FAQ

Where can I find out more about you?

Why not look here: Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Wikipedia
Jon Burgerman online DOODLING CLASS Interview on UPmag PIX11 2019 video interview
Creative Pep talk podcast
Creative Morning live lecture
Publishers Weekly interview
AIGA Eye on Design feature & lecture video
Working not Working interview
New York Times feature
Lecture in Progress interview
Amazon author page
Interview on Cass Arts blog
Why you should doodle everyday
5 easy ways to jump start your creativity
Vice article about SPLAT!
Barnes & Noble interview about picture books
Lecture about my Instagram works
The Great Discontent Podcast
The Genie interview (Italian)
Video interview with Digital Arts
The Early Hour interview
Design Milk Friday 5 interview
Meet The Creatives interview
Creative boom interview
Digital Arts interview / colouring book
Konbini interview
The Great Discontent follow up interview
tNsquare interview
We Heart interview
Interview and mural at UsTwo NYC office
Like Knows Like studio visit
Video interview for Typo Berlin 2015
Desillusion Magazine video feature
Summer 2014 interview video
Haha Magazine article about my Small Edition sculptures
Natalie Kates video interview
What is a doodle? - PSFK interview
The Great Discontent interview
Cult iz my C interview (English and French)
Beach Gallery interview
Workspriation Blog
Margeaux video interview
Go Media Zine interview
AI-AP Dart interview
Jon Burgerman NYC restaurant reviews
Interview for Reykjavik Boulevard
Interview and exhibition preview on Coolhunting
F.OUND article (in Korean)
Korean national newspaper article
Roger Smith Hotel video interview
Openers interview (in Japanese)
Warp.tv video interview
Digital Arts online interview
Nasty Gal Blog
Made in Shoreditch interview
PMc magazine interview by Lori Zimmer
Blog and Buy Sale Interview
Indigits interview
Video interview on Posca's French website.
LeftLion interview about my band Anxieteam
Limited Hype interview
Computer Arts Nov 2009 interview
Juxtapoz
Video interviews by the BBC
Whitehot Art Magazine interview
Ape On The Moon interview
On the BBC website
Illicit Exhibitions article
reative Review blog interview
FormatMag interview
Lost At E Minor interview
F'kn Mischief
My studio on Guilotine
Underspray interview
Little Chimp Society interview
Flickr

What would you most like your audience to take away from your doodles?

A sense of excitement that you can creatively think your way out of (or into) any sort of trouble you like.

What is your process when doodling, is there any planning?

I think about what I want to draw, how it might look or more likely, how it might feel. I draw. I keep drawing, starting a new page when I'm bored / done / happy / horrified with the last drawing I made. I end up with a bunch of drawings I can select the best bits from, depending on what it is I'm doing.

Is that your real name?

No really, it is! My parents thought it'd be a laugh to call me Jon, what jokers eh? You can only imagine the playground chants I endured.

Do you have any advice on doodling?

Doodling is a hard master if you want to take it seriously, it's a piece of pie if you just want to mess around though. Always sharpen your pencils and keep your desk tidy. Carrying a sketchbook with you at all times is useful, though you have to remember to draw in it once in a while.

Which artists do you like?

This is by no means an exhaustive list but here's some artists I like and draw inspiration from: Sougwen, Sam Canon, Julian Glander, Phyllis Ma, Mona Chalabi, Peter Millard, Misaki Kawai, Janie Korn, Ariel Davis, Vallee Duhamel, Joyce Pensato, Dante Zaballa, Hannah Epstein, Qieer Wang, Danilo, Alex Billy, Felt Mistress, Dain Yoon, Haleigh Mun, Ani Acopian, Nina Chanel Abney, You Byun, Yoshitomo Nara, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Barry McGee, Keith Haring, Kurt Schwitters, Chris Ware, Cy Twombly, Picasso, David Shrigley, Martin Creed, Kris Martin, Keith Tyson, Eddie Martinez, Alison Knowles, John Cooper Clarke, Mark E Smith… I'll add more as I can think of them.

