Meet Master Illustrator And Prolific Doodler Von Glitschka

Today we are taking a walk down through the creative labyrinth of master illustrator and prolific doodler Von Glitschka’s brilliant mind. Being relatively new to the whole art, design and illustration scene on the internet, I first became aware of Von’s work when I followed his avatar of Tickles the Evil Clown on twitter, onto his websites. It goes without saying that I was blown away by his illustrations and as I discovered more and more of his websites [believe me he has many and I don't even know how he keeps up], it was like being in a candy store. There are so many illustrators out there, but what sets Von apart is his incredibly delightful sense of humor, his boundless energy, his ability to connect with people and his generosity in sharing his knowledge. Hopefully if I am interviewed, 10-20 years down the line, I will be mentioning Von as someone who inspired me to follow my creative course through time. Read on to find out what Von is all about and discover his many quirks and talents.

Thank you Von for talking to us today. It is an absolute pleasure!

Who is Von Glitschka? Who is Vonster? Tell us about these two facets of your persona.
I’m a father of two daughters. My oldest is 14 and my youngest is 12. Both are very creative and they like to hang out in my studio and draw as I work which is always fun. When they aren’t hanging out with me, you can usually find my cat Snickers sleeping in the chair next to my desk. She isn’t as creative and likes to stare at me until I get up and give her some ham.

I’m also a native of the Pacific Northwest, land of Bigfoot and the multi-national green mermaid. I’ve worked as an illustrative designer for 23 years and have been running my own business for the past seven years as a hired creative gun for other studios and agencies. For the most part I’m a one man studio, but have pulled together design teams when needed for a given project.

My friend Matt gave me my nickname "Vonster" about 16 years ago and it stuck. I’ve never really asked but I’m pretty sure it’s a term of endearment. Now pretty much everyone calls me "Vonster" sans my family.

I started using it as my "online" persona in 1996 when I accessed the internet via my first MAC and AOL. I used to play a game back then called "Marathon Infinity" and designed a bunch of custom maps for it and would upload them to AOL as "Created by Vonster."

 
Did you always want to be an Illustrator? What work were you doing before you decided to start out on your own?
I never have had the thought "I want to be an illustrator." Growing up I knew I liked to draw and later in high school I took a graphic design class and discovered I really liked to do that too. In my mind they were kind of the same thing. I originally wanted to go to film school since me and my buddies used to make movies all the time growing up, but my career counselor was lazy and told me "I couldn’t find any information on that."

A little while later someone from the Burnley School of Art (Now Art Institute of Seattle) visited our class and showed us a portfolio and that pretty much made up my mind that I wanted to go to art school and not a traditional college.

In school we had both design and illustration classes and no one ever told us they didn’t mix so I was always using illustrative methods in my design and vice versa.

When I got out of school and started working at various in-house art departments, design firms and agencies I continued to do both design and illustration. It wasn’t until like 1995 that I started getting illustration promotions from a rep out of Toronto and thought "Maybe I should do this on the side?"

Since starting my own business I now refer to myself as an "Illustrative Designer" since I often leverage both creative disciplines in my approach to projects. One interesting side effect of this work flow is that most "Illustrators" refer to me as a "Designer" and most "Designers" refer to me as an "Illustrator." So I find myself in a creative DMZ if you will.

It does get frustrating at times. I had an illustrator out of New York tell me to my face "I’m not sure what you are? I know you’re not an illustrator." and the ironic part of that situation was at that very moment he was telling me this, I had an Owl illustration hanging in the New York Society of Illustrators show. I just bit my tongue and let it go.

Some of my closest friends are also "Illustrative Designers" too so we often talk about these issues. (Did I answer your question? LOL)

 
When did you start designing your first logos? Why did it become such a cherished form of art for you?
I tried to remember my very first logo design but I can’t recall what it was? I’m guessing it must have sucked? Otherwise I think I would remember it?

I do remember the general time period when I discovered my love of logo design though, that was around 1992 or so. I was asked by my employer at the time to design a logo for a professional indoor soccer team in Hawaii called "Tsunami" and that was a lot of fun to work since we didn’t do much identity work.

I relocated to California with my family a few years later and started working at Upper Deck Company where I began to design many of their in house brand logos. And on the side my freelance business was flourishing too and I’d pick up a logo job here and there.

I love logo design because it’s like solving a creative mystery and I’m the design detective. At the beginning of a job I never know where it’ll lead until I start investigating the case (project) and slowly, after a lot of hard work I’ll begin to uncover those conceptual gems that birth themselves as great graphic solutions and thus solve the creative challenge (case) I was facing. It’s a fun process and the end result is very satisfying to see the response my work gets from the client and the design community.

