For some reason people have wanted to ask me questions lately. Firstly, here’s a short Illustration Mundo interview. Secondly, here’s a more in-depth, mostly-comics-related interview originally conducted for the Sequential blog that was in a print handout at TCAF a few weeks ago. The interview, with q’s from Dave Howard, is pasted below.

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Did you have any favourite comics growing up?

I read a lot of Archie comics, plus the comics that were in the newspapers. My parents really liked The Far Side, Calvin and Hobbes, and Herman, so we had some of those anthologies in the house too. I copied the “Punk Accountants” Far Side cartoon for my dad’s birthday (he is also an accountant). When I was a teenager, my sister and I liked to cut up Archie comics and make collages with the balloons or sticking them on new images. It’s still a fun thing to do.

Growing up, were comics a kind of guilty pleasure, was it something you embraced openly, or not that important to you.

I didn’t really analyze it. In fact, when we were promoting Skim in 2008, people would ask what comics I read as a kid and I was just like, “eh, I didn’t really read comics”. I had completely forgotten that I read a TON of comics and I really enjoyed them. I just didn’t view them as important or significant at the time.

I’m sure there are many, but are there any particular cartoonists or artists or designers or illustrators or writers or directors you admire, whom you can say had some influence on your work or approach?

I became interested in comics at the very end of my degree at the Alberta College of Art and Design, where I was studying Design and Illustration. I became obsessed with Tomer Hanuka’s work and that included Bipolar, the comic he makes with his cousin Asaf. Later, when I made the conscious effort to educate myself on making comics (2004), I learned the most from Chester Brown, Michel Ragabliati, Julie Doucet, Will Eisner, and Dan Clowes. I got most of those books out of my local library branch.

When you signed on to doing Skim, wat there any prep work you did, any comics-related research or other artists you looked to for inspriation or guidance? Any artists you went to or whom you read when you found yourself in a jam?

I was never “signed” to doing Skim. Skim started off as a 24 page collaboration between myself and my cousin… there was no book deal. It was initially released by a Toronto zine called “Kiss Machine”. But to answer the question… probably, but I can’t remember now. My ignorance and lack of formal training was probably a good thing, actually. I just did the best I could, and approached it with the skills as I had… as a designer and an illustrator. I just read tons, as I mentioned. That was my education.

Can I ask about your use of photo-references in the production of Skim – did you take pictures and draw from them, especially in Scarborough [a suburb of Toronto]? Your work is wonderfully flowing, is there any advice you can give about drawing from photo-references?

I mapped out generally what I wanted to do, then traveled to Toronto to shoot specific reference. Most of it is from around the St.Claire-Christie area, where my sister was living at the time and I was staying. That trip was pivotal to my own mindset and I’d never attempt to do a book about a specific place without visiting it. Photo-referencing should support the story and make the details vivid. That said, too-heavy reliance on photo reference is very bad and should be avoided.

On your blog you mention working with students – can you tell us what you are teaching and where you are teaching it? How has the experience been for you, does it interfere at all with your creative process?

I teach 2nd year drawing for illustrators at the School of Visual Arts in New York. It does not interfere with my creative process, in fact I have to admit that, as frustrating as it can sometimes be, it has made me a more critical, thoughtful, and inspired individual. To see people make discoveries about their own process (I try to stress that what one learns in art school is not a technique, but a process) is deeply rewarding. Plus, these are 19 and 20 year old kids… they’re showing you what’s new and cool before it becomes mainstream.

Are there any rituals or habits or processes or other things you go through in order to maintain your inspiration?

I have encountered this question often lately and I’m always a little confounded by it. Most of my creative friends are never at a loss for inspiration…. they are at a loss for time, resources, or struggle with the “business-y” constraints of the job. But if you gifted them a week of free time, they’d be able to fill it easily. It’s like that saying, “only boring people are bored”.

You say you are grateful your foundational year was spent in a Fine Arts environment, and has shaped the way you think about images, make images, and your understanding of Illustration — how is it you think about images, and illustration?

