INTERVIEW
Chuck Anderson (NoPattern) Illustrator
Interview posted August 17, 2009
Interview posted August 17, 2009
Are your dreams in color or black and white?
Color for sure...I don't actually remember a lot of the dreams I have unfortunately. Or fortunately, since I'm pretty sure most of them are really bizarre.
What are your interest outside of your art?
Tattoos, Scrabble, bookstores, coffee, spending time with my wife, family, and friends, collecting art/design books and magazines, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Tim & Eric Awesome Show, metal & hardcore music, and finding the world's best mozzarella sticks.
What made you want to become an artist?
I've been drawing my whole life, since I was a little kid. My dad was always really creative so I just took after him with that and loved doing it. I believe it was just a natural progression that I'm doing what I do now. After high school I felt so restless to just get going with it that I skipped college altogether so I could just start making a living from designing, taking photos, drawing, illustrating, etc. I guess the bottom line is that it's my passion and what I feel I'm best at.
Strongest inspiration comes from:
I take a lot of inspiration from other artists who do things entirely unlike what I do. Artists like Mark Romanek, KAWS, Deanne Cheuk, Phil Hale, Dave Kinsey, Hedi Slimane, Pushead...All these artists just really inspire me to do new things, try to be the best at what I do, inspire other people, and just be creative. For a specific commercial client project, I obviously try to take inspiration when I can from their direction and concepts. A lot of basic inspiration and motivation is simply from everyday life, friends, being with other creative people, and enjoying the world around me.
Single most pivotal point in your career?
When I did work with McDonald's and ESPN Magazine, very early on in my career (as in I was still living with my parents), those were really defining moments. They were my first real big brand name clients that everyone knew, so I felt as though it somewhat legitimized my portfolio a bit more than where it was prior. The other time was when I was invited to speak in New York City at the Semi-Permanent Conference. I was 20, it was my first time ever public speaking, in front of 1200 people at Lincoln Center. It was nerve wracking and exciting all at the same time, but it really helped me grow and put myself out there in a way that went beyond just my web presence.
Fears you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
If so, biggest one?
I honestly never really had any fears regarding getting to where I am now. It's just been nonstop surprise every step of the way. I guess I've gotten a little worried at times when work got slow, but for the most part I've kept consistently busy over the years and feel incredibly blessed to be in the position that I'm in. The only fear is clients who are ridiculously difficult to work with. Ha. Maybe I fear them.
What do you feel you are in search of with your work?
That's a really good question. I've never really thought about it before. I think I'm just in search of good experiences with people, clients, people who see my work...I'm just always on the hunt for fun, creative opportunities and people to collaborate with.
What are you working on now?
I've been working with Rockstar Games on their new video game Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony. You can see the logo I did with them here: Ballad of Gay Tony - also recently finished working on some snow boards with Rome Snow boards as well as some ad campaign stuff with Ernie Ball guitar strings.
Thing people would be stunned to learn about you?
My favorite kind of art and design are things that look drastically different than my own and the style of work that I do. There are a lot of photographers, illustrators, and fine artists who do things vastly different than my own and those are the people whose work I seem to appreciate, purchase, and love the most. I don't know why. Another thing is that my father is a pastor and my grandfather is a veterinarian, two professions that I could have easily ended up doing if I'd followed in those footsteps. Fortunately (for my sake, not having to ever deal with the politics that defines being a pastor or having to care for and put down sick animals), I took the path of artist! Probably the best choice for me. They're both great at what they do, but I could never handle either.
To date what is your favorite project?
A project that I spent the first 3 months of 2009 working on but am legally not allowed to talk about yet! Besides that, I honestly don't know. The work I did for Less Than Jake's album 'In With The Out Crowd' was a lot of fun because it required taking pictures of a lot of friends and family and then getting to see them used on an album cover that ended up in stores and on posters all over the world.
If you weren't an artist, what would you be doing?
I mentioned what my dad and grandfather do, pastor and veterinarian... But besides that, I don't know. I really don't. All I can think of is an artist of another sort. Maybe a tattoo artist, maybe strictly a photographer...no clue. Never really even crossed my mind.
One crucial piece of advice you’d give an aspiring artist:
Do what you love, never do it first and foremost for the money, and constantly be a sponge to the world around you for inspiration, ideas, and influence. Help other artists out when they're in need of inspiration, get involved in your local art & design community whether its big or small, and most importantly, if you're not having fun, it's really not worth doing.
learn more about this artist >
Color for sure...I don't actually remember a lot of the dreams I have unfortunately. Or fortunately, since I'm pretty sure most of them are really bizarre.
