Artist Spotlight: Nic Price – The Art Machine Behind Liquor Store Fine Art
For this installment of our Artist Spotlight series, we sit down with Nic Price, also known creatively as AnDY Lucius, an independent artist whose work draws heavily from horror films, comic books, modern art, and decades of pop-culture inspiration. Working primarily with ink and pen on paper, Nic has developed a distinctive visual style built around bold shading, expressive linework, and original tribal-inspired designs. Calling himself “The Art Machine,” Nic is constantly creating, experimenting, and evolving. We spoke with him about his influences, creative process, commissions, and why he believes original artwork will always offer collectors something mass-produced merchandise simply cannot: soul.
- For readers discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe yourself as an artist and the type of artwork you create?
I have been making art since I was about two years old, so creating has really been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have always been into horror films, cool comics, and pop culture, and you can definitely see those influences throughout my work.
I primarily work with inks and ink pens on paper. I have developed quite a few different styles over the years, and I never want to become stuck doing only one thing. I am always experimenting, learning, and trying to evolve as an artist while still maintaining the elements that make my work recognizable as mine.
- What originally inspired you to become an artist, and when did you realize art was something you wanted to pursue seriously?
At school, there really wasn’t much else that interested me in the same way art did. Art was something that came naturally to me, and I realized that I was good at it and genuinely enjoyed doing it.
I also make music, but I consider music more of a hobby. Art is different. Art is something I take very seriously and something I have continued to dedicate myself to throughout my life.
- How would you describe your artistic style, and what influences—artists, comics, movies, music, pop culture, or personal experiences—have helped shape it?
My style comes from a huge mixture of influences. I love watching great films and television, and I am constantly taking inspiration from different areas of pop culture. Comic book artwork has always been a major influence on me as well.
At the same time, I study all kinds of artists and artistic movements. My influences can range from artists such as Picasso and Jackson Pollock to comic artists and modern contemporary artwork. I like being exposed to completely different approaches because it gives me new ideas and helps me continue developing my own visual language.
- Can you walk us through your creative process, from the first idea or sketch to the finished piece?
My process can vary depending on what I am creating. Sometimes I will begin with a traditional sketch and then go directly into the inks. Other times, I will sketch something, scan it into my iPad, work on the inks digitally, print it, and then continue working over the printed piece with traditional ink.
I like having the freedom to combine traditional and digital techniques instead of limiting myself to one process. Ultimately, I use whatever approach helps me get the image in my head onto the page.
- What details or techniques do you put into your work that you feel make an original AnDY Lucius piece immediately recognizable?
First of all, my actual name is Nic Price—AnDY is a nickname! My shading and overall drawing style are quite unique, and I think those are some of the first things people recognize in my work.
My tribal artwork in particular is completely my own creation and something I have developed in my own way. The way I approach lines, shading, patterns, and composition gives the artwork a personality that is very much mine. I try to make sure that even when I explore different subjects or styles, there is still something unmistakably Nic Price about the finished piece.
- Of all the pieces you have created, which ones are you most proud of, and what makes those particular works meaningful to you?
The pieces I am most proud of are the ones that feel like they have life in them. When a piece has soul, beauty, personality, and displays the skill that went into creating it, that is what makes it special to me.
Those are the works where everything seems to come together and the finished artwork feels like more than just an image on paper.
- Do you offer original artwork, prints, commissions, or other products, and what options are currently available for collectors who want to own your work?
Yes. I sell artwork through my eBay store as well as through my own art website. I also take commissions, which often come to me through word of mouth or through people contacting me on Facebook.
There are different ways for collectors to discover my work, purchase available pieces, or reach out if they would like something created specifically for them.
- For someone considering commissioning a piece from you, how does the process work, and what kinds of subjects or ideas do you especially enjoy creating?
It is pretty straightforward. Someone messages me, tells me what they would like me to create, and then I get to work on it. I like to get commissions completed and back to the customer as quickly as I reasonably can while still making sure the finished artwork is right.
As far as subject matter goes, it can really be anything. I enjoy the challenge of taking somebody else’s idea and finding a way to interpret it through my own style.
- Why do you think owning original artwork—or purchasing directly from an independent artist—offers collectors something different from mass-produced artwork and merchandise?
Because it has soul!
Original artwork has something that mass-produced artwork simply cannot duplicate. You are getting something that another person actually sat down and created with their own hands, ideas, personality, and experience behind it. There is a connection to the artist and the creative process that makes owning an original piece much more personal.
- Where can readers see more of your work, contact you about commissions, and purchase your available artwork—and is there anything new or exciting coming up that collectors should watch for?
You can follow my artwork and contact me through my social media pages, visit my website, or check out the artwork I currently have available through eBay.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/andy.lucius
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/liquorstorecustomart73
Purchase Art on eBay:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/nicholasl_13
Official Website – Liquor Store Fine Art:
https://liquorstorefineart.com/
As for what is coming next, I am always making new art. There is constantly another idea, another drawing, and another piece on the way.
I am The Art Machine!
Nic Price’s passion for creating is immediately apparent—not only in the sheer amount of artwork he produces, but in his determination to continue experimenting and evolving. From horror and comics to modern art and pop culture, Nic pulls inspiration from seemingly everywhere and transforms it through an unmistakably personal approach to ink, shading, and design. For collectors who value artwork created with personality, individuality, and, as Nic puts it, “soul,” there is always something new emerging from The Art Machine. Be sure to follow Nic’s work through Liquor Store Fine Art, his social media channels, and eBay to see what he creates next.
