Guest Spotlight: Jeaux Janovsky
This guy is living the artist’s dream.
I came across Jeaux’s illustration of late night host Conan O’ Brien and thought it was fantastic.
Apparently, Conan O’ Brien’s staff thought so too.
I’ve invited Jeaux to tell us a bit about himself and his experience as an illustrator and cartoonist.
When/how did you realize you wanted to become an artist? Was it obvious since childhood?
I can’t really do anything else. I am constantly creating art, comix, cartoons ALL THE TIME, 24×7. I always knew. Always had some sort of drawing utensil in hand, sketchbook in the other. As a wee Jeaux, I would search out encyclopedias and find out about art myself. It’s always been with me for as long as I can remember. A friend of mine is quoted as saying, “Jeaux draws like normal people breath: constantly and effortlessly.” This is very true. It’s in my blood.
Tell us something about yourself. (Where are you from, what is your background, how long have you been drawing or anything we might find interesting about you.)
I was born in Tarzana, California. When I was little, I thought it meant I was related to Tarzan. Currently, I live in Los Angeles… but I’ve lived in a bunch of places including Santa Barbera, Las Vegas, Chicago & New York. I attended the California Institute of the Arts, AKA: Calarts, and received my BFA in Character Animation, Film/Video in 2005. Interestingly, my first 2 years there were spent in the Fine Art department until I accidentally got accepted into the Animation program there.
What inspired you to create the Conan piece?
The Conan piece creation was random. Total randomness. I was doing what I call a “Flash Warm-up” doodle in the animation program, Flash, and I started paying more attention to the little doodle until it morphed into Conan. I then took an old Archie comics cover scan and manipulated it in Photoshop to give it that vintage retro look, and popped good ol’ Conan into the piece. I realy dig how it came out, and pleased that so many folks connected w/ it!
Jay Leno, Dave Letterman or Conan O’ Brien?
Growing up I remember trying to stay up w/ my mom to catch Dave Letterman, until Conan took over for him. Now my Late Night heart belongs to Conan. A friend of mine has inspired me to begin a Late Night Series, featuring other Late Night hosts done up in the same style as the Conan/Archie Mashup. I’ve already begun research on the next one which will be coming out soon.
I’m also trying to get my Conan/Archie piece Voted/Liked into the sweet #5 spot in the Team Coco Art Gallery Top 50! Currently, I’m at #7!
Feel free to go here to Like/Vote: http://teamcoco.com/moca/gallery/illustration/13337/america-y-all-need-to-watch
Besides drawing, what else do you like to do?
More drawing. I try to chop it up, vary it out. I write. Screenplays, little raps, poetry, short stories. I create comics, animate. Check out art shows, concerts. Hit up music stores, book stores. Watch movies at anything ranging from normal, popcorn cineplexes, to arthouse theatres, to graveyard movie screenings. Hiking, picnicing, going to the park, the beach, art museums, strip clubs. Nah, I don’t go to those. J/k. 😉
What is the best advice you could give other artists regarding creation or promotion of their portfolio?
To quote my mentor, Corny Cole, “Draw, Godammit!!!” Keep Drawing. One should always be honing and shaping their craft. I always bring sketchbooks with me everywhere I go, and constantly keep multiple sketchbooks going at the same time. One of my mottos is a riff on 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Trying”. Just replace DIE with DRAW, and you got my “Get Rich or Draw Trying”. As far as promotion for your portfolio, it’s so easy for us artsy types these days w/ the advent of social media. Use Twitter, Use Tumblr, Use Facebook, Google +, blogspot, wordpress, deviantart, flickr, hasaportfolio, carbonmade, etc. It’s all free and necessary tools for us to get our work out there to share w/ millions of peeps and their eyeballs! You never know who’s watching! Maybe an art director somewhere, or an art gallery owner, a comic publisher, you never know. I’ve received many freelance opportunities daily as a result of using all these “free at your fingertips” tools! Combine them like Voltron to take you and your art to the nexxxt level shiz. Fah Serious.
Where can readers learn more about you and your artwork (website/contact info)?
My main blog, All My Heroes Have Day-jobs: http://allofmyheroes.blogspot.com/ has got a section on it labled, “Jeaux Janovsky Links” in the lefthand sidebar. There you’ll find all kinds of cool Jeaux-related stuff!
