WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME AN ARTIST?
I think when i was young I used to copy my brother. He’s an exceptional artist and i used to try to do what he was doing. As I got older I started developing my own style and getting my own influences. I used to read a lot of comic books. I was obsessed with Spiderman and used try and create my own comic strips with him interacting with new enemies i had made for him.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS?
I love so many different artists. People like Mike Giant, Ralph Steadman, Mike Mignola, Katsuhiro Otomo. Most of my favorite artists are comic book artists. I think Chris Ware draws some of the most beautiful imagery I have ever seen. When ever I hear he has some new work out I hunt it down as soon as I can. I’m also a huge fan of Charles Burns. His dark and surreal black and white work is truly amazing. Also The late, great Jack kirby has to get a look in here.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE ACURA COMMERCIAL?
I’m a freelance illustrator and animator by trade and I was working in a production company called Collision in Bristol. I was mocking up mood-boards and storyboards for a pitch to get the job. I did some very early character design and knocked around some ideas for scenarios with Ben (Foley) and Chris (Hopewell), the directors. When Collision got the job they were keen to use my illustrations and character designs. About two weeks later we were in L.A. doing it all for real. It all happened so quickly it all seemed quite surreal.

WHAT SHOULD AMERICANS KNOW ABOUT THE BRISTOL ART SCENE?
The Bristol art scene (in general) is a very co-operative thing. There’s very little rivalry between artists and there’s a great sense of getting as many people involved.

WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH?
When we were doing the commercial we worked with Axis and Sever from the MSK crew. I would like to hook up with them again. We didn’t have time when we visited to do anything away from the studio and they had paint my designs when we were doing the commercial.

HAVE YOU HIT UP ANY WALLS IN AMERICA?
Doing the Acura commercial was the first time I had visited America and we were all so busy doing the spot that we really didn’t have time to do much else. I was there drawing and painting for three weeks and on the few days off I had I didn’t want much to do with paint. I needed to step away from it and unwind. The amount of spray paint around it was good to get away just for my health’s sake.

WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE ANCHOR PIECE?
It’s kind of an amalgamation of several different ideas that have evolved in the last year or so. I’m a huge fan of traditional tattoos and I suppose that’s where the anchor comes from. The face comes from when I was drawing backgrounds for animations. I used to have draw loads of cartoon trees and I used to try and sneak faces into some of them.

WILL YOU OR YOUR WORK BE IN ANY AMERICAN GALLERIES THIS YEAR?
I have no plans yet but it is possible. I try and exhibit my work as often as I can but there is nothing state side yet.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE SUPER HERO?
Spiderman. Hands down.

WHATS YOUR FAVORITE BRAND OF SNEAKERS/SHOES?
Converse All Stars. They are all I have worn for the past ten years.

WHAT IS OR WOULD BE YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO VACATION?
There are so many places I haven’t been to, so this is a tough one. I think anywhere i haven’t been yet. I would really love to go to Tokyo. I imagine that would be a bit of an eye opener.

WHATS IS YOUR HIGHEST GOAL OR ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE AS AN
ARTIST. IF THE SKY WERE THE LIMIT?
Wow that’s a tough one. I would love to make a feature length animation on a parr with Marjane Satrapi’s ‘Persepolis’. I’ve always wanted to write a comic book. Maybe I’ll do that first and then make it into a film.

IF YOU COULD REDESIGN A BOOK COVER, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOSE?
I was going to say something by Hunter S Thompson, like ‘Fear and loathing in Las Vegas’ but Ralph Steadman is a genius and does a far better job than I could. It would be sacrilege to not have his work there.
I will probably have to go for ‘The Book of Dave’ by Will Self. I think I could get surreal and dark enough for it.

To see more of Sainty’s work visit his photo stream