LEON SADLER INTERVIEW WITH JULIEN MOREL FOR VICE MAGAZINE (france) October 20009
Remember those little characters in malicious cartoons that you were so afraid that you dare not even go back alone in your room after eating your lunch at Banga? Remember those microbes-nose in It Was Once Life? Well, Leon Sadler is a young artist who draws Loughborough that stuff. He likes gargoyles, goblins, dragons in space and ugly colors. Because we love what he does, we went to ask him what he was preparing at the moment and why he drew all the time wicked ugly. For now, he receives mail from his mother.
1.Since when do you run your 'Leon's Place' blog now ?
-5th April 2005 but it'd be very disappointing and a waste of time for someone to look that far back. I think my best stuff has been in the last 2 years, I would make the rest of it 'private' but it's be a waste of time.
2.Well, actually you have multiple blogs. How can you make a difference between them ? You know specifically what to post on each blog ?
-Today's Daily Picture Message (http://lmsn_tdpm.livejournal.com) is meant just for photos of things I'm interested in and to help give an insight into my works.
-Leon's Place (http://catthorpe.livejournal.com) is for selected things, I would like to make more jokes on there
but i forget to.
-Famicon Blog (http://2famicon4u.blogspot.com/) is for news of Famicon projects and events
-Famicon & Bonehouse (http://famiconexpress.blogspot.com/) is for business news and is run in association with our co-publisher Jonathan Chandler
3.On Leon's Place, you put everything you create at the moment. Which means, a lot of stuff. Are you affraid of being seen as a 'hyperactive' artist or something ?
I don't worry too much, I don't know why it would be seen as a bad thing to make a lot of ideas. And sometimes I do a really quick tiny thing and it's a significant as something I spent a lot more time on.
Also, many things on Leon's Place are quick drawings, I would see my main work as the books I produce and a few paintings.
I don't put everything on there, there is
definately a filtration, I'm selective and careful.
4.When did you first start to think of being cartoonist as a real job ?
hahaha I wish this was my job but I have no idea how that would ever happen. It seems like the era of being like Jim Davis or Saul Steinberg was a long time ago.
I would love it more than anything to get paid to do this, you should pay me for doing this interview.
5.Do you make a certain 'hierarchy' between the things you do : drawings, paintings, 'beautiful stuff', 'stupid stuff' and so on ? Do you have a favourite activity amongst all the things you do ?
This is a great question!
It's most important to me to make comics, but they're extremely difficult, so you have to wait for the right moments. So everything else is just to bolster those comics.
I think of all these things I make as objects, and my whole collection as
a set, they act to extend each other or create this strong feeling.
Lately I've been making a lot of work for the next Nazi Knife, they're 'ulgy' because the feeling I want those works to give won't come from something softer. But I'm now I want to do something different to counter-balance that, to avoid being trapped by that mode.
I have a lot more ambitious ideas, things that would be a lot better than the drawing and paintings, it's a bad excuse, but I feel like I'm demoralised from doing them by lack of time and money.
It must be a question of balancing everything. Like you don't feel like listening to heavy music all day everyday.
6. Don't you think it's a little bit contradictory to do some very polished paintings and then, just afterwards, doing some crappy hilarious draws ? How do you you make it without being completely schizophrenic ?
That's a bad question!
I would have thought you'd reach madness quicker by doing the same thing over and over.
I appreciate why people stick to one particular approach, it can be a very useful tool.
If I can satisfy an idea with 1 or 2 drawings, then it would be a waste of time to carry on doing the same thing. And I like to surprise whoever sees this stuff.
It's very strange and interesting for me to see your interpretation of the time ellapses between my works.
7. You seem to like being described as a 'stupid' cartoonist. Is this a conscient move of yours or instead, you draw like 'oh, this just might be funny, I gotta try this and we'll see afterwards' ?
I think only one person said that, someone I know and joke with.
It would be too offensive if a stranger referred to my work as stupid.
The word is just shorthand for describing certain values and a particular sense of humour. I don't
know if something is lost in your french translation; like you can tell a really stupid joke but that joke can still be the best joke you ever heard.
8.Have you been influenced by some art philosopher of the idiotic, such as Jouannais etc ?
It's just like, you can do something 'meaningful' by doing something you're not 'supposed' to do. having a lot of fun throwing something out of a window and seeing it smash on the ground (not in a metaphorical way). I read some really good stuff Andrew WK said about doing things that seems like a bad idea.
I think i'm trying to bring into 'real life' things that I wish existed. For example I want to have a still life painting on my wall of a dinosaur head on a plate eating the fruit it's surrounded by, so then I make it myself.
I'd like to know who this Jouannais is.
9. Where does your particular attraction for the 'ugly' colours
come from ? You seem to love those harsh yellows, purples and barfy greens.