That’s a really huge question. I will only say that I do believe Illustration can be smart and have content, but Illustration is not Fine Art. They are different worlds, with different histories, communities, objectives, and constraints. The exist in the world for different reasons. I was trained as a commercial artist and I’ve long given up feeling conflicted about that. That’s my philosophy and that of my husband, Sam Weber. But we speak often about how that seems to be changing… the nature of Illustration and its place in society. Not even out of art school 10 years and it seems like our outlook is quite curmudgeonly and dinosaur-like.

Is there any advice you can offer other new cartoonists? Any experience you can share for even newly established cartoonists, maybe around contracts or keeping your vision?

I dunno, just make some comics! Seems like the best time ever to be a comics artist… think of all the ways you can get your work seen. If you want to be a cartoonist and are not making comics, you’re just lazy or crippled by fear. Which are two huge problems. As for established cartoonists, who am I to tell them anything? I’ve only been doing this for 6 years!

Your Penguin Classic embroidered book covers are amazing, can I ask how you came about with the job offer, can I ask where the inspiration came from for the concept?

I did some embroidery, because it was simply something I wanted to try, and put it online. I’d worked with Penguin’s Art Director, Paul Buckley, as an illustrator before, and he happened to see my embroidery just as he was pitching the “Threads” project. So it was fortuitous. The inspiration was simply my love for those books, the freedom assigned by the project and the stitching effects I had been experimenting with in the medium. Again, similar to comics… I’m untrained in that medium, but I think that ignorance has been beneficial, in a weird way. You’re a little more fearless if you don’t know you’re committing cardinal sins.

Do you have any favourite contemporary cartoonists, anyone you’ve read recently who you liked?

I’m drawn to comics for different reasons. Visually, I’m excited by weird comics that look strange and unusual. I like Jungyeon Roh, Sakura Maku, Dash Shaw, Brecht Evens, weird manga and stuff. But as I get older, I become less impressed with drawing and am more deeply moved by more straightforward narratives. To be able to tell a compelling story is so much more difficult than being able to draw badass pictures. So I’m in awe of people like Chester Brown, Lynda Barry, Michel Ragabliati, Seth, Hope Larson, or Tatsumi. I still do love me a fucked up art comic though.

Looking at your wonderful petite livre Indoor Voice, it seems lovely and freeing to sketch unabashedly – do you keep a sketchbook with you at all times? Do you sketch often? How vital is it to you?

I don’t sketch every day. But there’s rarely a day where I don’t make something. Right now I’m trying to teach myself how to quilt. But yes, the sketchbook is completely essential. As I tell my students, you rarely will make breakthroughs –lateral steps– on projects.

You have a new project with Mariko Tamaki coming up, is there anything you can tell us about it?

Mariko and I are working on a new graphic novel, Awago Beach Babies. It is no way related to SKIM– sequel, prequel, or otherwise. Mariko is in the writing phase right now and I’m just patiently waiting.

MoCCA Fest is almost upon us. And with it comes a mini-flurry of signings.

Friday, April 8, 4.30PM: I’m signing with Joe Ollmann at The Strand. Creators will be signing throughout the day.

Saturday, April 9: I’ll be at MoCCA (Lex Ave Armory, check the above link for details), D&Q booth, 12-2.

[NEW!] Saturday, April 9: Marvel Strange Tales II Release Party + Signing, The Mad Hatter, 360 Third Ave (at 26th St.), 7-9

You can pick up a copy of Indoor Voice at The Strand + MoCCA. SKIM may be available in limited quantities too. I’m always happy to meet you and sign a book you’ve already bought, of course.

I can’t tell you how happy I am to finally be able to share this project with you. It pretty much consumed my life for the first 2 months of this year.

Penguin Classics! What a dream project. When I first did my Monster Quilt, I said I wouldn’t take commissions in embroidery… unless Penguin called me for a Penguin Classics cover. Sometimes you get what you wish for (times three).

The covers wraparound, and include french flaps. You can view larger versions here by clicking:

I’ve included a few photos of the works in progress below. There are more “making-of” pics, but we’re saving them for when the books will be released in the Fall. Thanks to Paul Buckley for the amazing gig. Also thanks to Stella Lee for her help with the tiny lettering.

