#jthree concepts

Jthree Concepts (Jared K. Nickerson)

Morning Coma Alt

Perfect Ending

Bad Passion for Retrofukation

Non Cadenza

At a Behance Meet-Up last month, I got the chance to meet Seattle-base artist Jared K. Nickerson. He presented his artist and life philosophy along with his awesome illustrations. I sent him some questions for What Smells and he included them in his official FAQ sheet! Here are a few to start :)

When did you first become interested in graphic design & illustration? I was always into art & my dad made sure we always had a computer in the house while I was growing up. It was a natural transition after playing with MSPaint & Corel Draw all those years. I don't think there was a specific time I became interested, it just developed over time. I had been working for an online broadcasting company in Vancouver, BC & found myself with a chunk of extra time while traveling for them & decided to pick up a copy of Adobe Illustrator, & the rest developed from there.

Did you go through any hardships or negative situations to get to the position you are at? If so, did it influence you into becoming a better artist? I was kicked out of my parents house when I was 16 & had to support myself completely while finishing the last 3 years of high school. Obviously, I didn't have money for college, & I worked more than a few dead-end jobs. Once I moved to Vancouver, I ended up working for a company that paid well & gave me plenty of time to do freelance design work. Once I realized I was spending more time & making more money at freelance, I made the switch permanently. I definitely think this made me a better artist because I learned everything myself & my art was never tainted by a professor's opinion.

What or whom influences you? I take most of my inspiration from every day life & music. I notice advertising campaigns more than the company/product advertised. I find myself looking at logos/packaging of products all the time. I take photos with my iPhone constantly to remind me of things that inspire me. I'm always taking voice notes with my phone whether it be design ideas or lyrics/vocals for a song I'm working on.

How do you want people to react to your work? I want people to escape into it to some extent. Be it the message or the story it tells. Or even just the humour.

Who's your audience? I think anyone & everyone is in my audience. I don't think I have an overall specific group. Anyone from children to senior citizens can enjoy my work. With that being said, I find the more humour-based designs I do appeal to mostly teens & young adults.

Could you tell us what your typical work-day looks like? Really depends on what sort of client work I am juggling both that day & the night before. Since I deal with clients anywhere from Germany to China to the US, I find my schedule is constantly in a state of flux. When I first get up I normally do the regular email checks, social media checks, etc. & during the coffee & oatmeal phase I start up a video game to ease into things... I don't suggest this process to anyone, & it could explain why things are always left to last minute. You can't force inspiration I guess, you have to work with it when it comes, whether that be 4am or 4pm.

How have you handled the business aspect of being an artist? It depends on which business aspect you're talking about. I hired an account manager to handle the email inquiries, invoicing, bookkeeping, etc. so that I could focus on the art/art direction. I find that this enables us to answer more emails, complete more interviews, & communicate with clients more efficiently.

Favourite drink? Beverage: Zevia Cola Beer: Stella Artois Cocktail: Soho & 7

What smells in your studio? The delicious lunch my wife made me: Chicken strawberry salad, a bowl of fresh mandarins & blueberries, & a strawberry-banana smoothie.

Thanks Jared!