“It's not an optical illusion, it just looks like one.” —May

Richard May was born in 1976 in London, UK. He graduated with a BA (Honors) in Illustration and animation at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Richard has been illustrating since 1998, working for diverse range of clients, such as British Airways, Financial Times, Wired and Ray Gun. “I regularly do covers for New Scientist magazine over here in the UK. I've also created covers for Computer Arts, Macusers, Design Week, Moving Pictures and various other magazines,” comments Richard.

Richard finds inspiration in Natasha Meritt, surfstation.lu, Chuck Palanhiuk (author of the novel Fight Club), his girlfriend and friend Jason (abernaut.com, pixelsurgeon).
And questioned about what type of software and techniques he uses in his photography work, he replied, “I use old polaroid Instamatic cameras, cheap fun cameras, an old fully-manual Pentax 1000, and basically, the cheaper the better! As for illustration, I use photocopies, stolen junk, a G4 466 with an Espon GT -12000 scanner, photoshop, and lots of Luck!”

He has an online gallery at richard-may.com, and has a special art exhibit “38 DAYS WITHOUT A FIGHT” on March 2001, which can be viewed at 38days.com. He designed both richard-may.com and 38days.com, with coding and construction by his friend Jason, using Adobe GO live. “So I know what works and what doesn't work to a small degree, and I know exactly how I want things to look. I'm not a web designer by any stretch of the imagination. I rely on talented people to do my bidding,...(laughs).”

Additional note: Presently, after a year has past since this review, Richard May had just co-launch Pixelsurgeon (with other members Rina and Abernaut), and his site has garnered him international online success. His news portal has proven to be an entertaining web space focused on design and film. Go visit the ever-funky and humorous Pixelsurgeon!