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UPDATE/FAQ:

-”Can I post about these on my blog?” Yes. If you’d like to feature the Penguin Threads project on your blog, that is fine. A linkback is appreciated.

-”When will the books be available?” October, 2011.

-”Will they be limited edition/available in my country?” I believe they will be similar to the other Penguin Deluxe Classics, which are widely available in most major and indie bookstores. They will be available in many International markets, but I can’t speak to your specific country.

-”How will they be printed?” They will NOT be individual embroidered objects. I’m not really sure how that would be possible without making the final product exorbitantly expensive. They will, however, be beautifully produced, printed with a sculptural-embossing technique that will emphasize the stitches. They will be tactile objects.

-”Do you have an Etsy store?” I do not.

Please direct all press inquiries to Sonya at sonya.cheuse@us.penguingroup.com

Mutantmagic.com or Archives

Click to enlarge slightly.

All SuperMutant comics can be found here. I forgot to mention that you don’t need tumblr to get updates from that page. You can use the RSS feed if you prefer.

So I’m just getting back into the swing of things after our epic California trip. Here is a con report!

(You can also read it LARGER.)

There are a few other things to mention:

1. I rebuilt my portfolio site. www.jilliantamaki.com was hacked very badly and removing the hack proved more irritating than scrapping the thing and starting anew. I pared it down and added annotations to some of the pieces. I’ll be polishing it up over the next few weeks, but I really, really needed The Internet to stop thinking I was running some kind of sex-aid pharmacy. Although I AM Canadian…

2. I am part of a new anthology: Marvel Strange Tales II. Yes, I am now a Marvel Artist. How effing cool is THAT?! I made a short comic about Dazzler. So much fun. Can’t wait to share more of this project.

3. Indoor Voice. Did I mention that I already? Well, I added some pictures!

Links to some of the pertinent people in the above comic:
Peter Birkemoe (The Beguiling)
Chris Butcher
James Sturm
Gabrielle Bell
Vanessa Davis, whose book “Make Me A Woman” is terrific
Trevor Alixopulos
Mimi Pond
Angie Wang
Hellen Jo
Sam Weber, of course
Heidi MacDonald
Hope Larson
Bryan Lee O’Malley
Eric Nakamura, of Giant Robot

INDOOR VOICE! It’s here! A box came today!

It never gets old opening a box of your own books.

So it should be trickling into stores soon (or order online here). Let me tell you about the book:

I consider Indoor Voice to be a companion piece to the book I did in 2006, Gilded Lilies. It is not a narrative story (like Skim), but rather a collection of short comics, sketchbook stuff, etc. It’s inspired, in fact, by the spirit of this very blog. (There are some “reprints” of blog material, but much of it is new.) It can be hard to sum up a book like this, but I had some practice talking about it at Comic-con: I think this book is a snapshot of a year or two in a creative life and is probably best enjoyed by others who live or aspire to a creative life as well.

Making “art” (in the loosest, purest sense of word) for a living is tough. I see students, often in the 2nd semester of 4th year, come to a sinking realization that Illustration is sometimes not fun at all. It’s work. Work that is sometimes boring, frustrating, by-committee, and maddeningly collaborative. Some people are great at viewing illustration as just a profession, a job, filling a need, rendering a service. No problem with that at all. Part of me views it that way too (it’s part of “being a professional”). But I do sincerely believe that without personal work and comics, I might go nuts. For the most part, there is little Sense of Play in commercial illustration (there are a few glorious exceptions to this rule). And the Sense of Play is really what nourishes creativity and, ultimately, good work (paid or otherwise). Sometimes, I think, it’s actually more important than rigorous practice.

So. Here you go. A little glimpse into Play.

Sorry, England! Joel Benjamin informs me that the last post contained some errors. Namely THE ILLUSTRATIONS WERE NOT IN THE NEWSPAPER LAST WEEKEND! Whoops. They’ll be out next weekend, the 20th. Many apologies!