Jon Burgerman - Interview 2/2

Last week I was in the fortunate position to be able to interview a couple of very successful and well known individuals working in the creative industry today, Rex Crowle and Jon Burgerman. The lads are no strangers to hard work and dedication which is why we'd like to say a very big thank you to them for giving up some time for these interviews and preparing a special doodle each (found above).

Our next guest requires little in the way of an introduction as over recent years he's become the poster child for contemporary illustration, I'm talking of course of Mr Jon Burgerman.


What was the very last thing you doodled on?

This isn't going to be very interesting but it was my sketchbook. Shock. Horror!

Do you have a favorite drawing instrument and canvas?

Black felt pen and white paper.

Which was the first project you worked on where you thought to yourself... 'living the dream'?

Maybe when I was working on a level for WipEout Pure on the PSP or I guess on any of the paid for flights I've been lucky enough to be put on (not first class though, unfortunately).

Several of the boys are from Nottingham and wonder if you'd like to get a pint next time your around?

Erm.. ok. Just email me and if I have time let's drink ale and eat salty bar snacks.

Do you find that becoming so well known for a particular style restricts you in terms of personal creative development?

hmm not really. I'm in control of what I do next and where I take my work. I might ponder what people might make of it but hopefully I never let that restrict me. I'm sure people would prefer to be a little surprised now and then too.

Are you involved in any exciting collaborations or projects at the moment?

Yes, I'm working with the brooklyn based artist Jim Avignon on a musical project - Anxieteam and a live performance doodle dance projection thing to accompany it.

What was it like on Blue Peter, do people recognise you in the street?

It was fun and surreal on Blue Peter. The studio lights make you very hot and clammy. I don't get recognised in the street but I have been recognised on a train once and at the airport recently. It was strange, flattering and bizarre. Often people I actually know don't recognise me, or decide not to. hmm.

Plagiarism is always a hot topic especially amongst illustrators. What do you think about people that copy your style, is it quite positive to know your inspiring or do you get seriously miffed?

Of course I'm super happy to inspire people but am a little disappointed when 'grown ups' ruthlessly copy my work. I know it's flattering but I'd like to think people who like my work are smart and nice enough not to blatantly rip me off. When big companies do it I do get seriously miffed. It kind of feels like you've just been burgled.

Any words of wisdom for other other illustrators hoping to make a splash?

The best way to make a splash is, I think, with nice, good, work.
And then just hope people take notice and stuff. There's no magic formula - it's a mix of luck, talent, luck, knowing people, work and luck. Overall though, if you're enjoying what you're doing, regardless of making a splash or not, then you're winning. It's better to like your time working than not.

Once again a big thank you to Jon for taking the time to be a part of this and if you'd like to find out more about him or any of his work then please visit his site using the link below:


http://www.jonburgerman.com


Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Rex Crowle - Interview 1/2

Last week I was in the fortunate position to be able to interview a couple of very successful and well known individuals working in the creative industry today, Rex Crowle and Jon Burgerman. The lads are no strangers to hard work and dedication which is why we'd like to say a very big thank you to them for giving up some time for these interviews and preparing a special doodle each (found above).

We're kicking this double whammy of fun and frolics off with Rex Crowle.


What was the last thing you animated?

Aside from reanimating myself out of bed this morning, it was a little hairy caveman savage catching fish. Savagely.

Greatest nickname you've ever given to a character?

Hmm well I quite like Shiny ManCannon. Although I haven't had time to fully develop Jeff Baps so far.

What was it like to be involved in a project as successful as LittleBigPlanet (ps3)?

Lots of fun. I've worked on video games for quite a long time, but this one felt the most like we were playing at making a game, rather than working, due to the talent of everyone involved, great support from Sony, and it being a exact distillation of the teams collective imagination. And if the creators have a smile on their faces while they make something then that should transfer to the other side of process when little Jimmy unwraps his Christmas present (assuming his parents gave him LittleBigPlanet, and not Chunky McMeatSpray 2 or something else). Plus also its been amazing seeing the influence of the game turning up all over the place, from a Flickr full of photos of people knitting their own Sackboys to the building of the various LBP pop-up shops, and teaming up with Marvel, Capcom, Konami, 2000AD etc to make new downloadable LBP things.

Are there any exciting new projects or collaborations on the horizon?

Yep, quite a lot of fun things coming along - although the most exciting thing for me is a bit of holiday in NYC after the busiest year ever.

Favourite computer game of all time?

Thats very hard to answer. Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the best, and probably also my favourite, although it has some strong competition for my affection from the quirkier end of the spectrum. Titles like Psychonauts, Parappa, Day Of The Tentacle and Parodius.

Do you consider yourself to be a certain type of creative i.e. illustrator, animator or is the real fun in blurring the lines?

Basically I like making stuff, in whatever medium that best suits the idea, which is a bit harder to put a job description on, and probably makes it harder getting jobs. But a lot more fun.

What's it like paying the bills through your passion?

I've definately been lucky along the way, but its also hard work, mainly because there are so many avenues to explore, so that can easily mean trying to do too much.

Have you ever been in a collective and what are your thoughts on collectives?