During your time studying at art college did you have the same style as you do now?

It wasn't exactly the same but obviously related, my style has evolved over the years and will continue to do so (I hope). The way that I draw is linked to the way I write and sketch, think and speak. The style is built upon a natural way of working and was not designed or strategically worked out.

When you drawing on the wall what is the drawing material you use?

Generally I'll use a Posca pen to draw out the piece on the wall. Then, depending on size, I'll colour areas in with Poscas or cheap acrylic paint mixed with emulsion.

Do you plan out your composition before drawing on the wall?

Nope. I might have a rough idea in my head or very occasionally I'll have a loose sketch in my sketchbook but most of the time I have no plan whatsoever, which for me, is part of the fun/challenge. Plans slow things down and it would be impossible to plan a really intricate work and then follow it when drawing on a big wall.

What advice would you give to get your illustrations into the market?

Best thing to do is work really hard on your illustrations, make a website, let people know about your site and keep it updated regularly. If things don't go so well to begin with don't worry it can take ages for your genius to be recognised. The important thing is to keep working and showing your work wherever you can; exhibitions, competitions, magazines, fanzines, posters, flyers, tattoos etc.

How do you start your character and illustrations?

Quite often my work is done in one drawing that just seems to fit perfectly. However, sometimes it can take many many drawings to get to just the right one. Each drawing serves as experience for the next one too, so with each character and illustration I make really I'm just practicing a little more for the next one I do.

How would you characterise your work?

Wonky, wibbly, odd, angry, happy, dumb, wrong.

What type of markers, paints, pens, etc. you use when colouring your work?

I use whatever I can get hold of that hasn't already run out. Pen wise I like a nice old honest, chewed at the end biro or a sleek Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip. I use a wide variety of felt pens, from Berols to Sign pens to chunky markers, like Sharpies. When painting I use a mix of household emulsion and cheap acrylics. Some of the cardboard pieces and wall paintings I've done also utilise Posca pens, which are from Japan. Sometimes they're a little difficult to get hold of but are worth tracking down as they give a nice flat colour on most surfaces and are very quick and easy to use.

Who, what, where and when do you get your inspirations from Mr Burgerman?

That's too many questions at once. Generally I reach for The Big Book of Art Ideas and steal everything from there. Inspiration, like chewing gum, can be found everywhere. Sometimes you don't even have to look for it, you'll just be walking along and -bam- you'll get some inspiration, or some chewing gum on your shoe.

How did you get started?

Once I had graduated from University (I studied Fine Art) I built a website and started to add my work to it. Every so often I'd email a few people I knew to let them know I'd updated it. The more people I met and chatting to about work, I'd email. Over the course of time my website had a lot of work on it and more people were becoming interested in the doodles. I picked up some jobs here and there, and when I wasn't working, I just kept on practicing my drawing and adding to the site. There was never a big turning point when I suddenly got lots of work, it just all slowly built up over time.

Do you use a graphic tablet to create your digital work?

I hand draw pretty much everything and scan the work in. Sometimes I'll use something like Live Trace in Illustrator to turn my black and white drawings into vector shapes. ​ I very very rarely trace around the drawing with a path. I've recently (late 2009) started using a Wacom Cintiq and am exploring what I can do with it - it's a lot of fun and an amazing piece of hardware.

Do you use a graphic tablet to create your digital work?

I hand draw pretty much everything and scan the work in. Sometimes I'll use something like Live Trace in Illustrator to turn my black and white drawings into vector shapes.

Did you teach yourself to draw, is there a system of abstraction or is it a natural style?

The style I draw in is simply my natural way of drawing. It has become more refined over the years as anything would if you do it everyday. If there is a method / system of abstraction it is applied whilst drawing and thinking at the same time.

Do you have a certain philosophy on design/life in general?

I think it might be; Less waste, less haste, less hate, less work. Time is so short so you should try and have fun whilst not ruining anyone else's fun at the same time.

What do you do to get out of a creative block?

