All David Besplug’s work is done freehand; he uses no aids (compasses, French curves, straight edges, measuring devices, etc.) to create his art. Each of his pieces is carefully designed by eye and laid out in pencil, then completed in liquid ink and/or micro-tip pens.
He started playing with this style shortly after graduating from high school in 2009. “At first, they were just doodles that I would do while listening to music,” he says. “They would develop differently depending on the music I was listening to.” He has synesthesia—that is, he associates colours and designs with things that typically don’t have colours, in this case, music—and tries to use that influence in his art whenever possible. Many of his pieces are an attempt to portray music in a visual sense.
He also takes inspiration in everything from classic board games to vehicle taillights to lingerie. Playing cards are a current project: he is working on drawing a full deck. “There are so many satisfying designs in this world if we take a second to notice them,” he says.