I shouldn't use the word 'ugly' , as I love these colours. If you look at a piece of old fabric that would generally be considered ugly now, if there's a piece of old fabric, a gloomy oil painting or a takeaway menu where the colours give you strong feelings, I'll poach those colours to connect with those feelings. Generally the things I am most inspired by are not from 'now' so maybe that's why my colour choices seem unusual.
I love primary colours too, and black & white!
10. I noticed you liked those kind of cheesy space comic fights as well. Are you into the nerd culture or this kind of things ?
I think fanart, fantasy art, ideas about the future are very important and honest things for people to make, and sometimes something amazing comes from that. There's something very horrible and inspiring by what I think
you're describing as 'nerd culture'.
11. You seem to be attracted to those giant monsters, supervilains, and sea goblins as well. What does interest you in their mean faces ?
Maybe it's too quick for a reader to think they empathise or are enemies with images of human beings, so when you make a connection with a creature it's more fun or interesting. I think it's also linked to what gargoyles are for
12. Could you explain to me what the whole Famicon thing is all about ?
That's our company.
13. What's the book you've collaborated to, which is called Nazi Knife ?
There's a description on here that explains it better than I could: http://www.pictureboxinc.com/product/id/424/
14. I red that often, your mother is emailing you stupid links
to look at - the Ellis Hollow thing. Well, your mommy is on internet, too ?
hahaha yes my Mum is on the internet too! That Ellis Hollow link is a perfect link, it's one of the best things I've seen for a long time. I don't think my mum browse's the internet very much though, I can't imagine what websites she would visit. I think that her sister in Canada was passed the link, and then she passed it onto my mum, who then forwarded it to me. That's the only really good link she's ever sent me, her usual emails are photos of her garden or dog, since they got a digital camera. My dad is really good with making things from wood, I'm interested to see that stuff myself but I don't know if someone would be interested to see my dad's DIY project on my website, but maybe now I'm not so sure. Maybe I will put some of those on.
My mum started her own business, Flatterbox.co.uk, and had someone build her a website for it.
so I think dealing with all that helped boost her confidence with emailing etc. Sometimes I receive funny text messages from her where the spelling and grammar is correct!
so yeah I think that Ellis Hollow link was a surprise cos she doesn't know much about what art we get up to anyway.
15. Who are your favourite artists in the world right now - except from your crew, obviosusly ?
The other day I got really inspired when my friend linked me to an amazing archive of CB radio QSL cards. I recently found my local library has some amazing old Swamp Thing comics, I never read something like that before and had a really good time reading those.
Apart from my friends and anonymous surprises you find on the internet... These guys are my biggest inspirations: CF, Pieter Breugel, Yuichi Yokoyama, Moebius, Werner Herzog, H.C Westermann; this stuff leaves me in awe, they are inspiring in that way it makes you feel like totally giving
up.
can i now give some links to my 'crew:
http://brennabrennaaa.livejournal.com/
--vore links
Remember those little characters in malicious cartoons that you were so afraid that you dare not even go back alone in your room after eating your lunch at Banga? Remember those microbes-nose in It Was Once Life? Well, Leon Sadler is a young artist who draws Loughborough that stuff. He likes gargoyles, goblins, dragons in space and ugly colors. Because we love what he does, we went to ask him what he was preparing at the moment and why he drew all the time wicked ugly. For now, he receives mail from his mother.
Vice: It's been how long did you create your own blog, "Leon's Place?
Leon Sadler: I think I started April 5, 2005 exactly, but I think it would be rather embarrassing to see what I posted initially. I think the best tips are from the last two years, I put the rest into "private" but it would be a waste of time.
It turns out that in fact you have multiple blogs. Do you make differences between them? You know exactly what you need on each job?
So to summarize, Today's Daily Picture Message I used to post photos of other people or things that interest me. On Leon's Place, I post most of the drawings I do, it also helps me to make jokes but I forget to do most of the time. Then the Famicom blog helps us communicate about all the things we do, and finally Famicom & Bonehouse is a blog that more business is done in partnership with our co-publisher Jonathan Chandler.
What is exactly your kind of crew Famicom?
It is our company, our side "pro" anything.
On Leon's Place items you anything you do now, which means many things. Are not you afraid that you think you do too much, or worse, you're an artist hyperactive?
I'm not worried too much, I do not see what's wrong with having ideas. And sometimes, I can draw something quickly that would mean much more than drawing on which I spent quite some time.
Most posts on Leon's Place are small drawings in a hurry, I would say that my "real" jobs are those we find in books that I want out, real nice drawings or some paints. But I do not completely crazy on my blog, there is already a kind of filter. I'm more selective and cautious.
Are you established a hierarchy between all the things you do: your drawings, your paintings, the tricks "nice" tricks "weak", etc.. You have a favorite activity among all the others?
