Awesome Artists We’ve Found Around The Net: Sam Gilbey

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

For years, Awesome Art We've Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net." In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at [email protected].This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of… 

Sam Gilbey

Sam Gilbey has been drawing for as long as he can remember, and illustrating professionally since 2004. His distinctive painterly illustrations have been featured in books, magazines, comics, and exhibitions worldwide, and also on television.

Over the years Sam has created artwork for a wide range of clients including Adidas, Activision, Apple, Audi, BBC, British Airways, CollegeHumor, Disney, Edgar Wright, Empire Magazine, Esquire, GQ, Gymshark, The Guardian, Lucasfilm, Manga UK, Marvel Studios, Paramount Pictures, Picturehouse Cinemas, Playstation, 20th Century Fox, SciFiNow, Sony Pictures, STUDIOCANAL, Total Film, Twitter, Virgin Atlantic, Walt Disney Studios, Wired, and Working Title.

He has produced officially licensed pop culture artwork for properties including Alien, The Avengers, Bob's Burgers, Call of Duty, Captain Marvel, Die Hard, Monty Python, The Muppets, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Godfather, The Karate Kid, Spider-Man, and Universal Studios.

JoBlo: What got you started as an artist?
Gilbey: I’ve been compelled to draw and create for as long as I can remember, so I can’t ever remember starting as such. As a kid, I drew every day after school, and I think that was probably really important in terms of building the skills I needed.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
I didn’t know who painted it at the time, but Thomas William Chantrell’s Star Wars poster had a huge impact on me. It’s just so evocative and atmospheric and I distinctly remember gazing at it for what seemed like hours. Later on, I discovered John Romita, Sr. via his work on Spider-Man comics and that blew my mind in a different way, with how expressive and dynamic his poses were.

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
There are just so many. I love art of all kinds, not just within pop culture, so it seems crazy to try and single some out, because I wouldn’t want to offend any peers who read this and were disappointed not to get a shoutout. So even if that seems like I’m trying to avoid the question, really the best thing to do would be to look at the artists I follow on Instagram and follow them too!

What advice would you have for budding artists today?

Always remember that the impetus to make art should come naturally and it should be fun, but equally don’t forget that making art, and being truly dedicated to it, is also hard work. You’re unlikely to have an overnight success, so try to put those thoughts out of your mind, and really just put your efforts into creating work, and evolving and honing your signature style. Fans, and commissions, will come in time.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?

I have several posters on the way, whether they’re just waiting for a release date, or are part way through painting, or have just been approved in sketch form for me to start properly. I’ve been very fortunate to have remained extremely busy through 2020 with client work, but that put posters on the back-burner for a while. It feels good to finally be getting my ducks in a row for the end of the year and into 2021.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?

My favorite movies probably won’t come as much surprise! It’s the classics like Star Wars and the films of Steven Spielberg like Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T. and Jurassic Park. It’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, it’s Back to the Future, it’s…pretty much everything! I love(d) going to see blockbusters on the biggest screen possible, but I also love plenty of indie stuff too.

As for shows, Spaced probably takes the all-time top spot (because it spoke to me so much at the time), then it’s Seinfeld, Curb, Parks and Rec, but also Stranger Things, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul. 

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Sam as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Tumblr / Behance / Vimeo / Store 

Alien
Avengers: Endgame

Back To The Future

Big Trouble In Little China

The Boys

Dead Poets Society 

Die Hard

Escape From New York

The Godfather

Hellboy

Jaws

Jurassic Park

Knives Out

Lord of the Rings

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Princess Mononoke

Spaced

Stranger Things

The Warriors