Poppy is an illustrator and handpoke tattoo artist from Bristol, currently based in Brighton, UK.
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Hi Poppy. Can you tell us a little bit about your tape and your song selections?
The main idea behind my mixtape was to be a collection of sexy tunes to get down to! I’m the kind of person who makes playlists for any and all occasions, and I believe that a good soundtrack for getting sexy can become one of the most important things to set the mood. I would personally argue that there’s nothing worse than sticking your Spotify on shuffle, only to be interrupted by a characteristically unsexy and sad Sufjan Stevens song, or even the latest episode of your favourite true crime podcast which you forgot you’d queued up earlier that day. And, on a more serious note, as an incredibly anxious and easily distracted gal, I find that having a specially curated playlist for more *intimate* moments, whether that’s solo or with a partner, helps ease my overthinking brain, allowing me to relax into my body and enjoy myself knowing that nothing unpredictable or strange will start blasting through my speakers at the wrong moment. A sultry playlist not only helps create those good vibes, but also gives me one less thing to worry about, and I think everyone needs and deserves one too!
What direction did you take with your cover art, and what was your process?
The first idea I had for my mixtape cover was to include an image of a body in some sexy, barely-there lingerie. Felt like a bit of no brainer because not only does it fit the theme so well but this is something I love to draw in general. I wanted to incorporate influences from my current handpoke tattoo practice by covering the figure in some of my favourite flash designs, as well as adding some custom designs specifically to fit the concept of the mixtape, such as the Nokia flip phone on the bicep with a cheeky “do u wanna come over?” message lit up on the screen. I decided to stylise the tattoos in the illustration by making them glow like neon lights to add to the suggestive mood of the illustration. In terms of my process, I don’t approach my illustrations in any particular or methodical way. I started as I usually do by initially sketching my design on paper and then reworking the drawing on Procreate, layering shadows, colour and details until I’m happy.
What are your fave album covers, records with a great music and artwork combo, or musical projects with a visual component?
The first album cover that sprung to mind when I read this question is the cover for Gorillaz album Demon Days, illustrated by one of the virtual band’s main collaborators Jamie Hewlett. It was the first album I ever bought with my own pocket money when I was younger, and I remember choosing it purely because I was so drawn to the album art.
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Some more recent examples of album artworksthat I love include Shygirl’s cover art for her album ALIAS, which transforms her usually-gorgeous face into this captivatingly grotesque and monstrous visage - like Cassandra from Doctor Who but with a cool eyebrow piercing.
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I also thought of all of the artwork for SOPHIE’s work, especially for some of her early tracks like “HARD” and “LEMONADE”. The 3D renderings perfectly suit the music they accompany as the super shiny, plastic textures of the slides evoke the hyper-artificial and playful sound of SOPHIE's music.
What did you listen to growing up?
Demon Days – Gorillaz
2005, Parlophone
2005, Parlophone
Artwork: Jamie Hewlett / Zombie Flesh Eaters
Some more recent examples of album artworksthat I love include Shygirl’s cover art for her album ALIAS, which transforms her usually-gorgeous face into this captivatingly grotesque and monstrous visage - like Cassandra from Doctor Who but with a cool eyebrow piercing.
ALIAS – Shygirl
2020, Because Music
2020, Because Music
I also thought of all of the artwork for SOPHIE’s work, especially for some of her early tracks like “HARD” and “LEMONADE.” The 3D renderings perfectly suit the music they accompany as the super shiny, plastic textures of the slides evoke the hyper-artificial and playful sound of SOPHIE's music.
I also thought of all of the artwork for SOPHIE’s work, especially for some of her early tracks like “HARD” and “LEMONADE”. The 3D renderings perfectly suit the music they accompany as the super shiny, plastic textures of the slides evoke the hyper-artificial and playful sound of SOPHIE's music.
What did you listen to growing up?
The music I listened to growing up was influenced quite a bit by my parents. My mum has been a George Michael superfan since she was a teenager so I listened to a lot of Wham!, as well as a lot of her other favourites like Chaka Khan, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston. My dad has a very varied music taste and loves anything from Radiohead to Faithless, both of which I still love to this day after spending many hours listening to them together in his van when he would drop me off at school or dance classes. Outside of my parents' influence, I always loved pop princesses when I was younger, particularly Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and Kylie Minogue.
And what’s on heavy rotation for you at the moment?
I make a playlist of new finds and old favourites that I have on repeat each month: when I said I make a lot of playlists earlier in my answers, I really meant it! My December playlist is currently a work in progress that includes Mitski (most of my playlists have some Mitski as I'm a bit of a self-proclaimed superfan - my instagram handle is the name of one of her songs!), Caroline Polachek, Sun Kil Moon, Car Seat Headrest, Kanye West, LCD Soundsystem and Hole.
What’s happening in your creative world at the moment?
Currently I am focused on learning how to tattoo, and will be making handpokes at Alright Tattoo in Brighton on Mondays starting in January. I also hope to get back into making more digital illustrations in the new year, as working on this project has got me inspired again!
Currently I am focused on learning how to tattoo, and will be making handpokes at Alright Tattoo in Brighton on Mondays starting in January. I also hope to get back into making more digital illustrations in the new year, as working on this project has got me inspired again!