Good question. What I like to do is definitely draw, but it takes time and must find the right time. The only thing to do once you've managed to draw it to the poster. When I start a drawing I try to imagine how it could fit into the rest of the series, so that at the end, everything is as consistent as possible. I also want to do other things, to look beyond mere comics or paintings. I know it's a bad excuse, but I'm a little demoralizing to have to do it only for lack of money and time. It's just a question of adapting his time to his job. Just like music, you're not going to listen to heavy metal all day, you're forced to balance the following day by the music sweeter. Lately, I have no ill bump for the last Nazi Knife, making drawings "ugly" because it's the feeling I wanted to convey. But now I want to do something completely different match and avoid myself to always reproduce something of this taste.
Uh, what's Nazi Knife? The name is Angelou.
This is a book that includes drawings of a lot of new artists. The description they have made on the website is fairly accurate.
Do not you find it a bit contradictory to the highly worked drawings, and the next minute, draw something stupid? How to make it happen to you without becoming completely schizophrenic?
I think I'd be mad as quickly reproducing the same thing again and again. But I know people who pay special attention to one aspect of their work, it can also be very useful. If I did not managed to exploit an idea with one or two drawings, it is a waste of time to continue trying to achieve by repeating it. Besides, I like to surprise people who see my drawings.
You're full-time artist?
Ahaha, I really think this is my real job, but I doubt it would happen someday. I feel that the time when we could make a trade is over. There will be no Jim Davis or Saul Steinberg. I want more than anything to make me pay for the drawings I do, indeed I think you should pay me for this interview.
Mmm yeah, I know too. What are the artists who t'influencent most, I mean, outside of what your friends?
The other day I felt a wave of inspiration when one of my friends sent me a link to an archive of old postcards for cito English period. Otherwise I recently found in a bookstore next door to me an old book too many comics, Swamp Thing. I had never read anything like this before, and in fact is great. Aside from my friends and unknown surprises that I found on the net, I'd say my biggest inspiration is always the same guys as CF, Pieter Breughel, Yuichi Yokohama, Moebius, Werner Herzog, HC Westermann .. . These guys are so strong they make me sometimes want to quit.
Are you also have been influenced by theorists of idiocy, as Jouannais?
My work is not based specifically on idiocy, one can find something that makes sense without it "to mean" something for all. Just like when you throw something out the window and see him crashing to the ground gives you a kind of pleasure - it is nothing metaphorical I'm reassured. Andrew WK said some good stuff about ideas that seem to be "bad ideas", but actually turn out to be good. I think I try to bring in "real life" things that I see there. For example, I always wanted in my painting of a cartoon dinosaur head on a plate, eating the fruit resting on the plate. That did not, so I did it myself. For cons, I've never heard of this Jouannais.
Whence comes this particular passion for the ugly colors? You seem to love all these Crados yellow, violet and green khaki horrible.
I would not use the word "ugly", because I love those colors. It makes me think of those rags that people look ugly now, or depressing the crusts you find in restaurants to go along the road. All these colors refer to strong feelings, I try to connect to other feelings that have nothing in common. Generally, things that inspire me are never "now, maybe that's why my choice of colors may seem bizarre. But I also like the primary colors and black and white!
I also saw how badly love you a little cheesy drawings that depict wars and battles interstellar space. You get off this whole culture of guys who paint Warhammer little guys?
I think the "fan art", the "fantasy art" and avant ideas about the future are very good sources of inspiration. All these passions are of good sense and are very important. There is something very derogatory in what you call them nerds.
Besides, love yourself as the main villains, monsters and such characters. You've even drawn a goblin. What interests you at home?
Perhaps it is because it is more difficult for a reader to identify a bad person when you draw it into a human. So when you draw a horrible creature, people make the connection faster, plus the fact that both characters more fun and interesting. It's a bit why gargoyles were invented.
I often read that your mother wrote you emails to send you links stupid - the trick of Ellis Hollow example. Uh, your mother is also on the internet?
Ahaha, yes my mother is also on the internet! The link she sent me to the work of Ellis Hollow is one of the best things I've seen for a long time. I do not think however that my mother more than that surfs on the net, I can only imagine the kind of sites they visit. I think it's her sister in Canada who passed the link. It's the only thing that she sent me, most of his other messages are photos of our garden or the dog. She loves to do that since it has a digital camera. So yes, the link to Ellis Hollow was a surprise to me because she has no idea of what I like in art.
It's very cute.
Yeah, I think doing that kind of stuff to help build confidence in it compared to today's technology and so on. Sometimes I get text messages from him, write without any mistake in grammar or spelling.
And your father?
My father is very hard to make things with wood. It manufactures wooden objects. I am interested to know what he does but I doubt that the work schedules for DIY Father passionate someone other than myself. Maybe I'll put some of her items on my site. But for now, I'm not sure.