Maker Monday: An aspire Exclusive Interview With Patrick Vale

Patrick Vale is a British-born artist, illustrator, and muralist internationally recognized for his intricately hand-drawn architectural landscapes and immersive cityscapes that merge fine art, storytelling, and urban observation. Originally from Bristol, England, Vale studied at Central Saint Martins in London, where he developed his signature precision-driven freehand drawing style rooted in technical draftsmanship and emotional narrative. Working entirely by hand, his large-scale works capture the density, rhythm, and atmosphere of contemporary cities with extraordinary detail, exploring themes of architecture, memory, movement, and human presence. Over the past decade, Patrick has exhibited internationally and collaborated with leading cultural institutions, brands, and public spaces across the worlds of art, design, and architecture, while also creating major public murals and site-specific installations around the world. He currently lives and works from his studio in Brooklyn, New York. Meet Patrick Vale and his hand-drawn approach to architecture, cities, and storytelling in today’s Maker Monday.

Andrew Joseph: What inspired you to become an artist?
Patrick Vale: I have been an obsessive draughtsman since a very early age; drawing was always my primary way of processing the world. As a child, I remember seeing a book of Ralph Steadman’s work, and I had always enjoyed Quentin Blake’s illustrations. I realized that my own drawings looked a bit like theirs — I naturally used a loose and energetic line. I think that was the moment I realized I might have the skill to actually give it a shot. Around that time, my dad was traveling to the States quite a bit and would come back with photographs of U.S. cities. To me, growing up in the U.K., they looked so completely different — almost like movie sets. I felt compelled to make drawings of them. In later years, drawing New York City was exactly what I became known for. It is funny how those early seeds get planted.

AJ: How do you approach a new project?
PV: These days, I am working on a lot more large-scale projects that tell stories about specific places and the people who live there, so my process involves spending a lot of time just walking and looking. I go on walking tours (some better than others!) and listen to history podcasts. I speak to the people I encounter and try to absorb as much as possible. Often, I will draw all the information I am learning as I go and dump it into one massive, layered drawing. Those narratives overlap and create these fantastic, serendipitous moments. From there, I zoom into the piece and pull out crops, which ultimately inform the final design.

AJ: Can you describe a project that you’re particularly proud of?
PV: I recently wrapped up a project in Philadelphia that I am incredibly proud of. It is a mural in a subway area under the iconic Lit Brothers Building in Center City, at 8th and Market streets. For this piece, I collaborated with six young artists from La Salle Academy. I asked them to react to the sentence “This is my Philly,” and had them create drawn posters based on their responses. The final piece features my painted portraits of these kids holding up their original drawings. Capturing their youthful enthusiasm and absolute pride for their city was a profoundly moving experience.

AJ: What is the most challenging project you’ve worked on and how did you overcome it?
PV: A project called “Drawing Alley” was incredibly challenging. It was a floor mural that spanned an entire city block. My work relies so heavily on that fast, loose, kinetic line work I developed early on, and trying to sustain that specific physical intensity across an entire city block — while painting directly on the ground — was incredibly demanding on my body. It tested my endurance completely. I overcame it by treating the installation almost like an athletic event. I had to get my entire body into the sweeping motions of the lines and really pace myself to push through it.

AJ: Can you tell us about a specific moment in your career that made you feel accomplished?
PV: I have been a huge fan of Roman Mars’ iconic podcast, “99% Invisible” for ages. When he reached out about making drawings for his debut book, The 99% Invisible City, I was absolutely thrilled. To have a voice like his respect my drawings of urban environments, and want them to help tell those stories, was a massive, validating moment for me.

AJ: What is your favorite place to find inspiration?
PV: Because my practice is so rooted in drawing from life and capturing what I see, I really only need to step outside my studio. One of my favorite places to draw is the NYC subway. I get a real thrill from trying to capture someone in a very short amount of time. There is no time to overthink; you just use your eyes and draw. It is incredible practice and keeps my skills sharp. I also love looking at cities from rooftop height. I am constantly on the lookout for elevated subway rides or rooftops I can get access to. There is a stretch of the F train here in Brooklyn around Gowanus that is pretty amazing from above — I just wish I could step off the train mid-air and spend time drawing there!

AJ: What is your favorite aspect of your job?
PV: Simply put: that I get to draw every single day. The fact that I get to tell stories with my drawings, and sometimes even make a tangible impact on people’s lives — that is an absolute privilege.

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