Jonathan Costall
Instagram: @atelier_costall
What is your story of fascination with football?
I started going to watch Leicester City with my Dad in the early 90’s and loved the energy in the stands and terraces. We had season tickets when Martin O’Neil was managing the team, which is now considered a golden era for the club. I was lucky that I got to see so many players which are now considers greats in the Premier League.
Do you create football art professionally or is it a hobby?
My 9 to 5 is working as an Art Technician, and I also run Printmaking workshops.
When I am commissioned to make football art, I normally must do it in the evenings after I have finished my main job. Like many other people working in art and illustration I have a few strings to my bow.
What football event or story has made an unforgettable impression on you?
As a Leicester fan it can only be one event really. When we won the Premier League in 2015-2016, so many amazing games and results happened that season.
One of my favour moments of that season was when Mahrez scored at home against Chelsea (the one where he turns Azpilicueta inside out) this moment made me think we could win the league.
The Foxes winning the Premier League inspired me to do my first football portrait, it was of Claudio Ranieri and that is still one of my favourite prints. Mostly because it was such a big step forward for me stylistically and in terms of subject matter, previously I had not done any portrait work before.
Do you attend the stadium, and if so, which team’s matches do you try to get to?
I can be found at the King Power stadium cheering on Leicester City.
What are your interests besides football and art?
Could you highlight a few of your works that make you especially proud and explain why?
The way I make my artwork is different from most other Football Artists, I use Linocut printmaking to make the portraits. Once I have made my drawing I transfered the image on the lino block and carved out of the block using small handtools. I then use a printing press to hand make each print. Because I use these traditional skills that my work has an individual look.
This was the first football art I ever made. It will always have special place in my heart.
I spent a long time working on this one during lock down. I was a very creative period for me and a I feel that I made some big steps forward with my work.
This is the first time I feel that I have translated a digital sketch successfully into a linocut print. It is very loose, but I feel that it has so much energy.
Who are your favourite football artists?
Share a funny story that happened to you personally or that you witnessed (not necessarily related to football).
I was doing a workshop about a Japanese artist and I asked the participants to think of something which they would associate with Japan. One of them said the Great Wall of China.