As a child
I was born in Chichester, West Sussex. While I was growing up, I spent much of my time playing in the dirt, making home-made catapults and drawing pictures. I was a big fan of the Beano, and enjoyed learning how to sketch the various characters. I think this might be where my penchant for drawing big, googly eyes on everything comes from! I also used to make my own comics, which would quite often feature caricatures of my teachers – and which, thankfully, were never confiscated, or else I would have got in a spot of bother!
As an adult
Although gaining a place to study science at university, I decided to go to art college instead, because I felt I wanted to do something more creative and expressive. I then went on to do a BA in Graphic Design at Newcastle, where I spent all my time making pictures, and so rather than become a graphic designer, I decided to become an illustrator. While doing bits of freelance work, I went on to study for an MA in Illustration at Central St Martin's, which was fantastic, as I felt I’d finally found my true vocation! I learnt an awful lot there. Other jobs I have done alongside my art include working on a lettuce farm, in a teapot factory, in a chocolate factory, in a perfume factory, in a bookshop, in a theatre, behind a bar, and delivering newspapers.
As an artist
I like to use all sorts of different media in my pictures: pencils, paint, pens, ink, pieces of collage, biros, photocopiers, cameras, computers, bits of stick, old toothbrushes, hair, leaves – anything I feel will give me the effect I want. I’ve always been a messy drawer, and I like my illustrations to appear as fresh and spontaneous as possible. I love the way that a few lines of pencil, and a collaged piece of papers, can suddenly become a mountain, some ice cream, or a funny face with big googly eyes – the possibilities are endless…!
Things you didn't know about Neal Layton
- Donkeys are my favourite animal.
- And rabbits.
- And bears.
- And most other animals, apart from fleas and sea lampreys.
- I ride a skateboard around Southsea, and own five.
- I have a collection of nodding dogs.
- I also collect children’s books (about 500 at last count).
- I have a teddy bear called Joshua Moses.
- My car is called Rusty, and is red with flames painted on it. It has a top speed of 65mph.
- As a child, I always wanted to be an astronaut and I still wonder what it would be like to stand on the moon and look back at Earth.