Sleep, run away, do something completely different. Straining causes pains so sometimes it's just best to take a break and re-approach the problem later. A good lunch and a walk outside can solve most things.

What material do you most like to work on?

I like drawing with a black felt pen onto a white sheet of paper.

Do the same characters appear in different pieces of work?

Some do. Some exist across my books, animations, drawings, stickers, doodles and artwork. All of the characters are related to each other in someway, exactly the same as how all humans are connected.

How do you want people to feel when they see your work?

Entertained or intrigued, or both!

What is your favourite food?

Hmmm. I love a lot of food but sometimes only a fresh, hot slice of New York pizza will do.

Are you inspired by your surroundings? If yes, how?

I'm sure my surroundings have an influence on my work. I think we can't decide what we're inspired by, it's not as easy as that.We should try and experience as many interesting things as possible and see what sticks. Inspiration can come from unexpected places.I'm sure the culture, noise, colours, sounds and visuals in NYC have filtered into my brain and out into my work. It's almost impossiblefor that not to have happened.

What would your advice be for students currently studying within creative courses like for example?

Research your field and get a clear idea of what you want to do and the best way to implement it. You might need to visit shops / galleries / venues etc. You might need to email / phone / meet people etc. You might need to google / read / watch stuff about it. Don't just sit there and then hope to 'enter the commercial world' with no preparation. And don't forget to learn as you go on, in many ways when you start engaging with things outside of Uni your real learning has just begun…!

A lot of your work mixes both analogue and digital techniques. Why do you choose to work this way?

Both techniques offer excellent and different qualities - why not cherry pick the best things each medium has to offer? Digital can save a lot of time and allow for easy amendments, scaling of work, adaption to digital media etc. Analogue is warmer, more human, allows for a easier emotive expression.

What are your tips for using POSCA pens?

1. Only shake them with the lids on.
2. Dab them and hold down on some scrap cardboard to get the ink coming through the nib.
3. Don't press them too hard into the wall or you might make them leak.
4. If your bullet tip gets worn down, get a tissue, pull out the nib and flip it over.
5. The pens are re-fillable (with your own ink) and you can buy new nibs for them, so hang on to the empties.
6. They last a long time so if you think it's run out repeat tips 1 and 2 a few times first to make sure.
7. Don't drink the ink.

Have you ever refused to do a job and why?

Yes, many. Reasons include:

1. not interested in it
2. against the product in question
3. not enough time
4. not enough money
5. knew I wouldn't actually be good at that job so turned it down

Do companies let you be free with what you produce for them?

It varies but generally I'm very lucky and get to have a lot of control over what I produce for companies. I'm not very good, creatively, when a brief is very exact and specific. I work best when I can use my imagination and the client trusts me to do so.

What's the weirdest thing you have ever doodled on?

A persons passport. I suggested they might prefer me to draw on something else but they were insistent.

Where can I find out more about you in books?

The following publications feature Jon Burgerman:

• Burgerworld: A Colouring book, by Jon Burgerman, published by Laurence King.
• Pens are my friends, Jon Burgerman monograph, published by IdN.
• Pictoplasma Character Portraits by Pictoplasma Publishing, Berlin.
• New York: 60 Creatives show you the best of the city published by Gingko Press.
• Fifty Years of Illustration published by Laurence King Publishing.
• Sticker Bomb published by Laurence King Publishing.
• Creature Couture: The Art of Felt Mistress published by Blank Slate Books.
• The Graphic Art of the Underground, A counterculture history by Bloomsbury.
• I Am Plastic, Too, published by Harry N. Abrams.
• The Fundamentals of Illustration series published by Fairchild Books AVA.
• Thinking Visually published by AVA Publishing.
• Los Logos 3 published by Die Gestalten Verlag.
• Pictoplasma 'The Character Encyclopedia' by Pictoplasma.
• Dot Dot Dash published by DGV.
• 300% Cotton published by Laurence King.
• Tattoo Icons published by Viction:ary.
• The Art of Rebellion 2 published by Publikat.