Name: Jack Teagle
Age: 22
Country: England
Website: www.jackteagle.co.uk
At which age did you start creating art? And why do you feel compelled to create?
There is always that cliched way of saying that people have drawn since they could hold a pencil, but for me I think I was just like any other kid. I progressively drew more when I was around ten, I created my own characters and I wanted to see them get into adventures, and wrote comics about them.
In my teenage years I was really influenced by what comics I read, but I don't think I took it all that seriously. Around the time I started living away from home I matured, and my material started to change, I started to keep about 4-5 sketchbooks at a time of different themes, and my drawing skill increased. At this time I just loved filling books, they were like visual diaries and I just loved keeping them, so I'm at that point now, just drawing out of a passion.
What are you inspired by? And who do you look up to?
It's another old tired old cliche, but I'm completely obsessed with popular culture, especially drawing on my childhood, mutant actions figures and strange comics. I love the stiffness of action figures, I always think because of their statures, if they were alive they would be really socially awkward creatures, I just love how absurd toys are.
I take inspiration from the old fine artists, I love how medieval artists weren't concerned by realistic perspectives, or how people stood, I'm a particular fan of Hieronymus Bosch and the insane detail behind his work.
I love lowbrow art, Dave Cooper, Gary Baseman, Gary taxali, Gary Panter work drawing heavily on popular culture, it's all great and it also branches out into comics. I love Fletcher Hanks work in comics in the early part of the 20th century, with his phantomah character, he just shows you how crazy the human imagination can be. I love outsider work like Louis Wain, Henry Darger, and Howard Finster, just because of the obession with their craft, and they go to show how anyone can create art, you don't need fromal training.
Which influential artist would you like to ask for advice?
For me it would be Gary Baseman, he has his fingers in all the pies. He's worked in childrens books, animation, painting and commercial work. I'd just like to ask him about his process and how he managed to promote himself so well as a successful artist.
If you had to put up one piece of artwork on your wall and stare at it for a year, who would it be by and why?
Possibly one of the amazing paintings Henry Darger created for the child slave rebellion. I love how obessive his images are.
Tell us about your creative process.
I've only just got into the habbit of keeping a sketchbook to plan paintings, before I used to jump straight into a finished piece, and they didn't seem as effective. I don't stick to the sketch religiously, but I use it as some guidance. whe I started painting, I paint in layers, I paint huge parts first and then the smaller details get filled in later. I mix paint by applying i directly to a surface, without taking into consideration the colour that was there before, this way I get great inconsistencies that show to people who see my work digitally, that it is a traditional procress.
Do you ever find weird connections between life and art?
Alot of the time now, yeah. I remember I used to completely cut my artwork off from my life as an escapist hobby, but now because it's such a huge part of my life, I can see it relating to things everyday.
As an artist, are you Technical or passionate?
I'd like to say I'm a healthy mix of the two. Sometimes being spontaneous and excited about a piece of work pushes it into a new area that really works, but as well I think I need a little voice in my head telling me to stop with certain things so it doesn't get too messy.
How do you determine when a work is finished? Or is it ever finished?
That is one of the hardest things to know I think as an artist, when you should know when to leave an image. I think it's a lot about confidence, I'm slowly getting better at leaving work before I overwork it.
When I paint or draw I just work into something until it feels like it's complete, if I'm working to a brief or a deadline it's usually easy to decide.
Do you think there are boundaries you would never cross in your art making?
I guess it would be personal morals and keeping my integrity. I see a lot of people drawing sick stuff without any comment on anything, they're just essentially ripping off a more successful flash-in-the-pan artist. I want to avoid all of that.
What frightens you most about your art?
Not being able to move with the times we live in. I'm scared of my work dating or merging into a sea of mediocrity, coming up with my own original ideas is important.
Do you have any magic cures for creative blocks?
Go for a long walk in a cool breeze. Discussing ideas with good friends. Reading and films. But I think the most important is I love to keep observational sketchbooks and scrapbooks, mostly if I'm struggling I can pull ideas from these sources and I'm back on track.
Do you dream about your artwork?
No, it's strange, I dream about other people's artwork, but I don't think I acknowledge that I can paint or draw in my dreamworld. I take inspiration from dreams sometimes, but it's very rare these days, my dreams are getting a lot more mundane in my old age.
Which of your own works are you most proud of/ is most meaningful to you and why?
