Interview questions for Reset Magazine
Nov. 10, 2009
First of all who is Joel Trussell? I know it’s hard to describe themselves, but you can tell us about yourself a little bit, so Turkish readers may know you.
Joel Trussell is a maker of images/mover of images. My work is mostly directing animated music videos, commercials and TV segments. Silly pictures and interesting characters are what I specialize in.
How did you start making animation, illustration and sketches?
I first found my calling when I started drawing cartoons of Michael Jackson and E.T. and selling them to other elementary school kids for their lunch money. I thought it was a pretty good hustle. I stuck with it.
In Turkey, maybe all over the world parents don’t like and appreciate about their children’ job choices. They want us to become a doctor, engineer or something like that. Did your parents support your choice about art?
My parents allowed me to make a lot of my own mistakes and find my career path. I ended up here, so... I think I'm grateful.
In your early ages have you draw comics? Because most of the illustrations have comics history.
I took a stab at drawing comics, but they were terrible. I instead decided to try and draw dirty pictures and hide them in my closet.
Can you tell us about your technics and subjects? I looked at your illustrations and animations on your blog. And at the beginning you made a lot of Vikings Why Vikings? Are there any specific reasons affect your works?
The viking thing came from a video I directed for Jason Forrest called "War Photographer". The music beckoned to me to make laser guitar battling vikings, so I answered. I actually don't have a particular attraction or affinity to vikings... people just seemed to latch onto it which is good by me.
Well anime artist Murakami make illustrations and draw sketches for Louis Vuitton bags. Last half decade, art became a consumption object. Andy Warhol’s art is everywhere. What is your opinion about that? Is it a new sector for trade? And if an offer like that come to you would you accept it?
I don't feel very strongly one way or the other about the subject. I think if someone presented an opportunity to sell items that I design, I'd probably take them up on it. With that said though, it's not something I'm frantically pursuing. Doing narrative pieces that are linear and timed are what I'm concentrating on at the moment.
When did you start make animations?
I started making animation steadily about 1998, but I didn't really do many things that had my personality injected into them until 2003.
I saw a work of you which you did for Sketchel event. What is Sketchel event and what are the benefits this event’s? And tell us about your work, which includes different types of hands. It looks like a Jigsaw movie
To be honest, a friend of mine named Abe Lincoln Jr. hipped me up to the Sketchel thing. I believe the event was to help support the victims of a tsunami. The painting on the bag was actually supposed to just look like hands on the front, then when you turned it around you'd see they were severed. Unfortunately, somehow something got lost in translation and they attached the piece backwards which makes it kinda gruesome and weird. Oh well.
Earlier times, people who make art can lay out their works only at an exhibition. But now you can lay out your work via social network sites (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc.), blog sites, exhibitions and some kind of festivals. Which way is the best for you? One hand your works reach many many people, but on the other hand you can’t have a face-to-face communication with your followers.
Social networking is a good tool and some use it better than others. I lived in Knoxville, TN for the last 7 years so the internet was my lifeline, but recently I moved to LA and I find much less time to go online and instead I just meet up. It's almost too much. I'm feeling a little pre-agoraphobic.
Do you give lessons for young people? What do you think about young artists and today’s contemporary art?
1. I'm a horrible horrible teacher. 2. I think it's ultra rad.
I know that (but I’m not positively sure) you are a freelance artist. And today most of the contemporary artists are working as a freelance artist. Is it too difficult to have an economic budget for your works? And on the other hand, is it more comfortable to work under a company? Because I think artists could lose their inspirations if they work under a company and they must have been under a lot of pressure.
I worked freelance for the last 7 years after working in a studio in Seattle for 3 years. I'm now in LA and working with a studio in Hollywood called Six Point Harness. Both freelance and studio work have their appeal so it's hard to dissect it too much. I find work to be tremendous pressure no matter where you're at. I suppose that might depend on how much care you put into your work.
Before coming to Gossip’s video, I think your last work’s heroes are fruits. Tell us a little bit this work.
Kid606 asked if I'd be up for directing a new video for his song Mr. Wobble's Nightmare, so he hit me with the track and the idea came along pretty quick. There's no getting around the fact that the song is about zombies so I wanted to try and find a way to be gruesome and yet keep it funny. I thought slicing up rotten fruit characters would be cool. If I'd used any forethought I would've known how horrible it'd smell too.
I give you five words, how do you describe your work?
Disco acid retro punk... yeah
Who is your favourite contemporary artists?
Woody Allen and David Lynch.
You direct music band Gossip’s last video? How did they find you? Which is more exciting: Drawing sketches or directing videos.
I'm not entirely sure how the Gossip found me actually. I imagine they saw the Mr. Wobble's Nightmare video and thought I had an interesting perspective so they allowed me to write a treatment.
As far as what's more exciting goes: drawing is immediately more exciting but generally less satisfying than directing a video.
Gossip is a famous band these days, after shooting their video, did the reactions to your work change? And can you say; ‘After this video I reached so many people than my illustrations or sketches’?
1. No. 2. Yes.
This century technology go forward miles away. And due this situation a lot of artist stop using pencils and they start use computer for making their works. What can you say about that? Is technology an evolution or handicap for art?
I like pencils, I like computers... I say... less complaining and more art making.
Did any offer come from Turkey’s contemporary art galleries to you for make an exhibition here? If it didn’t, would you consider about that ?
1. No 2. Absolutely!!!!!!!
And last what do you want to say to Turkish readers and illustration, animation, sketches, drawing lovers who know your work or not.
Don't stop get it get it.
Thank you so much!
Many thanks!