about: JASON FELIX
I was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which is also known as ‘The Midwest’. Life was simple and less chaotic compared to the large city life here in San Francisco. Green Bay was a small town and felt fortunate to have been raised in such a setting. It was a place where neighbors talked to each other, there were four seasons, and everyone left their houses unlocked. The doors were always open and inviting.
Considering that computers were not available and there was NO such thing as the ‘Internet’ when I was young, I spent most of my time outside skateboarding and playing silly games with my friends. From time to time I would also play the pen & paper game D&D. The days were long and school seemed to last forever. The only distraction was the TV and I spent many hours watching plenty of cartoons such as Robotech and Looney Tunes.
At the age of 19 and being a self taught artist, I got my start as a freelance artist working for White Wolf games, FASA, TSR, and Wizards of the Coast. With over six years of experience creating artwork for over 40+ books and novels, I decided to relocate to San Francisco to pursue a full-time career as a concept artist for film/TV/videogames.
Soon after moving to CA, I landed my first job as a contract artist for Broderbund Software producing art, illustrations, texture maps, 3D models, 3D animations, and boasts the title of “Technical Director” for the video game title Prince of Persia 3D. Soon after, I contributed my skills as a 3D modeler to the video game Panzer General 3D.
A new job arose at Savage Frog where I worked as the Lead Animator creating a number of various TV pilots made for Cartoon Network. Also produced 3D models, was a technical director, created texture maps, and supplied conceptual illustrations.
Seeking to return to the gaming industry, I joined Nihilistic Software as a Lead Concept Artist, Modeler, Animator, and Cinematic Director on the now cancelled StarCraft: Ghost. My work on the StarCraft franchise was instrumental in establishing the scope and feel of the ill-fated Ghost game.
Finally, I was the cover art designer for the Karen Travis Star Wars series, “Legacy of the Force,” and finished working on “Hellgate: London” as a Senior Concept Artist at Flagship Studios. Currently, I’m working on multiple projects as a Freelance Contractor. In addition, there are numerous personal projects that have seen to completion such as Midwest Monsters, Mail Order Monsters, and the lastest book Salvaged: The Art of Jason Felix.
If you are represented by an artist management company or have an affiliation or own a production company for your art products, what company is it?
Self representation.
Where are you located?
Currently I am located in San Francisco, California. Been a great place to live and work so far.
What do you do when you are not producing artwork?
Oohhh… producing artwork. I have a hard time down shifting from creating artwork when freelancing from home. The only time spent not doing art is when I am hanging out with my wife or having dinner. Otherwise the driving force is always on. I do try to travel over seas at least once a year, so that is probably my only outlet for relaxing.
What drove you to become an artist?
Not sure, it’s always been there since I can remember. There are photographs of myself as a 2 year old child just drawing away which never left. My very first childhood friendship was bonded over a table full of paper, crayons, pencils, and markers. I never felt that I was good at it, but loved creating.
In my teens I turned my interest towards music and enjoyed that for a period of time. But soon realized that artwork was always calling me more than music. Plus there seemed to be more viable options to make a living with artwork versus music.
What type of media/format that you are working with/on most of the time?
Digital is the usual format. But I still love to dip my hand back into the traditional realm. Got plenty of paper, graphite, canvases, and oils in my studio that I use a on regular bases. Its rare that I post such work as it’s more of a personal exploration than a professional one.
How do you promote/sell/showcase your work?
I try to enter a few art competitions a year such as Spectrum and Expose. Competition is steep and more artists are joining the arena every year which sometimes results in no artwork being accepted for the final publications. Besides that, I also participate in a few art forums and maintain a blog.
I do think that I need to be more outgoing and try to find other ways to promote my work… but then it comes a question of “Would I rather be creating artwork or focusing on the business aspect.” It’s a trick dynamic in which I have yet to find a balance for.
What’s your way(s) to balancing work and life?
I come from a background of hard working farmers where life was work. There was never a break or a chance to vacation. Not that I personally had to work on a farm growing up, but my grandparents instilled that concept.
The balance I strive for is to work really insanely hard for a long period of time, reap the rewards, and then travel the world for 3-4 weeks.
Could you share any insight for people just entering the profession?
Insight? Hmmm… sure. Life is all most a mirror of your career… you never know what is going to happen or where you might end up. Cannot count how many times I find myself at a new job that I would have never thought of working for. Not that it’s a bad thing, rather the concept of going with the flow to see where this life takes you.
Who is an artist that you look up to? Why so?
Its really hard for me to dither down to just one artist that I admire. To name a few… Rick Berry, Dave McKean, and Tony Diterlizzi. Each artist encompasses a different view of art and a successful art career. What I do find in common with all of them is this: They all are doing artwork that they see fit doing. To further explain, the artwork they create is artwork they are passionate about. Whether or not they are paid to do so, its artwork they would create regardless. Dare a say they are true to themselves and their visions? Or that they have such a fundamental ideology of knowing what they want and understand their market? Not sure. But it’s artists like them that will be remembered and revered long after they pass on which is the ultimate test of time.
What music are you listening lately?
I’ve been too lazy to get my music collection going and honestly, there are days that I do not want to think “Hmmmm, what am I in the mood for?” Sooo..oddly enough, I have been listening to my surrounding environment. Since I live in the city and by the ocean, there is plenty of white noise and ambience to keep my mind drifting. The wind, the sounds the house makes, neighbors, etc. It’s an exercise in meditation in some regards. As I said, it’s an odd thing to do… but it works for now.
Name 3 your favorite art books.
Beksinski, Jenny Saville, and Double Memory.
What do you like the smell of?
That is a great question….it’s amazing what smells can cause you to remember. For myself, burning wood & leaves. Reminds me of Fall, camping, Halloween, and the overall change of seasons. I can go on and on about each aspect as they all have fond memories attached to them.
If you have online portfolio (website/awards/credits/client’s showcase), what is the URL?
www.jasonfelix.com
http://www.creativestem.com/user/jfelix
Blog Site
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