Meet the Maker: Dave Buonaguidi

Dave Buonaguidi, AKA Real Hackney Dave is a Hackney-based artist who combines the visual and verbal language of advertising and propaganda with unique imagery and materials of found objects and ephemera.

In a previous life, Dave worked in advertising for over 35 years, founding several creative agencies including St. Luke’s, 4Creative and Karmarama.

He left advertising in 2019 to become a full-time artist after realising he was not meant to be part of a corporate world full of tossers.
He also played cricket for Italy.

Describe your printmaking process.

I may be a bit different to a lot of artists. I need more than just a pretty picture, because a pretty picture doesn’t mean anything unless it has a strong concept at the heart of it. So, I start with an idea. I have already created my ‘brand’ guidelines, so I know colours and fonts and tone of voice etc and I then come up with thoughts and ideas to bring to life. But the idea is everything. I was trained in the very competitive world of advertising for a long time and the idea is the most important part of the process and the technique you use to bring that to life is almost secondary.

I like to look at and then react to culture and what’s going on in the world because this immediately means I am creating work that may resonate more, and if it does that, I may have more of a chance of selling that work.

Once I have the idea, I design it in Illustrator or photoshop to get an idea of what the finished piece will look like and once happy I begin the printmaking process, of artwork pozzies, prepping screens and colours, and then actually print the work.

How and where did you learn to print?

I had a stint of gardening leave for a year when I walked out of a company I had founded.

I was so sick of my old life that I thought I needed to learn something new to start a new career. I did a one-day workshop at Printclub London and it literally changed my life and I just jumped in with both feet. I rented desk space in their studio and just spent the next year trying to improve technically and find my thing.

Why printmaking?

I just love it. I loved it when I went to college, but I only did it in foundation and as a stupid 20-year-old I didn’t continue. I guess I love mass production, the way to create many things in a short time appeals. I need to make money to fund my passion, and making more gives me better odds than making a painting over a few weeks, I have lots and lots of ideas and I want to make all of them. Mass production also helps to create better price points.

I like the split between preparation and action too, the discipline is good for me.

Where do you work?

I work out of my studio in Hackney Wick.

Describe a typical day in your studio.

I turn up at 9 am every day and stay until 7 or 8. It’s my job and I treat the studio as my office. The discipline and routine help me to get into ‘work’ mode.
Depending on what I’m working on, I will have different days, cleaning screens, preparing screens, thinking of ideas and producing ideas, and with lots of projects on the go at any one time, I can jump about if I need to or if I get bored.

How long have you been printmaking?

I did the course at Printclub in 2014, but only went full-time as a printmaker artist in 2020.

What inspires you?

Everything really, from things I see to things I hear, to things I do. Inspiration is everywhere for someone like me.

What is your favourite printmaking product?

Fluorescent pink ink from Screen tec. I wouldn’t exist without it.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I don’t hold onto stuff like that, once it’s made, it’s gone. I have lots of things I’m proud of, but nothing in particular, it feels a bit retrospective and I prefer getting excited by the next idea.

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell?

I sell my stuff on my site realhackneydave.com and also in a few galleries.
Clarendon Fine art
Jealous Gallery
The Drang
Nelly Duff
Printclub London
Electric gallery

What will we be seeing from you next?

I’ll let you know. Hhahhaha.

Do you have any advice for other printmakers and creatives?

Ask yourself why you’re doing it.

Be professional, not only with people you work with but importantly yourself. This is your career, and it's essential that you take it seriously.

Look at your competition and try to understand why they are good, and what they do that is better than you. Strive to improve and constantly progress technically and conceptually.

Do your homework, understand the financial side of it all and be professional with people you work with.