What are your interest outside of your art?
Tattoos, Scrabble, bookstores, coffee, spending time with my wife, family, and friends, collecting art/design books and magazines, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Tim & Eric Awesome Show, metal & hardcore music, and finding the world's best mozzarella sticks.
What made you want to become an artist?
I've been drawing my whole life, since I was a little kid. My dad was always really creative so I just took after him with that and loved doing it. I believe it was just a natural progression that I'm doing what I do now. After high school I felt so restless to just get going with it that I skipped college altogether so I could just start making a living from designing, taking photos, drawing, illustrating, etc. I guess the bottom line is that it's my passion and what I feel I'm best at.
Strongest inspiration comes from:
I take a lot of inspiration from other artists who do things entirely unlike what I do. Artists like Mark Romanek, KAWS, Deanne Cheuk, Phil Hale, Dave Kinsey, Hedi Slimane, Pushead...All these artists just really inspire me to do new things, try to be the best at what I do, inspire other people, and just be creative. For a specific commercial client project, I obviously try to take inspiration when I can from their direction and concepts. A lot of basic inspiration and motivation is simply from everyday life, friends, being with other creative people, and enjoying the world around me.
Single most pivotal point in your career?
When I did work with McDonald's and ESPN Magazine, very early on in my career (as in I was still living with my parents), those were really defining moments. They were my first real big brand name clients that everyone knew, so I felt as though it somewhat legitimized my portfolio a bit more than where it was prior. The other time was when I was invited to speak in New York City at the Semi-Permanent Conference. I was 20, it was my first time ever public speaking, in front of 1200 people at Lincoln Center. It was nerve wracking and exciting all at the same time, but it really helped me grow and put myself out there in a way that went beyond just my web presence.
Fears you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
If so, biggest one?
I honestly never really had any fears regarding getting to where I am now. It's just been nonstop surprise every step of the way. I guess I've gotten a little worried at times when work got slow, but for the most part I've kept consistently busy over the years and feel incredibly blessed to be in the position that I'm in. The only fear is clients who are ridiculously difficult to work with. Ha. Maybe I fear them.
What do you feel you are in search of with your work?
That's a really good question. I've never really thought about it before. I think I'm just in search of good experiences with people, clients, people who see my work...I'm just always on the hunt for fun, creative opportunities and people to collaborate with.
What are you working on now?
I've been working with Rockstar Games on their new video game Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony. You can see the logo I did with them here: Ballad of Gay Tony - also recently finished working on some snow boards with Rome Snow boards as well as some ad campaign stuff with Ernie Ball guitar strings.
Thing people would be stunned to learn about you?
My favorite kind of art and design are things that look drastically different than my own and the style of work that I do. There are a lot of photographers, illustrators, and fine artists who do things vastly different than my own and those are the people whose work I seem to appreciate, purchase, and love the most. I don't know why. Another thing is that my father is a pastor and my grandfather is a veterinarian, two professions that I could have easily ended up doing if I'd followed in those footsteps. Fortunately (for my sake, not having to ever deal with the politics that defines being a pastor or having to care for and put down sick animals), I took the path of artist! Probably the best choice for me. They're both great at what they do, but I could never handle either.
To date what is your favorite project?
A project that I spent the first 3 months of 2009 working on but am legally not allowed to talk about yet! Besides that, I honestly don't know. The work I did for Less Than Jake's album 'In With The Out Crowd' was a lot of fun because it required taking pictures of a lot of friends and family and then getting to see them used on an album cover that ended up in stores and on posters all over the world.
If you weren't an artist, what would you be doing?
I mentioned what my dad and grandfather do, pastor and veterinarian... But besides that, I don't know. I really don't. All I can think of is an artist of another sort. Maybe a tattoo artist, maybe strictly a photographer...no clue. Never really even crossed my mind.
One crucial piece of advice you’d give an aspiring artist:
Do what you love, never do it first and foremost for the money, and constantly be a sponge to the world around you for inspiration, ideas, and influence. Help other artists out when they're in need of inspiration, get involved in your local art & design community whether its big or small, and most importantly, if you're not having fun, it's really not worth doing.
learn more about this artist >
PHOTO CREDITS: images 1-5 for Lodown Magazine, Feb/March 2007 Issue, Photos by Till Beckerimages, image 6 Light For Drowning' Print, image 7-8 AMP Energy Drink Ads, image 9 Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor album cover, image 10 Collaboration with Jonathan Garcia & Joe King for Lamar Odom's Rich Soil clothing label, image 11-12 Cover for Computer Arts Issue 117. Photos by Alan Wardle.