best way possible and a tough heart!
I found the older I got, I became more conscious or too conscious of great artists around me and it would put me in a place where I'd doubt myself. Every time I tell others to just concentrate on their own process and trust it. But you have to know when you're being your own worst enemy. Accepting home truths that some creatives will get the projects you want and produce work that is amazing, but it doesn't make you a worse creative. It should feed your pursuit. I've seen the longer you do something and hone skills, you do get better over time, you don't get worse. The only thing that can degrade over time is your sense of knowing too much and allowing ego colour your own thoughts and opinions.
"An art career is a long game, it's fun when you win but even better when you overcome losses” - Geo Law
How would you define your work?
This changes for me all the time, but I'd define my work as illustration that creates worlds with characters to live in them all smashed together with vibrant colours, bright eyes and wide grins.
What mediums do you specialize in and what tools do you use?
I flit between digital tools and physical media such as paint pens and paints. Digital tools range from using an ipad table to draw loose or with vectors across Procreate and the Adobe Creative Suite. If I animate, I keep them simple with photoshop GIFs or occasionally on Adobe After Effects. For murals and live art pieces, it's always Posca Marker, I've been using them for so long, they're like limbs to me. I know the weight and feel of the pen, how the nibs break down over time and give me more soakage for ink etc.
What do you do to improve your design skills?
I simply play. Especially if I see something I like, I will always try my own version of that technique or drawing style or character. Periodically it's important to keep your skill set tested and fresh and I think it encourages you to explore new paths to your work.
I spent a lot of time with a sketch book first and doodle new pieces alongside familiar methodologies. Breaking up the familiar is important, so being mindful of not falling into old design habits when you feel you need to freshen up is important.
How do you handle criticism?
I've been in the industry a long time now so I feel I would handle criticism well if I ever had some thrown at me! Criticism is vital for creative growth, it doesn't just test your skills as a designer but also as a person, teaches you how to separate your ego from the process.
What do you think the next big design trend will be?
I honestly feel a more tactile, human made approach and aesthetic will be a major trend, with the upboom of AI tools and everyone's exposure to AI slop, we'll want something that pulls us back to earth and allow our eyes to touch grass/paper.
Tell us about a project that was your greatest achievement?
I think doodling a 30 meter mural for the animation team's studio at Walt Disney Animation in Burbank was huge for me. Mostly because it felt like a full circle moment as I grew up on Disney movies and given the privilege to be flown out to recreate those characters as a mural for the animation staff was special for me. Another add on to the trip was hosting a Doodle Club workshop with some of the staff members which was incredibly fun, hearing about their drawing process and stories whilst working for Disney.
How do you stay inspired and keep coming up with creative ideas? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I document a lot of things that catch my eye, online and in the real world, it helps having a smart phone for things like that. I like to write notes down in my sketchbook or in asana or my notes app. Just any place where I will see those ideas and notes again and hopefully they strike a visual seed in my mind.
A lot of my inspiration comes from animations, listening to music, getting out there and seeing exhibitions, billboards, peoples clothing etc. As a creative you learn to adjust your mind sponge and train your eye to be observant, filter out what feels boring to you but what sticks out. If you have the chance to travel to different countries, it helps to absorb their art, their street culture and what makes them visually tick.
Walk us through your design process?
It all starts with a sketch, thumbnails doodles, something to get the visualisation going. I also think of the reasoning and narrative of the image, consider what it’s for, what I want it to visually say and why it’s meant to exist. All of these thoughts feed into the form of the doodle and sketch. Then digital drawing takes place, multiple layers and versions happen until it starts to feel right. After feedback and collaboration with the client then we play with colour.
For murals and live art pieces, the process is similar in the beginning but when the work takes place on site, my work style changes to drawing on the spot, no pencils but pens directly onto the surface, I want the final piece to differ from the sketch because I don’t want to sketch to restrict me too much, I just want to take the best parts of the sketch and give them new life on the wall itself.
How do you deal with creative blocks?
Take breaks, take time away from the screen and sketchbooks. I rarely get a creative block on the job, it’s always when there is down time and I feel I should be creating to fill in the void and to attract new work. But really I see creative blocks as the mind telling me I need to recharge and fill it with new ideas and things. It’s like any other creative process, you feel fresher when you step away from it for a little bit.
What’s the best piece of advice you have heard and can pass on to others?
Embrace and respond to failures with thoughts and actions and be mindful of your malleability, it can help you adapt and grow over time. If you want to pursue a career using your creativity, then lock in for a long career with many twists and turns, personal growth, technical growth and sometimes spiritual growth.
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