I’ve been interviewed by Arley Sorg for Clarkesworld! Determined To Publish: A Conversation with John Fleskes covers a wide range of topics from how I’ve been working since I was 8, to how tough it was to start a publishing business, to what truly drives me and what I am most passionate about. I also talk about my time working on Spectrum, and beyond!
A big thanks to Arley and Clarkesworld for the opportunity.
William Stout is a famously diverse artist of international renown in many fields: themed entertainment and motion picture design (specializing in science fiction/fantasy/horror films), comic book art, book illustration, poster design, CD covers, public murals, and dynamic yet accurate reconstructions of prehistoric life. His endeavors in the fields of movies and comics have gained him a loyal following, making him a popular guest at comic book, science fiction and horror movie conventions around the world.
FLESK: What experience do you hope viewers have while looking at your art?
STOUT: I think that having an emotional impact is far better than appealing solely to one’s intellect. I want the viewers of my work to feel awe, or experience beauty, or share empathy, or feel sad because of a depiction of gross societal unfairness, or laugh at the subversive humor that runs through most of my work.
Peter Green (from Legends of British Blues)
FLESK: Much of your art features an array of more-than-human imagery. What is it about human reality combined with metaphysical elements that speaks to you?
STOUT: For me, the art that I strive for needs to excel in three combined areas: the physical, the spiritual and the intellectual. If I capture all three in one picture, I’m a happy guy.
FLESK: What emotion tends to guide your creativity the most?
STOUT: Fear! Like a lot of artists I know, deadlines are a great source of inspiration. Waking up to a feeling of deadline terror really motivates me. I am also terrified that my next piece won’t be good enough to bear my signature. I never want to let myself or my followers down.
In my work I often like to capture a sense of breathtaking awe. I feel elation when a picture is going well but some panic and dread when it’s not. Since my goal is to always do the best that I can, I know that through due diligence I will probably end up with a decent piece at the very least.
20-20-20 (from the Music Book)
FLESK: What is your favorite fantasy subject to illustrate?
STOUT: That would be anything organic in nature. I hate using a ruler. I’d much rather draw ancient ruins and old Victorian homes than skyscrapers. I love illustrating animals as well as humans. During non-COVID times I host a figure drawing workshop on Sundays at my studio. Right now, though, I’m missing all of my lovely naked gals…
FLESK: How has your artistic style changed over the years and where do you see it heading?
STOUT: My artistic styles have always been all over the place; I call it “the slow path to fame”. If you desperately desire to be famous, then do the same thing (or draw the same character) over and over and over. I treasure my ability to duplicate a wide range of styles. I don’t want my pictorial problem-solving capabilities to be limited by just one or two or a small handful of styles. I always let the problem dictate the visual solution.
FLESK: Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share some information about?
STOUT: You bet! Somehow, I’ve been busier than ever during the COVID-19 quarantine. I guess it’s because I mostly work at home anyway. I have been primarily focusing on the completion of three of the books that will be part of my multi-volume autobiography (William Stout – Prehistoric Life Murals was the first volume): one on all of my comics work, one on all of my music-related work and one on all of my underground comix work. Later, I’ll be putting together a book (or books) on all of my designs for film (I’ve worked on over 60 movies).
I’ve also finished translating and illustrating Pablo Neruda’s book Stones of the Sky, and have completed the second book in my blues series. That one is entitled Legends of British Blues and contains 111 full color portraits and bios.
Tran Nguyen is an award-winning illustrator & fine artist. Born in Can Tho, Vietnam, she currently resides in the peachy state of Georgia. Nguyen’s paintings are created with a soft, delicate quality using colored pencil and acrylic on paper. She’s most known for her paintings of whimsical women and their melancholic landscapes, which often possess an air of fantasy and surrealism. She creates illustrations for published media such as magazines, books, wine & beer packaging, animation, advertising, and mural work. Her clients include VH1, Tiger Beer, World Wildlife Fund, and she has showcased with galleries across the world.
