His words:

“If you study graphics or illustration, my most serious piece of advice to you would be to stop looking at my stuff for inspiration as soon as possible. If you want to be genuinely inspired or influenced by what I do, then look outside the tiny and insignificant bubble that is contemporary illustration. Watch films, read books, look at other forms of art and design, learn about what’s going on around you - anything that takes you outside illustration. Despite of what your tutors may tell you, as an illustration student, referencing and studying other contemporary illustrators’ work is not only going to damage your own work, but it will only help to homogenize and water down illustration as a whole. There is a big problem with illustration students at the moment - they are spending too much time referencing and copying other illustrators’ work, and this will end their career before it has a chance to start. You might as well get a job in McDonalds.”

Thanks for the advice sir!