JACK GREGORY INTERVIEW BY MATTHEW HUTCHISON
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Gregory didn’t luck out. He puts time and substantial effort into his illustrations, and people are paying attention. He credits the following for his development - “Network like a bastard, have a web presence established, use social media effectively, and more importantly, show up and hit deadlines consistently.�
Gregory credits his father, a visual artist himself for the Indianapolis VA hospital, with steering his interests along the same path. “Dad was a big influence here. Because of him, I knew what I wanted to do when I was only five years old. He was helpful without being forceful. Jack Kirby, Frank Frazetta, Norman Rockwell, all those greats I learned about through him. Some of my earliest memories are watching him at the drafting table out our house, and I cherish those memories.�
epotism, and who you know, can be the mostused employment tickets in the entertainment world. Then there are people like Jack C. Gregory. He came from Indianapolis, “You hear stories about how KISS isn’t Indiana, a city far removed from that the greatest band,â€? he says. “But the world, and made his name behind the reality is, they’re marketing fiends scenes by showing up and delivering dating back to the days when they above expectations to his client base. were carrying their own gear. You Gregory has some advice for peohave to be like that to last in any in- ple who are beginning to walk the Gregory’s career in the visual arts dustry.â€? same path. spans 15 years, with focuses on art direction, digital marketing, key art for This foundation, along with his rep- “Make sure you incorporate having films and television, traditional paint- utation and diverse portfolio, keeps a life into this. You can’t be working ing, and alt-movie and gig posters. The him a sought-out illustrator in the all the time, and you will break down. latter is something in which he’s made world of film and music. Make time for yourself. Inspiration a name for himself over the past few can come from the most unlikely years, with designs for Rancid, Hank Gregory is very clear that he's not pi- place.â€? đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł đ&#x;’Ł Von Hell, L7, Descendents, Against Me!, geonholing himself to a specific style. Off!, and a slew of other artists, along- That's a fear of his, and he explains why. side recreations of posters for movies like The Great Escape, Halloween, and "There have been instances I've heard Apocalypse Now. about successful illustrators falling
As grateful he is for all the opportunities in his career, Gregory believes his best work is ahead of him. He still hasn’t lost sight of a goal he’s held since he was 19-years old. “I really want to do a Pearl Jam poster, or do something with Metallica. That’s my dream.�
into this trap. They create something like a paint look that gets them hired. When they submit their client's request in pen-and-ink, the client pushes back with ‘no, we want your paint look, that's why we hired you.’ That's why I keep up-to-date on techniques and use other styles. Best to diversify. My portfolio has paint, comic, and Bauhaus-looking work."
NEW NOISE 9
