If you live in Stirling, it’s possible you walk past David Galletly in the street every day without realising.
But there’s no doubt you’ve seen his artwork.
As part of Stirling’s 900th anniversary celebrations, the 41-year-old’s distinctive illustrations of famous landmarks and faces are emblazoned on a 30-foot long mural just outside the railway station, as well as on banners around the city centre.
His playful prints and cards are sold alongside the work of other local artists and crafters in King Street’s Made in Stirling shop.
And if you decide to treat yourself to a tin of Made in Scotland-branded biscuits decorated with an eye-catching line drawing of the city’s iconic skyline… Well, David drew that, too.
Over the years, the artist’s work has become synonymous with his hometown, which is why he was asked to take on the Stirling 900 mural project.
There were lots of meetings about what the artwork should include, he says, and ideas came from members of the public of all ages.
But, when you admire the vast and intricate mural, with all of its many delightful details, it’s clear someone who knows and loves Stirling created it with great care.
Each element of the piece – every building, monument and historical figure – was drawn and coloured separately by hand, using an Apple Pencil and an iPad.
Though it might sound laborious, David says this approach saved him time, as he could easily move buildings and add trees or take them away. It made designing the Stirling 900 banners an easier job, too.
“That must go back to my graphic design education,” he smiles.
“It was always ‘keep your layers in Photoshop in tact’, rather than just ‘do a painting’.”
A ‘misstep’ and a new path
As a younger man, graphic design wasn’t even on his radar.
He says there was a presumption that he would go on to study art at university. But then “a misstep” set him on a different path.
He applied to study fine art at Glasgow School of Art, but didn’t get in.
“That was a wee bit of a shock to me – I was kind of used to everything just working out,” he says with a wry grin.
“When it came to putting together an art portfolio, it wasn’t as good as it should have been because I just didn’t put the effort in,” he says.
‘Graphic design suited me’
Staying in Stirling, David ended up studying a degree course in graphic design at Falkirk College.
His degree helped him hone his signature cartoon style – quirky but commercially appealing, speaking to a wide audience.
As a result, David has worked for large companies and organisations over the years, including the NHS, The List magazine, and Edinburgh brewery Innis & Gunn.
He is also responsible for much of the art direction for independent Scottish record label Lost Map Records, and relishes collaborating with creative people on album artwork and other music-related designs.
How a distinctive style all started in Cambusbarron Library
David says he takes “fairly direct influence” from other artists, and describes his own style as “an amalgamation of a few people”.
The first of these he discovered as a wee boy in Stirling, while attending St Ninian’s Primary.
“I remember finding Calvin and Hobbes in Cambusbarron Library, and that kind of blowing my mind,” he laughs.
Other influences include Tom Gauld, a cartoonist and illustrator from Aberdeenshire, and Irish architect Nigel Peake, who studied at the University of Edinburgh.
Becoming ‘the Stirling artist guy’ – with pleasure
But the elaborate cityscapes and striking portraits David has become known for are instantly recognisable as his work.
His Stirling 900 mural illustration of Dunblane tennis star Andy Murray is unquestionably Sir Andy, but also unquestionably drawn by David Galletly.
And, these days, he is probably best known as “the Stirling artist guy” – a label he has no issue with.
“I’d rather it be me than somebody else,” he laughs.
“I’d probably be jealous if somebody else was covering the town in their pictures.”
Though David and his wife Alex lived in Glasgow for a stretch, they decided to raise their young family in Stirling. David’s elder daughter now goes to St Ninian’s Primary, just like he did.
“Most of my work is coming from Stirling these days. I never thought that would be the case,” the artist admits.
“I always hoped that I wouldn’t just use it as a place to email out from to the rest of the world. And it’s working out.”
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