Jon Han

1. Where are you from and how long have you been illustrating?

Im from California, where I still live and I've been illustrating for about 3 years.



2. Tell me about your first job, how you promoted when you started and how you promote yourself now?

The first job I received was from the New York Times. Working for Brian Rea.

When promoting I would send out postcard promos, get into Illustration annuals and kept a blog of my work. Even now I like to follow traditional methods of promotion mixed with promotion that is available through the Internet.



3. It seems like there’s a lot of amazing folk that came out of Art Center (Jason Holley, Frank Stockton, Josh Cochran, ect). What was your experience like at Art Center College of Design and what makes their illustration program pour out great talent?

Art center was a great experience for me. The faculty and fellow students all helped to drive me to create better work. I haven't really seen how other schools operate so I have nothing to compare it to, but definitely the staff and fellow students push you to want to create something great visually. I felt like the staff had different of thinkers that helped me see different perspectives on art/illustration.




4. I went through your blog the other day, and went as far back as your entries from 2005. You have some incredible sketch book pages, and you really know how to draw a figure. In your work lately, you have been drawing figures that are more simplified into shapes/marks. How have you come to how you draw today, and what’s the benefits to drawing in a more simplified way?

By simplifying the figures, it helps me play with other elements of the picture, gives me a lot more room to play with different types of shapes and environments and compositions. Since the figures are secondary most of the time, I feel like I have freedom to put other elements instead of relying solely on a figure to drive the point. I think it’s what interests me right now. I’m sure that it will change in the future.



5. Your work tends to be very smart, and you use a lot of abstract elements to drive a point across. I was wondering if you would talk a little bit about your process when it come to generating idea’s for a project.

When it comes to generating the ideas, I try to understand the point and mood that needs to be driven by picture. Then I usually like to think about what makes sense with the article and sort of get a visual in my head of what the final will look like and draw sketches for them. Using icons, symbols and visual metaphors.




6. What music do you listen to while you work? Do you have a particular song you listen to when you start/finish a huge job (ie: Eye of the Tiger)?

Nothing in particular, just whatever is playing on my iTunes playlist whether good or bad.



7. I noticed that you did some paper cut work for one of the post it note shows at Giant Robot. Are you doing any other gallery work or is it on a as invited basis?

I love doing gallery work, and I'd love to do more gallery shows.


8. What’s your Dream Client/Dream Job?

I'm not to sure on that. I want to do everything to be quite honest, from books, print, gallery, motion, you name it. There are a lot of great publishing houses, motion studios, ad agencies and talented people to work with. I couldn't name just one.





9. What do you do in your free time outside of illustration?

Live life



10. Own any Dog(s)?

Not presently. In the past yes, in the future probably.



11. What are you loving about illustration?

The voice and the growth.





12. Any advice for young illustrators breaking into the field?

Do good work. And keep doing good work


13. Any advice for the veterans?

Probably the same.



14. Final Word?

Thanks

------------------------------------------

Thank you Jon!

All images are under ©opyright by Jon Han - Jon-han.com

-Daniel Fishel