I can see that you blend machinery and fantasy in your own art. Is there
a different process between drawing mechanical objects and drawing people
or landscapes?
I try to treat a mechanical object like it was a character. Whether it's a walking spider tank or a flying machine, I want it to have an iconic shape that reads instantly. And that's the same way I would approach a character or a landscape. Once that shape is figured out the details can be filled in with miscellaneous working parts, if it's a machine (or bushes, trees and rocks if it's a landscape; or noses, arms and legs if it's a character).
)
While
we’re on the topic of mixing the mechanical and the fantastic, I
want to comment on the cover art for NYC Mech Beta Love. There seems to
be a rich narrative behind this piece. Could you tell us more about it?
Ivan and Andy, the creators of NYC Mech, asked me to do a cover for them. They said I could do whatever I wanted. So after some sketching I came up with the idea of mixing the hard mechanical world with it's polar opposite: organic plant life. The result was this image of a vine bursting out of the robot’s back. I'm sure there's a lot of symbolism there, but I hadn't thought about it too deeply. I just wanted to create a powerful image that would stick with the viewer. Upon receiving it the creators said the image bore striking similarities with a future plot line they were planning to explore.
Interesting. Who are some other people in the industry that you think are noteworthy?
I spent a couple years working with children's book author William Joyce on a few projects. I learned so much from him, like how to approach things in a creative and "outside of the box" way. I've also learned a lot from working with Kazu Kibuishi on the Flight project. He has a very practical approach to things and a philosophy on life and art that is very non-threatening, which has been a big inspiration for me.
How did William Joyce teach you to "think outside of the box?" Is this way of thinking tied to drawing inspiration from subjects like history and archaeology?
Yeah, it has a lot to do with that. I've learned that I'm not going to get any new ideas by walking through the comic shop and seeing what's on the stands. If I want to create something that looks like everything else out there than flipping through the books at the stands is perfect for that. But to create something different you need to fill your head with something different. That's why a visit to my library's reference section leaves me more inspired than a trip to the comic book store ever has.
You described Kazu Kibuishi's philosophy on life and art as "non-threatening"
and inspirational. Could you elaborate a bit on that? )
Kazu reminds me of the turtle in the fable of the tortoise and the hare. I see a lot of people wanting to rush into things and trying to speed up their success. Sometimes I fall into that. But he's a guy who works at his own pace and does things his way and he's being recognised for it. Everything he does comes from his heart. There's not a story or drawing that doesn't have a tie to something from his life or his past. It's very personal, yet broad enough for everyone to pull something out of it. Too often I think about what others think is cool, instead of doing what I really enjoy. If you try too hard to impress others they will see right through it and it will end up doing the opposite of what you wanted originally. And Kazu is also a big picture kind of a guy as well. It's that ability to see five, ten, or even 20 years down the road that is helping him make the right decisions today.
Guu Magazine at GuuPress.com
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Related Links:
> Agent 44
- Jake Parker's official website
> Flight - Official Flight comics website
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