FLESK: What experience do you hope viewers have while looking at your art?
NGUYEN: I’d like viewers to feel some form of re-assurance that everything will be okay no matter what they’re going through in life. Or simply getting a tinge of creative inspiration from it would make the illustration a success.
FLESK: Much of your art features an array of more-than-human imagery. What is it about human reality combined with metaphysical elements that speaks to you?
NGUYEN: There are layers beneath human reality that isn’t visually apparent, but exists, so I like to give these layers physical form and showcase the two together in the same image plane to create a sense of surrealism. Reality is so much more extraordinary than it appears.
You Must Not Miss by Tran Nguyen
FLESK: What emotion tends to guide your creativity the most?
NGUYEN: Most probably melancholy and its near opposite, contentment.
FLESK: What is your favorite fantasy subject to illustrate?
NGUYEN: My favorites are fluffy, feline beasts such as massive tigers or shield maiden-esque characters with an Asian twist.
FLESK: How has your artistic style changed over the years and where do you see it heading?
NGUYEN: My artistic style started out far more bizarre and surreal, but these days, it’s toned itself down. As my personal narrative has become grounded, my execution of the subject has gotten more realistic. In the near future, I plan on revisiting those weird and whimsical subject matters as well as scaling back the tightly rendered forms.
FLESK: Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share some information about?
NGUYEN: I have a ton of personal projects that’s been on back burner for years and one of it is creating a luxe silk scarf featuring one of my illustrations. I finally have the time to bring it to life and I’m excited launch the project on Kickstarter in early October 2020.
Ambedo by Tran Nguyen. Art book retrospective published by Flesk.
This Flesk interview with Terryl Whitlatch is the first in a new series that can be found here, along with on our Flesk website. You can read all of the artist interviews here: https://www.fleskpublications.com/artist-interviews
Terryl Whitlatch is a professional Creature designer specializing in Animal Anatomy, Paleontological Reconstruction, and the creation of Imaginary Creatures for the Animation, Publishing, Institutional, Academic, and other Transmedia/Entertainment Industries.
FLESK: What experience do you hope viewers have while looking at your art?
WHITLATCH: Since the majority of my artwork consists of animals–usually real animals, or imaginary creatures inspired by real animals–my greatest hope is that viewers will be able to experience my artwork on a number of different levels, by considering: what is the primary idea that I’m trying to communicate, that is, what story am I trying to tell–and more subtly, why is it a particular animal species telling the story, and not another type of animal? Why is it that animals are so often better able to communicate paradigms than human portrayals can? On another level, I am inviting the viewer to appreciate the animal form purely for its own sake, both in anatomy and soul.
FLESK: Much of your art features an array of more-than-human imagery. What is it about human reality combined with metaphysical elements that speaks to you?
WHITLATCH: Increasingly, my work is highly symbolic, decorative, often humorous, and at times, iconoclastic. In depicting animals in both natural, and unnatural or fanciful contexts, I find that I can express universal ideas that can be understood by people globally, regardless of country or ethnicity. Animal iconography cuts to the core, without getting caught in human controversies, be they political or otherwise. Animals point to reality, not constructs.
FLESK: What emotion tends to guide your creativity the most?
WHITLATCH: The love of animals, and what makes them tick, on their own terms.
FLESK: What is your favorite fantasy subject to illustrate?
WHITLATCH: That is a very hard one. My favorite subjects are equines, or anything resembling a horse. Currently, I’d have to say that Hippogriffs are my fanciful favorites–mine tend to look not so much like half eagle, half horses, but rather like terrifying, carnivorous pegasuses. As far as story subjects go, I tend to favor real animals in a fantasy setting, which is why I did my book, The Katurran Odyssey.
FLESK: How has your artistic style changed over the years and where do you see it heading?
