I am a professional illustrator with a career spanning three decades. In my capacity as an Approved Artist for the Walt Disney Company, I have illustrated many books and periodicals as well as providing artwork for consumer products and various style-guides. My other freelance work has also embraced comic strips, character design, logos and even corporate ID.
I provide the complete service, from Concept/Layout through Pencils and Inks to Colour. I am proficient in both traditional and digital media, though I work mostly digitally now.
I trained at the West Surrey College of Art & Design (now University for the Creative Arts), graduating in 1990.
In 1994 I was fortunate to be offered a job with Character Magic Ltd, a studio run by the renowned Kim Raymond, that specialised in producing Licensed Character Art, mainly Disney. I started as an Inker but moved quickly to Background Artist. Most of the projects we worked on were for new movie licenses or the Disney Classics, so I gained extensive experience painting in many different styles.
In 1996, I joined the Disney Training programme and started honing my skills in character creation. Guided by some of the best artists in the world, I found the whole experience both inspiring and challenging. I also realised that being a Disney character artist is a role far more difficult than it looks, requiring years to master.
In 1997, I decided to take the plunge into freelance work. It was perhaps a bit early, professionally speaking, but it was driven by personal circumstances. Thankfully, I managed to make it work and remained fully employed for many years.
In May 2002, I received an award from The Walt Disney Company for ‘Best Winnie The Pooh Artist for Publishing, 2001’. It was a real surprise and a lovely gesture from them, especially as it helped me build an international reputation. I then started receiving commissions from all over the world and was given some excel
In January 2010, I was asked by Disney Consumer Products EMEA to write an Artist Training on the E.H.Shepard style of Winnie-The-Pooh. Thinking back to 1996, it was a rare moment of feeling I'd come full circle. It was a daunting task, not least for someone who considers himself a perpetual student, but I was honoured to be asked, and thankfully, it proved to be a success.
Since then, I have worked on a wide range of projects for various clients in the Brands and Licensing sector, which has kept me creatively engaged and expanded my experience.
So, I’ve been here for thirty-two years, twenty-nine of which as a freelancer, still paying my dues and always aiming to improve. Although the world changes and AI technology might soon eliminate the need for services like mine, until then, I'll see what comes my way.
Andrew Grey, March 2026.