I've been in some web-based collectives, with some awesomely talented folk like Julie West http://www.juliewest.com/ and Alex Fuentes http://www.losfokos.com/ but I've been slacking on that front lately. I need to get back to doing some collaborations for fun again! They are definitely a good way to grow as an artist, and the web makes it much easier to set them up, but I think it's probably best if you can still all sit around in the same studio and throw paint at each other than having to rely on remembering to log in and post something.

Any pearls of wisdom for those hoping to get a head in this industry?

There'll always be people that can draw better than you, so don't get caught up on it, just carry on enjoying it for your own pleasure and your work will shine stronger.

Once again a big thank you to Rex for taking the time to be a part of this and if you'd like to find out more about him or any of his work then please visit his site using the link below:


http://www.rexbox.co.uk/


Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Some odds and sods...

I thought today I would add some of my work for kicks and also let you know that I have a couple of very exciting interviews planned before the end of the month, watch this space!















Visit the website for more.

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Otaku Magazine

I stumbled onto this little gem the other day, well worth a look.

"Otaku magazine wishes to spread survival methods and plans for after the cataclysm. The end of the World started a long time ago, said Edward O. Wilson and others, it has already begun as a great extinction of living species, probably similar to what happened at the end of the last ice age. All the mega-fauna had disappeared and humans started to practice agriculture. The estimations for the number of small and huge extinctions that marked life history on Earth vary from 5 to over 20. The last one, of meteoritic proportions, had crushed the Earth exactly when dinosaurs were the big and mighty creatures of the time.”

introduction by MEGATRON

Visit the Otaku Magazine.

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Warehouse 13

A little treat for all you Steampunk fans out there, if you haven't had the pleasure yet please let me introduce you to Warehouse 13.

The series follows United States Secret Service agents Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) and Peter Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) as they are reassigned to the government's secret Warehouse 13, which houses supernatural objects. They are tasked to retrieve missing objects and investigate reports of new ones.

Visit the Warehouse13.

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Mechtorians

I saw this collection and immediately fell in love. This is the work of Doktor A and the Mechtorians.

Raised by the military and monitored by men in white coats until he was 16. Doktor A has always scribbled monsters. "You will never make a living drawing little men" said a teacher once. They were nearly right. He has to draw, design and build little men to make a living.

These dubious skills have seen him work in theatre, Tv, advertising, magazines, toy design, merchandising and the music industry. He lives under a hill in the UK. From there he monitors the world's off-kilter-culture and produces his dark twisted dreams. Character driven clashes of urban pop culture, classic children's stories and neo-Victorian industrial neverlands.

Visit the Mechtorians site.

Visit the Spookypop site.

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

It's Friday kids...

Happy Friday 13th everybody... Please enjoy responsibly...

Slurg

I stumbled across this site today which made me smile.

http://www.slurg.de/

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Asterix and Obelix

Asterix and Obelix is probably one of my favorite illustrated series, and the plucky duo are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

The Adventures of Asterix (French: Astérix or Astérix le Gaulois) is a series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. The series follows the exploits of a village of ancient Gauls as they resist Roman occupation. They do so by means of a magic potion, brewed by their druid, which gives the recipient superhuman strength.

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Sky Pirates of Neo Terra

This is a fantastic series I stumbled upon a while back, now onto it's second volume it's well worth a look!

SKY PIRATES OF NEO TERRA is the tale of a fantasy world once devastated by global catastrophe. Through the tradition of Glidewing racing, order is preserved amongst the remaining tribes with an annual Great Race, where the winner of five consecutive glidewing races selects a leader for the Great Tribal Council. The Pirate King has won four victories leaving him poised to undo the order the tribes of Neo Terra have worked to preserve. With the help of friends, an impulsive young glide wing pilot named Billy Boom Boom must stop the Pirate King before he unleashes dark forces that would change existence, as they know it.

Created by Sean Megaw, written by Josh Wagner, colored by Simon Bork, letters by Ed Brisson. And illustrated by Camilla d'Errico.

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Eric Orchard

This caught my eye today... The magical world of Eric Orchard.

The ongoing adventures of three cloud cartographers.

Written and drawn by Eric Orchard.

Great work which you can see more of here:


http://www.ericorchard.ca/

Facebook Fan Page

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Steampunk

It's no big secret that my imagination revolves around the ability to create weird and wonderful things. From industrious flying machines to ferocious monsters of the deep, they all help to make up a world where things are never quite what they seem at first glance.

I'm in the midst of building a new and exciting site that will house my brand new you illustrated novel. The book titled Vetuu 'Chasing the Sun' will consist of a fortnightly strip that aims to tell the story behind the world of mylaststar and is set for release January 1st 2010.

In preparation for this event I want to let you in on a little sub-genre that has the biggest impact on my work.

Steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld



Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

That's all for now kids, catch you soon!

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar

Hello kids!

So this month it's my turn ( Simon Corry ) to bring you the latest and greatest from the creative world.

So stay tuned this month for interviews, gossip and more!

Simon

http://www.simoncorry.com/
http://www.mylaststar.com/
http://www.twitter.com/mylaststar