• [Dailystar Icon]
• Real Life
• Exclusives

'I ditched my 9-5 corporate job and now I'm working on The Last of Us'

EXCLUSIVE: Tom Wells, aka Tom Welly Wells, binned off his high-flying office job for something more creative. He's now rubbed shoulders with The Last Of Us cast thanks to skills he picked up on YouTube

[Tom]

This bloke ditched the suit for spray paint - and it's changed his life(Image: Supplied)

A bloke revealed how he managed to quit the corporate rat race to become a huge TikTok star - and now helped create art for hit show The Last of Us.

Tom Wells, 36, from Devon, worked his way up the career ladder from a young age. He specialised in sales and marketing before bagging a top notch role as Director of an international signage and graphics company.

Hounded by never-ending KPIs, the years of micromanagement and a stifling of his creativity in the corporate world, the office job wasn't quite cutting it for Tom anymore.

However, while on a trip to Rome, he watched a street artist spray painting and Tom quickly found himself inspired. With nothing but a fiver to spend on some art supplies and a flurry of YouTube videos, Tom started to doodle and spray paint.

[Tom]

Tom, known as Tom Welly Wells, ditched a corporate career for one on TikTok

As someone who 'hated' art in school, Tom never was an artist at heart. But, he started to realise his passion so began tracking his progress on social media.

Before he knew it, Tom would start to get the attention of hundreds, then thousands and eventually millions with his spray painting videos in his shed.

He's now racked up more than 2.2million TikTok followers and even landed a gig to draw a massive piece for the release of hit post-apocalypse TV show The Last of Us, which he met the cast of at the recent season two premiere.

[Tom]

Tom bagged a job designing art for The Last Of Us(Image: Supplied)

Tom is now on a mission to inspire others with spray painting, proving it's not just something used by vandals in an underpass - but can get you rubbing shoulders with the biggest names on the planet.

In an exclusive chat, Tom told us: "My first viral post was one of my most simple types of creations, a planet painting. And I love that!

"What made me feel so uplifted by reaching so many people was how many got into spray paint art off the back of it and to this day I know artists that are making their own careers off the back of my videos, how awesome is that?

[Tom]

He's landed several big brand deals since he started posting on TikTok(Image: Supplied)

"To name a few projects that stand out would be travelling to the USA to paint someone's entire basement, creating the launch artwork for The Last Of Us TV show, travelling to Serbia to meet my art idol and more recently starting my community called The Canvas Vandals.

"I have already lined up a secondary school that I am running a workshop in so this will be a great achievement for me, I cant wait to spark some creativity in a school classroom setting."

Although Tom didn't expect to become a TikTok superstar, he now posts videos as his full-time job.

[Tom]

Tom manages to get some humour into his pieces...(Image: Supplied)

It comes at a time where many people, in particular Gen Z and Millennials, are packing in the 9-5 in a bid to become influencers or 'content creators'.

The global content creation industry, where people post on social media, is worth $32.26 billion as of 2024. It's expected to explode even further, reaching $117.51 billion by 2034.

Despite AI threatening to take over creative jobs and spray painting not being famous as a gig that brings home the bacon, Tom and his YouTube skills are challenging the odds.

[Tom]

Tom is wanting to help other people discover the joy of art

He didn't disclose just how much he's made from TikTok and brand deals, but he's not looking to become a director of an office job anytime soon.

Tom continued: "While I have closed some doors to security I have opened many others for opportunity. Luckily my time in managing businesses set me up well for the money making side of being an artist and I challenge the 'starving artist' story by working with some of the world's biggest brands.

"I have also aimed for international exposure to open up the market for my business and my art is now in 37 countries across the globe.

"Cash at bank, I'm no better or worse off, but I am time and opportunity rich."

[Dailystar Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Star as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.