WHITLATCH: As I’ve gotten older, I think I try to say more with less, that is, leave out extra detail in favor of pencil or brush strokes that say just enough, and no more. While I still do a lot of necessarily detailed paleontological, anatomy based work, I find my personal work becoming more streamlined in terms of aesthetic and graphic design. When I was much younger, my work was highly detailed as a rule–but, I was learning all I could, and at that time, I was focused on becoming a natural history illustrator. I never intended to become a designer for the entertainment industry, but life takes us on unexpected paths. Now, I ask myself, what can I leave out, while still maintaining the integrity of the animal form? How can I best edit? My work remains very linear, but I am mentally striving to sculpt linearly, in two dimensions, in order to give the illusion of form and space, and to use my linework strategically, and with intention, rather than as a filler.
FLESK: Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share some information about?
WHITLATCH: I’m currently working on an NDA project, which I can’t discuss at present, and also wrapping up the final illustrations for a new book, authored by paleontologist Dr. Michael Habib. It’s called Flying Monsters: Illustrating Flying Vertebrates, which will be published by Design Studio Press in 2021. It’s chock full of illustrations depicting all kinds of actual and imaginary flying animals, and how to draw and animate them believably–from a scientific perspective. Pterosaurs, ancient birds, modern birds, bats, dragons, angelic beings, hippogriffs, and much, much more. I also teach an online course in Creature Anatomy for Schoolism.com.
Arnie Fenner conducting a lengthy interview with me that touches upon my making my first dollar when I was 8 years old, my stunt years, how I started Flesk, what it was like to take on Spectrum, and what we can look forward to in the coming years after looking back at 15 years as a publisher.
A big thanks to Mark Tweedale at multiversitycomics.com for interviewing me about the new Hellboy: Into the Silent Sea Studio Edition by Mike Mignola and Gary Gianni.
Mark asked me excellent questions that gave me the opportunity to talk about how the book was conceived and how we work together here at Flesk.
Over this last week there have been two interviews posted online that feature J.A.W. Cooper. I thought that I would share the details about each with you in case you were interested in learning more about Cooper.
The first one was conducted by Bobby Chiu from Schoolism. A portion of this interview is her philosophy regarding freedom vs. income and maintaining a proper balance in life. This hour-long video can be viewed on the Schoolism website, or on YouTube.
The second interview with Cooper was conducted by Walt Morton and is titled “Drawing the Inner Animal With J.A.W. Cooper. It’s an enjoyable read where you can gain much insight into her influences, working methods, and additional details regarding her philosophies.
Last May I was sent a series of questions by Julie Sagar at ImagineFX for use in an upcoming August 2016 article about Spectrum and Spectrum Fantastic Art Live. As is usual, due to space considerations, they were able to extract a few key sentences for use in the article. Here is the full uncut interview that covers my passion for all things relating to Spectrum.
Thanks to Julie and to ImagineFX for the coverage!
ImagineFX: On the Spectrum site, it says “Spectrum will continue to evolve and improve with each volume.” How, or in what way has Spectrum 23 evolved from Spectrum 22? What can readers look forward to (aside from the stunning showcase of the year’s best work to which we’ve become accustomed) with this annual?
John Fleskes: One notable change that I made when I took over with Spectrum 21 is the inclusion of the artist profiles for the award recipients. This was important to me for two reasons: The first is to highlight the artists behind these amazing works; the second is to highlight the art community which is the beating heart of Spectrum.
Additional improvements for Spectrum 23 include new chapter opener sections and a revamped design. As the artists grow to reflect today’s atmosphere, Spectrum grows right along with them.
ImagineFX: And how has it changed since the first annual?
Fleskes: Its significance and impact on a positive and nurturing community has grown exponentially since the initial Spectrum annual was released. This mission statement was clear from the very start. It has been magnified many times over the last 23 years, and through my leadership “community” will continue to remain Spectrum’s key priority.
ImagineFX: How many different artists are featured in Spectrum 23? And which artist (or piece of work) most caught your eye this year? (Please feel free to name me that one!)
