TARA FITZPATRICK TALKS ILLUSTRATOR TO STEWART BREMNER

THE man behind the graphics of Yes Scotland has designed a new range of Scots Language prints aiming to celebrate the nation’s historic culture.

Stewart Bremner, a graphic designer and illustrator from Edinburgh, has created the range, which includes famous sayings such as “haud yer weesht” and “gie it laldy”, after falling in love with Scots culture during the independence referendum.

Bremner said: “Through my time in education we were never taught any of our own country’s culture, so I began to look into it a lot more.

“I came up with the idea to make a calendar with 12 Scots phrases but I had to choose carefully. I lot of Scots sayings can be very colourful, I had to ask ‘would my granny want this on her wall?’ If the answer was no then I left it out.

“But I then realised people were actually quite keen on the more colourful phrases. Everyone’s first reaction is always to laugh but there’s also a recognition and a familiarity with the old sayings.”

Bremner, who is also an abstract painter, has now created 30 creative poster prints, magnets and cards each with a different Scots phrase.

Bremner hopes that everyone will be able to find their favourite Scots phrase among the multi-coloured designs.

He said: “It’s not just me who has found a new appreciation for Scots culture. People have been interested in my work from teenagers right up the age range.”

The idea for Scottish-related graphic art came to Bremner when he decided to get involved in the Yes Scotland movement back in 2013.

“It was actually my wife who inspired me,” he says. “I wanted to get involved in the referendum but I’ve never been someone who would go knocking on doors or that sort of thing. Then my wife said I had other skills so I started to incorporate my illustrations into politics. I looked at the Yes Scotland website and thought I could do better. When I contacted them they said yes right away!”

Since October 2013, Bremner created more than 1200 graphics for the Yes Scotland website.

“We tried to get the message across with designs that would appeal to almost anyone. I actually know some No voters who have said they liked the designs, even if they didn’t agree with a Yes vote. I also think it helped to attract people to the campaign who may not have otherwise engaged.”

While the artworks made during the referendum were designed to inspire hope, Bremner admits that politics no longer feels as optimistic as his designs.

“I think politics has been really dark, but I want politics to be something everyone can get behind”.

Now Bremner is more focused on Scottish culture than Scottish politics as he believes it is a better way to unite people with common ground. He said: “I love that the first reaction to the Scots sayings is to laugh.”

However, he thinks the difference between the cultural and the political is less distinct than it may initially appear.

“I think the more engaged we are with our country’s culture the more passionate we will be about our country’s politics. The more inspired we are in our country as a whole means there is more chance in a future Yes vote for independence.”