Tim McDonagh was asked to develop an epic illustration for the Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician, poet, composer, and songwriter, Tim Minchin's 2025 tour.
There was a moment on the first Zoom call where Tim Minchin was scrolling through Tim McDonagh's work and exclaimed "Jesus Christ, mate, that tiger illustration is fucking mental". We knew then, this was going to be a special project!
Recognising Tim (McDonagh's) talent for maximalist masterpieces, Tim's only instruction was to "just go with it" and not to treat this like a commercial project, but rather expand on and evolve the idea with freedom.
As the illustration developed, Tim began to include lots of 'easter eggs' - nodding to the Australian musician's personality, experiences and childhood memories. At this point, we left the two Tims to it, and thanks to an inbox full of reference photos (including Tim Minchin posing on top of his piano), our Tim quickly brought the vast composition together with his signature mastery of the ink pen. Feedback was a delight, with two brilliant creative minds coming together to create a truly fantastical world.
The project wrapped, just in time for the enormous 20 meter wide backdrop to be printed and ready for the UK tour. The artwork also adorns the piano cover, programme and tour merchandise.
Finally, Tim McDonagh's work could be viewed at a size appropriate to see every detail.
Thanks to both Tims, and Tim Minchin's designer Neil for such a fun project conducted in a truly collaborative manner.
