|
How did you get started in this business of creating communication art? I started working fulltime as an Art Director, a few years at BBDO/NY, then a few at McCann/Erickson, I even went off to Chicago for a year and a half at Leo Burnett. Didn't you just read the intro?
How were you able to be an Art Director at the same time an Illustrator? I freelanced as an illustrator while I was a fulltime AD. I got work from taking out an ad in the book, American Showcase. Then I was I was picked up by an art representive, Gerald Cullen Rapp. I worked a dual life: Art director by day, illustrator by night. There was plenty of time to do both. Then my Illustration business got to a point to where I could break out on my own. In 1993 I started my own design advertising agency called Blue Sky Adverts. My partner and I pitched clients and I worked as an Art Director / Illustrator. It was satisfying being a part of a creative collective. So why the name Blue Sky? There's something about the lack of boundaries to a big open blue sky. It's limitless, liberating, and open-minded.
We worked on assignments from Timberline boots to Coke to Turner Broadcasting to House O� Blues to John�s Pizza on Bleeker Street. We liked working directly for the client. How do you generally get started on a project? I gather ideas and thoughts in a seemingly random yet organized way by flipping through magazines, surfing the web, going to bookstores then when I've gathered up enough stuff I sketch out ideas, concepts from client conversations and scrapping images together. I generally have a plan off of concepts that I've established with a writer. Then I spew all the stuff I know at that point keeping it sketchy and go to the client with creative roughs. We establish what we want and we try to define it graphically by whatever means needed. A computer, getting a photographer or storyboards for a commercial whatever the job needs. I usually like to create original art and concepts shying away from stock dreading the unoriginal sameness factor of stock art and stock photos. If there is no budget I scrap photos together working with color pencils or Photoshop / Quark to get the idea presented . Whatever it takes. What do you think of Advertising today? Today's ads are feedback from focus groups. Artists need to take focus and apply their own ideas. We can't rely on what a focus group says at one point in time. As Creatives we should come up with our own interpretations of what we think an advertisement could be. Focus groups can create mediocrity and brand-blandness. There's no difference between Ford & GM or Coke & Pepsi, Walmart or K-Mart. The corporations strive to be the same as not wanting to alienate any consumers. We could really create strong brand loyalty and have consumers trusting and loving the product more. Brands could stand out on their own as an individual does. Lead not follow. This doesn't mean we alienate we just include people more. Individual awareness. Nurturing brands with people. Focus groups just fuck us all in the end. So tell me about your sketchbook diary you keep of subway riders you see around New York city? I call it "Train O Thots" The sketch diary was started over 20 some years ago, it was a way to observe the complete majesty of what New York City is to me; It's people. The most fascinating thing is to interpret them in fountain pen drawings and writing some observations next to the sketches. It's really my free form train of thought. Whatever I want to draw and say, unedited by anyone. Sometimes it's poignant, clever, rhythmic, humorous and other times it's quirky or happy or even angry. I say and draw whatever I want. I bleed my thoughts onto paper as the train takes me home. A kind of therapy for me. The people you see are just amazing, the things the say, the incredible clothes they wear, you just can't make this shit up! Life is all right there in front of you on a train ride. I try to capture what I can. New Yorkers are my muses. The energy of New Yorkers is just endless.
I have, I just wrapped up an Hartshow exhibit in Chelsea, at a gallery where I posted up over 150 11X17 prints. I made up postcards and mini 6X4 booklets. I took over the space for a month. The space was crowded with all my drawings as if it were a crowded subway train at rush hour. It was packed with energy! You didn't know where to look first! It was so New York City! So what are your plans for the future? The next ten years, where do you see yourself? Ha! Ten years! I don't know what I'm doing in the next ten minutes! oh, ok, seriously? I don't know!? It will be art related, in New York City, maybe continue with advertising although it seems to be a dying art. I would love to just open up a little junk Shoppe in say the Bowery, (not Nolita-Whatever that is?! yeah.) Lower East Village selling my own art, books that I make...Create my own products, maybe some antique things I find, I dunno...Ten years from now, wow, yeah,..How bout you wanna get a slice and mull that one over? I'd rather just live for today. The present. The past? It's over. Ancient Greek history. As a matter of fact, Forget everything I just said. Oh you did? Kidding. The future? Enjoy the day. Now. Live for today, draw from the past-but, live for now. Enjoy the day, the future will all unfold before you know it. You'll see! - Contributed by Rachel Coloff >> See more work from Tom Hart >> See other member spotlights on the member spotlight index >> Find out more on how to become an altpick.com member |
