Channel Frederator Blog

Jon Burgerman is one of my favorite artists out there right now, filling the world up with his own smile inducing brand of frenzied doodles.
He’s shown in galleries across the globe in cities like New York, London, LA, Hong Kong, Paris, Melbourne & Derby.
Jon has worked on a variety of projects for MTV, the BBC, Snickers, Pepsi, Gortex, Puma, Sony PSP & Virgin Atlantic (Sick Bags! Hee Hee). He also received an A&AD Silver Award Nomination for his work for Levis.
His work has also graced the Guardian, Creative Review, Pictoplasma, Computer Arts (along with their sister title: Computer Arts Projects) & Stick ‘Em Up.
His Unique Animation has been played in numerous festivals (V festivals, Isles of Wight) and concerts (The Streets, Pop Idol USA, Destiny’s Child).
Jon took the time to answer a few Channel Frederator Questions, at least until the sun caught his eye.

How long have you been animating/drawing/painting/doodling?
I’ve been drawing and doodling since I could just about hold a pencil. I used to do drawings with my mum in the study in our house. Then I got a baby brother and the study got changed into a bedroom, which I wasn’t too pleased about. All children draw though, so there’s nothing special about that really.
The problem was I didn’t stop and doodled all my way through school, being told off and punished countless times for it. There was no way I could just walk past a window steamed up with condensation without fingering
a little face on it, or open a new clean page in a jotter pad without scribbling a character in the margin. I used to rush through exam papers and then draw on the back of them - that got me in really big trouble. It was a little self-defeating, I should of paid more attention and learnt more things, oh well, it’s too late now…

Who are some of your influences?
When a tutor on Foundation (a pre-University course lasting a year) showed me a black and white photocopy of a Jean Michel-Basquiat painting I was really excited. I really liked his work and it blew a small part of my mind when I saw all his paintings, in colour too! Great stuff.
I was recently in a hotel in Paris decorated with photos of naked girls and instead of standing motionless for hours just gorping at them, I found a Basquiat book in the bedroom and was completely absorbed again in his work.
I have many other influences of course, some I’m probably not even aware of too. I like lots of other artists, designers, cartoonists, film makers etc.

Where were you born?
I was born in England. I live in the UK.

Did you go to school for Art or Animation? If so, where?
I studied Fine Art at the Nottingham Trent University. I had three enjoyable years there mucking about with screen printing, computers, animation, painting and drawing interspersed with lengthy vegetative sessions of watching bad films, listening to loud music and shivering in a drafty, mould filled house.

What are some of your hobbies outside the world of animation/art?
I like watching football (soccer) - I like playing football too but find it difficult to find other players of a similarly poor standard as me to play with.
Music, cinema, eating and cooking also occupy my non-doodling time. I wish video games occupied more of my time and I do generally like reading, sitting around and not doing much. That’s probably my favourite hobby, a slow, easy, quiet existence, blinking, breathing and thinking.

What are you working on currently in the animation industry/Art world?
I’ve got an exhibition in Amsterdam next week so I’m currently working on that. I’m also doing a large scale drawing on the streets of Derby, in the East Midlands of the UK. That should be interesting; working outside, exposed to the public, always throws up unexpected things.
I’m working on a couple of ideas with two separate animation companies at the moment, but they are still some way to being realised.

What company do you work for or have you worked for?
I’ve worked for many companies but why talk about them here now when it’s so nice and sunny outside?

What do you think makes a cartoon good/ or a great painting or illustration?
I like things I can relate to or stir some kind of emotion within me. And as I’m a dark void of self-loathing, an emotional dessert of sand and bug-eyed lizards, that can often be quite a tough thing to do. It’s harder to work out what makes a great painting as opposed to a great animation. A great animation doesn’t actually need to have great animation in it, just great story, characters, personality etc. A great illustration or painting can have anything it likes it in as long as it adds up to being great. It’s so subjective, I’m just waffling here, I don’t what I’m saying at all…
Did I mention it’s sunny outside?

Have you ever shown your art in galleries? If so, where?
Yes I have, from Nottingham to Peterborough, from London to LA and lots of other places too. My first proper show was in the Custard Factory in Birmingham in 1999, it was called Do You Want Fries With That?
That was a good group show, lots of talented young go getters featured in it.

What types of reactions do you get from your art at first?
Either, what the hell is that meant to be, or erm, that’s a bit like Guernica.

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to break in or just beginning in the industry/Art world?
Hmm just work, work, work, don’t sleep, just work. Also, the most important thing, be lucky.

Is there anything you want to say to the people out there in Blog-Land reading this?
If it’s sunny outside don’t sit down to write silly answers to any interviews. Also: Hello, how’s it going ? Thanks for reading this.

Wolf-Man by Jon Burgerman
Wolf-Man by Jon Burgerman

Thanks for the great interview Jon. To see more of Jon’s work and amazing doodles, make with the clickies over Here: http://www.jonburgerman.com
& Here: http://www.biro-web.com/
Good Luck in Singapore Jon!
-Jeaux Janovsky