It's a great honour to be featured in this cool Russia magazine...that's not what I ever expected. A special thank you to Ms. Masha Smirnova, the journalist of this magazine, who found me on Instagram and wrote an article about me and my art. There's no word can describe how excited I am on this, it makes me keep on believing in my dream and I will continue it.
Below is the short interview for the article:
So, Jason, there are various artists of different art directions in the world today, how have you understood that illustrating is your passion?
Well I love drawing since I was a little, it's a gift from God. But after I graduated from art school, I started my first job as a designer and then an art director. Yes...it's working purely on designing with your computer and drawing basically is just for fun or just a hobby of mine at that time. And then after years of working in the industry, I started to input some illustrating into my design works (also featured in other people’s projects), and surprisingly people started get to know me from those projects. So in 2010, I make a decision, to make illustrating as my second career. And recently I do taking more time to focus on that, try to explore more different styles and see how far I can go.
Do you remember your first commercial project? How did everything go? Was it successful?
Actually I can’t really remember my first commercial project, but I do remember some projects I did before are really really fun and interesting, but it’s also a very stressful and painful experiences (working overnight, non-stop brainstorming, rushing crazy deadlines and no time for meal). But trust me, when you seen the end result with some good reviews...all the paint and stress will just disappear immediately...worth it!
It’s so wonderful that you’ve created a blog where you ask different people for their opinion and advice. It means that you are an open-hearted person whose work is not only earning money, but also a lifestyle. What do you usually discuss in your blog? And in generally, what is it created for? Can anyone join it, including our citizens and chat with you?
Originally I created the blog as my online portfolio (is only open to selected party). Sooner and later I started to share it to everyone, thinking of making some friends from this industry and also hope that we could share opinion and get to know what they think about my art, because this could help me to improved my illustrating. But after a few years, I realized there are good and bad...the bad part is actually not much people will really write to you but the good one is I received more emails for illustration request. And right now, I think Instagram is another great platform to share my art and picture. You can immediately see their (Instagramer) reaction once you posted something, whether they like it or hate it, they tell all!
And now about your illustrations. How come it’s possible that every picture of yours is like a short skit, a completed story? What helps you to bring them into life?
I think it mostly comes from my lifestyle, experiences and my dreams. Every people got their own stories to tell, the only different is they express themselves in their own way. For me, I did it on drawing...I draw when I was happy or I wanna to tell something, and I also draw when I'm angry or sad...just to calm down.
Do you paint and draw what you want or you do have special targets, like agenda, commercial projects, orders etc.?
Basically there are 2 different types. One is commercial work, I paint/illustrate for what they're requested to promote their products with my illustration and style; and the other one is my personal work, I paint/illustrate when I got some special feeling or inspiration, or I got something to tell and I presented it on my drawing.
Do you have your own on-line shop? Do you present your works in real stores?
No planning on this yet. Most of my illustrations are commissioned work for commercial and editorial usage. But I think I will plan to sell my work when I think I'm ready and good enough to do that.
Can you tell us about your regular work-day?
In the daytime, I’m a designer/art director working in advertising agency. At night, I’m an illustrator working from home...at my little workspace.
What is the main idea of your creations?Creation is to convert thinking into a visual. It can be from your dreams, your stories or your experiences...and then you make it into a visual, a real one by your own way...is originally from you:)