Hello Jon! Could you set the scene at your end?
Friday afternoon in rainy nottingham, the dusty clouds are turning pink in the greying sky. Brown pigeons dance on the lamppost outside the window, inside tea is brewing and I have my special cardigan on ready to answer your questions.
How did you begin working as an artist for a living?
Tatty clothes often give the appearance of desperately needing work, as does gaunt boney features. Never underestimate the value of pity when trying to win a brief from a client. I began by good fortune, luck has carried me a long way.
Looking back through your portfolio you’r work appears to be a lot cleaner and more refined than it was in the days of biro web; is the computer your new favourite weapon?
I use the computer as a tool, I haven't consciously tried to use it more or make it more obvious that I use one. Bigger pieces often dictate that the work is vectored which can make the work appear cleaner. I'll always make sure you can tell the work is hand drawn, because it is and it's easy to tell when it isn't. Don't get me wrong though - I like clean work and I like dirty work. You'll see a range of snowboards from me next year that whilst have big, bold planes of flat colour still have that fudged hand made feel to them. Biro-web still lives by the way, I just haven't had as much time recently to update it. Oh these lazy lazy fingers of mine.
Other than doodling, what else keeps you entertained/busy?
Nothing, I've been doodling so long I don't know what else to do. It's sad and it's true.
Is there ever a deeper meaning behind your work?
Only if you look for one. (sometimes, depends what it is - if a commercial piece has a very loose brief then my mind will wonder and I'll come up with other things for the work to be about. There are ideas behind all my work, though they might not all be deemed as deep.)
What do you find helps to keep you alert whilst working through those late nights? Dr Pepper? Coca Cola? Tea/Coffee?
I drink tea of all varieties. Late nights are often accompanied with fruit teas or mint tea. Sometimes it's good to be a little tired, strange sleepy thoughts swirl around your head and seep out through your nostrils.
Is music important to you?
I like music, I enjoy listening to music as I work, especially if I'm doing something quite monotonous and my brain isn't really required anymore.
Can you describe what an average day in the life of Jon Burgerman is like?
10am-3pm stare out of window
3pm-4:30pm lunch (sandwich, pickle, raw carrot, crisps (sometimes), apple, orange)
4:30pm - 5pm tea and biscuits
5-7pm doodle (whilst staring out of the window)
7 'til bed time - snooze
This is all punctuated by checking my emails, the occasional phone call and staring out of the window some more.
Can you remember the first piece of work you sold?
I sold work (baked Fimo figures) when I was about 11, what a terrible little capitalist eh? The first proper painting I sold was when I finished art foundation and had organised an exhibition called Do You Want Fries With That? in Birmingham. The guy who ran the Custard Factory at the time bought a painting whilst we were still setting up. It was of a Vax vacuum cleaner sucking up dust mites. The show went down really well and we ended up selling quite a lot of stuff that summer.
Do you see your future in fine art? Or would you like to get more involved in the world of art toys?
Like a greedy little tyke at the sweet shop, I want it all (insert manic laugh here). I think these things are actually converging somewhat so there's no reason to separate the two. I'd like to keep things as open as possible.
When it came to working on your own art toys; was it difficult to visualize your characters as 3D objects?
Yes, it was. I think I have a very 2D enabled way of seeing things but am not so good in 3D. It takes me a long time to draw characters out in 3D when compared to my normal drawings. I got a good friend to mock up some of the characters with his fancy 3D computer magic so I could get a better idea of how they'd actually turn out. He kept coming back to me saying things like 'they'd never stand up', 'you're trying to defy the laws of physics' and 'how big do you want the ass cheeks?' All tricky dilemmas to deal with I think you'll agree.
How does it feel to be working along side artists such as TADO and Nathan at Flying Cat?
We don't actually all work together on one big long desk like at school - though it would be fun if we did! It's ace to be working with Flying Cat, especially considering the great artists they've got signed up. It feels good and I'm honestly honoured to be involved with them.
We've seen you work with a variety of materials and tools; if you could only work with one of each which would they be? And why?
Pen and paper, the original and best. If you can't work with those then there's a problem.
How would you describe your style? Is it something you developed quite early on; or was it something you developed through university?
Weird scribbly drawings things. At Uni I worked a bit like I do now and in another style which was alot more flatter, bolder and super clean. The other style was me trying to be like cool japanese artists I'd seen and the bold design / logo work of people like Designers Republic. I realised that, although fun, it was easy to badly ape those things, a lot of people with a copy of Freehand could do it, so I completely ditched it. I decided to just concentrate on drawing and carving out my own feel and style of working.
Who or what inspires you?
It's difficult to say, I guess other artists inspire me, seeing what other people are working on and come up with is good to see. I take inspiration from other sources too like cinema, lp covers, food packaging, comic strips, computer games, nature programs etc.. anything really. Anything with eyes or a mouth.
If you were forced to busk for a living; what would be your choice of instrument? Or would you entertain in a different way?
I'd sing Nobody Does It Better on a rusty old acoustic guitar, as I have a rusty old acoustic guitar and just about remember how to play Nobody Does It Better. It's not much I know, maybe people would pay to shut me up.
We can see your doodles on qees, cars, trainers, satchels, monkeys, canvas, wood, badges, human parts no doubt and lots lots more; which has been your favourite to work on?
Qee was fun and not fun at the same time due to all the funny crevasses they have. Unfortunately most of the time you work on the computer and only at the production stage does the image get applied to the material. Paintings and drawing on walls is always fun, I like doing that.
What has been favourite job/commission yet?
Secret computer game level! Shhhhhh...
If your art was scratch and sniff, what would it smell of?
Shortbread and homemade banana cake. No, that's a lie, that's what I'd want it to smell of. Really it'd smell of cheese and pickle.
What is your ultimate goal?
To have a life time supply of Posca pens, a huge mountain of quality cardboard and a little man called Hojoo dressed in finest green velvet bringing me tea and biscuits whenever I tinkled a shiny silver bell.
