When I was a wee tacker growing up, my dad picked up this second hand tome called Myths and Legends, published by Paul Hamlyn, way back in 1959. The illustrators were the insanely cool Alice and Martin Provensen. As it turns out, Martin was also the originator of the first Tony the Tiger for Kelloggs--this awesome, iconographic '50s tiger that decorates my fave coffee mug these days.
Then, about three years ago, I started writing for a new American magazine called Geek Monthly. A few issues on, they showcased a relatively new artist/illustrator named Scott Campbell, alias Scott C. To me, his images were akin to the Provensens, if they'd been channeled through Blackadder writers Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, then stretched to the point of surreal hilarity by Dr. Seuss.
I was busy hacking together a novel at the time, and my patient, super-cool, indulgent publishers, Another Sky Press, asked me if I'd decided yet who I'd like to get to do the cover artwork. That was a cinch; all I had to do was track down and ask Campbell if he'd be interested. After some crap detective work, I did so--and he agreed in an instant, few questions asked, and has turned out a way cool, chilled, funny mate as well.
The cover? A suitably debonair, upright goat in a smoking jacket, with a cigarette and a martini. After all the novel, which is still in the sub-editing phase, is called Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat, and has a lot to do with drinking, smoking, and George Sanders.
So, I always wanted to interview Scott in order to find out the buried treasure beneath his easy-going artist facade, and did so this week--beginning by asking him how he got started doing art, remains inspired, and stumbled across his own unique style.
"I think it's a combination of all the comic books and children's books I grew up with," he appraises, "Coupled with all the movies and cartoons I've enjoyed through the years--and the people I experience around me everyday. Right now, I'm most inspired by Charlie Harper, an illustrator big since the '50s. I love his colors and the awesome shapes he finds in things. Same goes for Jon Klassen and the Provensens. Jon is a contemporary illustrator who designed an amazing water conservation commercial, among other thing, and he's also very good with shapes and colors and textures. The Provensons illustrated kids' books in the '50s and have this sensibility. But I also like artists, like Banksy, a whole lot. I saw his pet store he did here in New York last year, and it inspired me more than anything I've seen in a long time. I've never seen anything like it--super clever, and made me very interested in how people participate in shows when they come to see them."
Anyhow, I thought it simpler and less abstract or self-indulgent here to keep the rest of the chat as a Q+A, so read on, McDuff:
What's currently afoot with your art?
"Right now, I have my hands in a lot of things. I make comics regulary for Hickee and Flight, as well as a daily-ish online webcomic called Double Fine Action Comics, available for perusal on doublefine.com. The book collection of those comics is due out any day now. I've been showing in galleries for the past few years, and have a solo show coming up on March 7th in LA at Gallery Nucleus. Called HOME SLICE, it's a show about cutaway houses where people live--houses like pyramids, rockets, and clouds.
"I always love to see underground worlds and buildings cut, so you can see the inner rooms and people doing stuff... much like an ant hill. So you can expect all of my usual dudes and ladies and monsters and cute things, hanging out in their houses. Where do all these guys live? I have wondered this--so I've decided to answer it for myself, and everyone else. Some are quite big. Way bigger than my usual. I'm trying to get large with my work. Trying. There will be some special guests, I hope, as well. Top secret. But don't get too excited. They might not be living guests.
"I've also been doing CD covers and book covers for people like MC Frontalot and have done illustration stuff for Nickelodeon magazine. I just finished an ad campaign that's going around town in Portugal for Show Off Films. And I've been working on a heavy metal hot rod video game called Brutal Legend with Double Fine productions for almost 4 years, to be released in the Fall. Oh, and I'm working on a children's book for Simon and Shuster, about dragons."
Who was your favorite kids' book illustrator way back, when you were learning how to read?
"Dr. Suess was my ultimate favorite. And all the books that I later found out he did not actually do, but had his stamp of approval on, like Go Dog Go! And then a bit later the books by Lane Smith got me really into wanting to make kids' books. They were fun for kids, and humorous in a way that adults could appreciate. I liked how he bridged that gap."
What's your favorite music when indulging in a bit of creativity?
"When I'm painting, I love listening to electronic music. I listen to this show called Future Music on East Village Radio. It's soothing, and massages my head while I paint. But other times I like to listen to dub, rocksteady, and soul music, and still other other times, movie soundtracks and whatever new stuff I hear. Recently I've been listening to MGMT and Digitalism a lot, and I always listen to Daft Punk--oh, and '80s music. Sorry."
Which of your own characters is your favorite?
"I think the character I most like to explore is the Captain from my Double Fine Action Comics. He is a spaceman who is friends with a knight, a strongman, a two-headed baby, and his first mate, Thompson. He's kind of a dick, but also nice in some ways. I like characters like that. I'm exploring what happens when he goes back in time to visit the kid-version of himself. Perhaps it will make him change. Perhaps not."
So which of your characters is the most like Scott Campbell?
"Probably the knight. He's into trying new things out, and wants to make sure everyone is having a good time. He likes activities and getting his bros together. He tried inventing for awhile, but I haven't tried that."
very cool artist.