What is your absolute favorite piece of your own art? What is the story behind it? Why do you love it so and how did it come into being?
Favorites for me are ever changing. I just got back a gallery print I did for my recent participation in the New York Society of Illustrators show in February and even though my wife won’t let me hang it in our house (It’s an illustration of an evil clown named "Tickles") I love it because it’s cool looking, twisted, and causes people to pause, smile and cringe at the same time. LOL

Usually though, what ever I’ve been working on recently tends to be my current favorite until the next cool project comes along. Right now I’m really liking my illustrative patterns I created for my second book called "Drip.Dot.Swirl" those were a blast to create.

That said, I’ve been a huge fan of kinetic sculpture David C. Roy for years. And my second year in business I was able to take my tax refund and buy one of his sculptures that my wife did allow me to hang in our family room. So that would constitute as my favorite piece of art I own.

You have a very unique style of illustration. Do you have to work hard to refrain from falling into a pattern? Is there a method to your madness, so as to speak?
Falling into a pattern? You mean like the patterns in my illustrative pattern book? ;-P

OK, that was a self-serving plug I know. Back to your question…

My creative process is such that I pick an appropriate style for each given project I work on. The project dictates the style for me. But I do have my favorite styles to work in and take every advantage I can to use them when the opportunity arises.

There is a very systematic method to my madness and it was the topic I spoke on last summer at the HOW Design Conference in Boston. I presented on "Illustrative Design" which went through my own personal creative process in depth.

Tell us a bit about your brand. What are the different aspects that revolve around the nucleus of your work? Illustration? Branding? Gaming? Teaching? Motion Graphics?
I believe a brands personality is defined by it’s users. As much as a company attempts to formulate their brand equity through savvy marketing methods and product lines the ultimate definition of who they are will be honestly revealed by their user base. So with that in mind I’d have to say that my brand nucleus has several elements revolving around it.

• Creativity I strive to provide ideas beyond expectations.
• Versatility I can easily adapt to any style needed for the given project.
• Dependability I’m dedicated to deliver on time and on target.
• Humor Whether sophisticated or novel my work tends to reflect "Fun."

These attributes can be found in all my work be it illustration, branding, teaching etc.
 

Take us through your daily creative routine.

1. Wake up and scan email via iPhone
2. Eat some frozen blueberries with vanilla yogurt and read my email
3. Almost choke on said blueberries when a stupid client responds to my design
4. Make a coffee run to Starbucks
5. Review the days creative hit list
6. Multi-task while procrastinating (Check email again, Twitter, RSS Feeds, Repeat)
7. Drink coffee
8. Look at my cat and get jealous because she’s sleeping
9. Finally open up a project folder and get started
10. Take another drink of coffee
11. Almost do a spit-take reading something @etherbrian posts on Twitter
12. Turn on TiVo and watch an old episode of "MONK" while I work
13. Curse at Adobe Ai for crashing and post rant on Twitter to sooth rage
14. Creative juices begin to flow….hey, it’s lunch time!
15. Check email again, delete HOW Magazine Spam
16. Coffee now room temperature and almost gone
17. Now watching "Fringe" on TiVo and continuing to work
18. Realize again I need to re-organize my font collection
19. Out of coffee now. Start to fantasize about a "Replicator."
20. Go into "Mole Mode" (No internet, email, phone)
21. Liking my design direction so far
22. Finish project and send off to client
23. Decide to go grab another cup of coffee and watch "Victory Garden" on TiVo
24. Ponder working on the update to my new web site
25. Checking web stats
26. Realize the coffee I polished off was the cup from yesterday
27. Think about the tribal tattoo art set I need to start on soon
28. Think about the third book I’m working on and when it’s due
29. Really should start on that other job due tomorrow
30. Daughter comes in studio tells me about her day
31. Check my email again, Mark has sent me another cool link
32. Watch video online and decide it’s Twitter worthy
33. Reply to replies on Twitter
34. Wonder how @mayhemstudios could get anything done with 21,000+ followers?
35. What was I doing? Oh yeah.
36. Open up new project file
37. Wow! It’s 5pm already? Time for dinner.
38. 5pm to 10pm hang out with family.
39. Once family goes to bed I usually hang out in my studio
40. Work and catch up on podcasts
41. Do a lot of deep thinking
42. Check MLB highlights on my iPhone and crash

Are you always sketching? Were you ever in a situation where you were caught sketching and you shouldn’t have been?
I’m always Sketching/Doodling. It’s how I pay better attention during meetings, on the phone or even at Church service. I’ve had former bosses who didn’t like the fact I was drawing during a meeting, but that didn’t stop me.