Fleskes: There are nearly 300 artists featured in Spectrum 23. It’s always extremely difficult to single out favorites, for #23 or for any year, simply because there are so many exemplary works by so many different people for a wide variety of reasons. If pushed I could say that the art that most caught my eye might be “The Year of the Ram” by Android Jones, which might be obvious since I selected it to use for the cover of Spectrum 23. I chose this art for its sheer beauty. Put simply, it is gorgeous and I kept returning to look at it again and again. In some ways I feel that Android Jones defines the future while setting the stage for others to follow. But, of course, he’s not alone.
ImagineFX: Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 5 has been moved to April 2017. In what ways will this next iteration of the event be bigger and better than ever before? What can attendees start to get excited about? What can you do now with the new venue that you couldn’t before?
Fleskes: For starters, we are exploring running the workshops and panels on Friday only. The exhibitor floor hours will be concentrated on Saturday and Sunday. This allows the exhibitors and the attendees the opportunity to take part in the educational benefits of the panels and workshops without the requirement of running a booth or missing the floor activity. We want our artist exhibitors to have the same opportunity as the attendees to excel, network and learn from one another.
Our new space allows for a better booth and artist alley table integration in a central and unique atmosphere. SFAL is a place where the artists are respected and treated like the stars in an elegant atmosphere. Each year we make subtle improvements that cater to our exacting standards.
ImagineFX: Why do you think Spectrum–both the book and event–have proven so successful? We’ve read about the excitement exhibiting artists have for other exhibitors at SFAL–it’s been called a “love-fest”; the atmosphere most be incredible–and the book has a really hit a chord. How can you explain it? Why does Spectrum resonate so strongly with the fantasy industry?
Fleskes: It gets back to our love for the art community. For me, and also for Spectrum co-founders Cathy and Arnie Fenner, Spectrum is our family. It’s a place where we can call home and were we can leave the door open where everyone is welcome regardless of medium, style or convention. We promote goodwill and the value in being here to help support one another and to provide a safe environment where we can grow and enjoy or passions together. You tie in beautiful art and a supporting healthy community–it’s a beautiful thing. In brief, we create and promote the atmosphere that we most cherish for ourselves.
ImagineFX: What’s next? Do you have any plans to further evolve Spectrum (either the book, event, or by adding something new to the mix)? What are your plans for the next 5-10 years?
Fleskes: There are many things planned for the next 5-10 years, although it’s a bit early for me to talk about openly. But yes, I always envision where I will be taking Spectrum over the next 20 years. We have a pair of exciting announcements that we will make in another year that will broaden the Spectrum brand, community and outreach. I always work 1-3 years in advance, with my mind considering where Spectrum will be in 10 to 20 years from now and what I need to do today to make sure we hit our future goals.
One of the things that I am most excited about is seeing the new artists in their early to late-twenties who are breaking so many boundaries and who will revolutionize what we see and how we will see art in the years to come. We are seeing people from all over the world and from all walks of life submitting to Spectrum. With our level playing field and by being a place where everyone is welcome, we have the amazing opportunity to show and reflect these changes like no other annual. And, in this way we can show the most diversity seen in the industry. That’s something I especially love. It’s going to be very exciting seeing how each volume of Spectrum captures each year so we can look back to see how quickly things are changing.
The reason why I don’t worry about competition is because no one can match my passion, perseverance or my work ethic for what I do.
During my most recent trip to The Netherlands I had the opportunity to film Petar Meseldzija in his studio. Over the course of a few days I filmed him painting and was able to capture a series of interview segments. The core of this material has been turned into a painting demonstration that has been made available for free to our The Book of Giants Kickstarter supporters. There was enough extra footage to create this second video highlighting bonus interview footage that showcases some of Petar’s works. This we have made available for your viewing pleasure here and on the Spectrum Fantastic Art website.
To view our books on Petar and to watch another video, please visit here.