It's hard to choose, because I'm initally proud of everything I do, but then it ages, you produce something a lot better, and the older work gets tossed aside. I think one of my favorites is the portait of my Mum and Dad, I painted it for their 25th wedding aniverserary
Which art mediums and brands do you prefer to use?
I never really payed much notice with paints, but I do love using indian ink and dip pen for inking. Paint wise a good brush is more important than good paint, but I don't get the cheapest paint either. I guess I get a few really good brushes and then bulk out my collection, I get the student quality art suplies like liquitex or system 3 acrylics, but sometimes I'll be given some Cryla with has the best consistency ever, so I cheat and mix it in with cheaper paint to thick it out a little bit, it feels nicer to paint with.
I'm not so good with pencils, so I usually just get those classic black and yellow staedtler pencils in a range of tones.
What kind of art education do you have? Do you think it is important?
I have Art and Photography A levels, completed a Foundation art diploma, and I am now waiting to graduate from a BA in Illustration at the University of Plymouth in England.
I think my Foundaion was a bit of a shambles, there was great teaching, but I was still finding my feet and really messed up, but I did learn a lot.
My degree has really pushed me along, it's helped me to realise you're repsonsible for your own development. I really learnt to draw on my Degree, and I think I've finally found a way of working that I feel comfrotable with.
I think my education has been important to me, but I don't think it would work for everyone.
What kind of career do you ultimately want? And what kind of career do you think you'll end up having (or already have) realistically?
I really want to work as a freelance illustrator, it'd be great to exhibit my personal work at the same time, and be covered by just doing what I love.
More realistically I think I'll end up getting apart time job or full time job to keep the wolf from the door, and I'll end up doing work as a hobby, although I'm preparing for the worst. I definately won't stop without a fight, and I really want to make it work as an illustrator.
Is your family supportive of your art? Who influenced and nurtured your creativity most?
My family are very supportive, especally my parents. They've always spurred me on and without their support, I'm not even sure if I would have persued being an artist as a career.
Which direction do you see your art heading in the future?
I'd like to say editorials, comics, and stand alone personal pieces. I'm not sure yet, I've had such a busy year I've just been doodling recently, I can't tell what dircetion I'm going to go into just yet.
Who are some of your heroes outside of the visual art stream?
I think it would have to be Frank Zappa, John Cooper Clarke, Alan Moore, Wayne Coyne, and David Lynch.
Age: 22
Country: England
Website: www.jackteagle.co.uk
At which age did you start creating art? And why do you feel compelled to create?
There is always that cliched way of saying that people have drawn since they could hold a pencil, but for me I think I was just like any other kid. I progressively drew more when I was around ten, I created my own characters and I wanted to see them get into adventures, and wrote comics about them.
In my teenage years I was really influenced by what comics I read, but I don't think I took it all that seriously. Around the time I started living away from home I matured, and my material started to change, I started to keep about 4-5 sketchbooks at a time of different themes, and my drawing skill increased. At this time I just loved filling books, they were like visual diaries and I just loved keeping them, so I'm at that point now, just drawing out of a passion.
What are you inspired by? And who do you look up to?
It's another old tired old cliche, but I'm completely obsessed with popular culture, especially drawing on my childhood, mutant actions figures and strange comics. I love the stiffness of action figures, I always think because of their statures, if they were alive they would be really socially awkward creatures, I just love how absurd toys are.
I take inspiration from the old fine artists, I love how medieval artists weren't concerned by realistic perspectives, or how people stood, I'm a particular fan of Hieronymus Bosch and the insane detail behind his work.
I love lowbrow art, Dave Cooper, Gary Baseman, Gary taxali, Gary Panter work drawing heavily on popular culture, it's all great and it also branches out into comics. I love Fletcher Hanks work in comics in the early part of the 20th century, with his phantomah character, he just shows you how crazy the human imagination can be. I love outsider work like Louis Wain, Henry Darger, and Howard Finster, just because of the obession with their craft, and they go to show how anyone can create art, you don't need fromal training.
Which influential artist would you like to ask for advice?
For me it would be Gary Baseman, he has his fingers in all the pies. He's worked in childrens books, animation, painting and commercial work. I'd just like to ask him about his process and how he managed to promote himself so well as a successful artist.
If you had to put up one piece of artwork on your wall and stare at it for a year, who would it be by and why?
Possibly one of the amazing paintings Henry Darger created for the child slave rebellion. I love how obessive his images are.
Tell us about your creative process.
