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InspirationIllustration

Illustrator Lumps injects a mouthful of grinning teeth into his quirky, grotesque drawings

As you browse through the delicious works of Lumps, aka Sam Drew, a Windsor-based illustrator with a seriously active imagination, it becomes immediately clear that he has a thing for grinning teeth. Not a gentle smile, you understand. Something that's slightly sinister. Because Lumps loves to transform just about anything into a grinning gremlin.

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A grotesque illustration of a pink cigarette packet with its lid open, revealing an oversized grinning mouth with prominent white teeth and a dark purple interior

From classic paintings that undergo a disturbing makeover (Mona Lisa is now definitely grinning) to the addition of disturbing teeth on everyday objects such as cigarette packets, stereos and alarm clocks. There's even a piece of sushi that has sprung to life, with a huge gaping mouth revealing a dash of wasabi on the character's uvula. Gross.

But why the smiling theme? "For some reason, the smile has always been there," says Sam. "I was in my girlfriend's flat last summer and decided to draw the weirdest character I could, it turned out with the smile and I really liked it.

"Usually, I will look at objects or designs around me and give them emotions or turn them into characters, other times I will just start drawing shapes and see where it goes."

Sam studied Industrial Design at Loughborough University but didn't enjoy it, so after graduation he went freelance and opted for a career in illustration instead. So far, he's been commissioned to create web designs and branding for a range of clients, and has started to make a name for himself on Instagram. Discover more of his work via his online portfolio.

Anthropomorphic orange sushi character with prominent grinning teeth wielding chopsticks as weapons against a dark blue background, surrounded by floating red sushi pieces
Surreal illustration of a grinning mouth-faced machine with a brain on top, surrounded by bizarre inventions and objects on a purple factory floor
Red grotesque character with wide grinning teeth sitting on a skateboard against a turquoise background, by illustrator Lumps
Quirky illustration of a chaotic bedroom scene filled with anthropomorphic objects featuring grinning teeth, including stereos, speakers, vinyl records and other electronics with grotesque smiling faces against a pink and purple background
Lumps' artwork showing a grotesque alarm clock character with a wide grinning mouth and bared teeth in pink and purple, with small legs and clock bells on top, against a light blue background
Cheerful character wearing a green jacket and black beanie with an exaggerated grinning smile, jumping with champagne bottle, surrounded by colourful confetti and text reading "KIBO RUN
Cartoon character with a gaping mouth full of teeth, boxing gloves and a megaphone, wearing a brown jacket and blue shirt against a bright blue background
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