Manchester merch market.

Following on from our time working together on Twitter Listening Parties and Kendal Calling Festival, I created a poster for Tim Burgess’ Merch Market, and went along on the weekend to not only sell my own prints, but also do a few drawings and document the event!

Colorful digital graphic poster for a merch market event on May 25, 2025, featuring a stylized illustration of a person with a backpack, holding a t-shirt with '0% commission, 100% to the bands', surrounded by text promoting stalls, live sets, DJs, i
Poster for the Merch Market event on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at O2 Ritz Manchester, Gorilla, Dog Bowl, and Tim Peaks Diner. Features a list of performers and activities including stalls, live sets, DJs, interviews, panels, and more, with the website he
Close-up of magazines on a store rack, with the top magazine titled 'Indie' and others related to electronics, featuring a cartoon person wearing sunglasses. The background is blurred with colorful lights and people shopping.
A display of vinyl records with a prominent album cover featuring an illustrated face of a woman with eyes looking sideways, in orange and black colors, in a record store or music shop.
Artwork and posters displayed on a table at an event, featuring animated illustrations of people and police officers.
Flyer for Ben the Illustrator featuring the artist holding a colorful drawing, surrounded by various art and music-themed illustrations, with a yellow sign below indicating A3 art prints priced at £30.
A sketch of two people wearing baseball caps, holding microphones and water bottles, standing in front of a background with large letters spelling 'OBI'.
A simple line drawing of two people sitting and talking. One person is on the left, holding a phone, and the other on the right, reading a book and wearing glasses.
A line drawing of a person singing into a microphone on stage, wearing glasses and a hat, with another person playing guitar beside them. Stage lighting is depicted with lines radiating from above.
Sketch of a stage performance with three characters on stage, curtains on the sides, and an audience in front, with various signs and objects such as umbrellas, books, and signs with names like 'Nell,' 'Bis,' 'Ben the Illustrator,' and 'Doves'.
A hand-drawn sketch of a person with long hair singing into a microphone and playing an acoustic guitar, wearing striped clothing.
Stylized digital illustration of a woman with long dark hair singing into a microphone and playing an acoustic guitar on a stage with purple and pink lighting.

Stylized digital illustration of a woman with long dark hair singing into a microphone and playing an acoustic guitar on a stage with purple and pink lighting.

Illustration of a person wearing a hat holding a microphone and singing or speaking under a vibrant, colorful background with abstract lines and dotted patterns.

Illustration of a person wearing a hat holding a microphone and singing or speaking under a vibrant, colorful background with abstract lines and dotted patterns.

Line drawing of a train front view with plants flanking the bottom corners and a signature at the lower right corner reading 'Level Bot 2025'.
Line drawing of a cozy indoor scene with two chairs, a table, a large window with a tree outside, a hanging lamp, and a standing lamp beside one of the chairs.
Minimalist line drawing of two people in a bar or café with shelves of bottles above, a counter, a sink, and a cozy chair with a pillow in the foreground.
Line drawing of a city street with three bus stops, pedestrians, cars, trees, and a building in the background, with

A little note :

“What can’t AI do?”

I have been pondering the threats of AI, as we all have, and thinking how to beat it, asking myself... what can't AI do??

Firstly, it can't hand-craft anything, but for me as a digital artist that's perhaps not my advantage against the robots. And secondly, from what I've seen, AI is short on great ideas, real sparky visual concepts with originality, integrity and authenticity. So this year I'm dedicating a little extra to concepts and great, original, human ideas.

If you’d like to work together then please do get in touch!