I've only just got into the habbit of keeping a sketchbook to plan paintings, before I used to jump straight into a finished piece, and they didn't seem as effective. I don't stick to the sketch religiously, but I use it as some guidance. whe I started painting, I paint in layers, I paint huge parts first and then the smaller details get filled in later. I mix paint by applying i directly to a surface, without taking into consideration the colour that was there before, this way I get great inconsistencies that show to people who see my work digitally, that it is a traditional procress.
Do you ever find weird connections between life and art?
Alot of the time now, yeah. I remember I used to completely cut my artwork off from my life as an escapist hobby, but now because it's such a huge part of my life, I can see it relating to things everyday.
As an artist, are you Technical or passionate?
I'd like to say I'm a healthy mix of the two. Sometimes being spontaneous and excited about a piece of work pushes it into a new area that really works, but as well I think I need a little voice in my head telling me to stop with certain things so it doesn't get too messy.
How do you determine when a work is finished? Or is it ever finished?
That is one of the hardest things to know I think as an artist, when you should know when to leave an image. I think it's a lot about confidence, I'm slowly getting better at leaving work before I overwork it.
When I paint or draw I just work into something until it feels like it's complete, if I'm working to a brief or a deadline it's usually easy to decide.
Do you think there are boundaries you would never cross in your art making?
I guess it would be personal morals and keeping my integrity. I see a lot of people drawing sick stuff without any comment on anything, they're just essentially ripping off a more successful flash-in-the-pan artist. I want to avoid all of that.
What frightens you most about your art?
Not being able to move with the times we live in. I'm scared of my work dating or merging into a sea of mediocrity, coming up with my own original ideas is important.
Do you have any magic cures for creative blocks?
Go for a long walk in a cool breeze. Discussing ideas with good friends. Reading and films. But I think the most important is I love to keep observational sketchbooks and scrapbooks, mostly if I'm struggling I can pull ideas from these sources and I'm back on track.
Do you dream about your artwork?
No, it's strange, I dream about other people's artwork, but I don't think I acknowledge that I can paint or draw in my dreamworld. I take inspiration from dreams sometimes, but it's very rare these days, my dreams are getting a lot more mundane in my old age.
Which of your own works are you most proud of/ is most meaningful to you and why?
It's hard to choose, because I'm initally proud of everything I do, but then it ages, you produce something a lot better, and the older work gets tossed aside. I think one of my favorites is the portait of my Mum and Dad, I painted it for their 25th wedding aniverserary
Which art mediums and brands do you prefer to use?
I never really payed much notice with paints, but I do love using indian ink and dip pen for inking. Paint wise a good brush is more important than good paint, but I don't get the cheapest paint either. I guess I get a few really good brushes and then bulk out my collection, I get the student quality art suplies like liquitex or system 3 acrylics, but sometimes I'll be given some Cryla with has the best consistency ever, so I cheat and mix it in with cheaper paint to thick it out a little bit, it feels nicer to paint with.
I'm not so good with pencils, so I usually just get those classic black and yellow staedtler pencils in a range of tones.
What kind of art education do you have? Do you think it is important?
I have Art and Photography A levels, completed a Foundation art diploma, and I am now waiting to graduate from a BA in Illustration at the University of Plymouth in England.
I think my Foundaion was a bit of a shambles, there was great teaching, but I was still finding my feet and really messed up, but I did learn a lot.
My degree has really pushed me along, it's helped me to realise you're repsonsible for your own development. I really learnt to draw on my Degree, and I think I've finally found a way of working that I feel comfrotable with.
I think my education has been important to me, but I don't think it would work for everyone.
What kind of career do you ultimately want? And what kind of career do you think you'll end up having (or already have) realistically?
I really want to work as a freelance illustrator, it'd be great to exhibit my personal work at the same time, and be covered by just doing what I love.
More realistically I think I'll end up getting apart time job or full time job to keep the wolf from the door, and I'll end up doing work as a hobby, although I'm preparing for the worst. I definately won't stop without a fight, and I really want to make it work as an illustrator.
Is your family supportive of your art? Who influenced and nurtured your creativity most?
My family are very supportive, especally my parents. They've always spurred me on and without their support, I'm not even sure if I would have persued being an artist as a career.
Which direction do you see your art heading in the future?
I'd like to say editorials, comics, and stand alone personal pieces. I'm not sure yet, I've had such a busy year I've just been doodling recently, I can't tell what dircetion I'm going to go into just yet.
Who are some of your heroes outside of the visual art stream?
I think it would have to be Frank Zappa, John Cooper Clarke, Alan Moore, Wayne Coyne, and David Lynch.
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