Early in my career I worked in an art department for a large sportswear company in Seattle. The so-called art director was horrible and she frustrated me so much that I decided to draw a caricature of her and put it on her desk. She got so mad she went from cubicle to cubicle asking each artist if they had done it. Right before she got to me she was paged away. My buddy Dave still has that drawing and likes to pull it out when ever we go to his house just to watch me squirm.

For me doodling is very cathartic and I often find myself releasing frustrations through my sketches.

So yeah I guess you could say I’ve abused my creative powers for the sake of nefarious intent at various times in my career. <insert evil laughter>
 

Was there any project that had you stumped? No matter what you did, you hit a wall! What did you do to turn that around?
I’ve struggled with projects I’ve worked on from time to time not hitting on any ideas that captivated me enough to flesh out and present to the client. Eventually I push through these creative blocks and deliver and the client likes the results but part of me still feels unsettled in terms of the work I produced and because of that I don’t like what I did.

When I create I have to like what I’ve produced, otherwise I feel like I’ve failed creatively. Even if the client loves the work but I don’t, I feel like I’ve failed on a certain level. But if I create something and I like it and feel it’s strong yet the client doesn’t like it I may get frustrated but I’m OK with that because I feel like I’ve done my job regardless. I know it’s kind of a screwy way of looking at it but that’s how I critique and art direct myself.

The most recent project where I came closest to "Hitting the wall" would be one I worked on last summer. I posted about it on my blog and titled it Design Batting Average (Yes, I love baseball analogies)

 
You have been a champion of the Creative Rights of Designers. What is the biggest threat posed to designers via plagiarism? What advice would you give them, based on your own dealings with copyright issues?
Not to nit pick but I think "Plagiarism" has more to do with the written word than it does visually based art work. I’d use the word "Infringement" instead. I’m not sure I’d call myself a champion on the topic but rather just informed regarding it because I’ve had to deal with it so much over the last seven years or so.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is at best flawed. Anyone can rip-off some ones art and sell it or use it online as long as they don’t get caught. Once caught all the DMCA requires and obligates the infringer to do is to remove it. Very little else can be done unless you have a registered copyright and a ton of money to pursue it more in depth legally.

That said I’ve shown other artists how they can sent an official DMCA formatted letter to deal with this problem and have posted that on my blog. In 2009 so far I’ve had to deal with this type of situation twenty three times. And one of those times required the need for a lawyer to be involved.

They say you never stop learning. What is food for your creative mind?
Most of what I learn comes from observing. I’m kind of like "The Observer" from "Fringe." I enjoy floating on the perimeter watching certain trends, methods, and industry discussions play out. I’m certainly not a trend surfer, but I stay informed about them to make educated decisions regarding creative needs.

I know I run the risk of getting too geeky with this answer but in many ways I’m a "Creative Borg" assimilating those convictions I feel have proven themselves via well conceived work and integrating them into my own creative process be it conceptual or practical. Much of what I’m doing today is a good mix of those who influenced me and mentored me earlier in my career.

So I’m a big believer in paying it forward creatively speaking.

 
Who has been your biggest inspiration? Who is your biggest critic [besides you of course]?
One of my biggest inspirations is my good friend Paul Howalt. He’s one of the most talented minds I know. He is also one of the nicest guys I know and I appreciate how he balances his job and family.

The second part of this question would be easier if I had a classic nemesis or super villain I fought against all the time. But if we pretend there was a "Design League of Villains" and I was part of the "Design Hall of Justice" I’d like to think of myself as "Flash," but I’m sure my critics would view me as "Gleek The Space Monkey."

Many of your readers are probably going to be googling to figure out what my answer means?

 
You have a reputation of being spontaneously hilarious. So tell me which is the funniest bone in your body? And why?
Finally an easy question. I’d say the "Symphysis Pubis." Because if I squeeze my legs together I can make a pretty loud popping noise from my crotch.

 
You have a vivid imagination which is so evident in all your work. How does your mind work? When creative mortals like us see a banana, we see a banana. What do you see?
I’d answer this question but I’m allergic to bananas.

 
If you were to take a day off and were not given access to pencil or paper, what would you do on that day off?
Hang out with my daughters, hang out with my friends, go texture exploring, do some gardening, see a movie or do some writing.

 
The most unusual place you have seen your art on display?
A marine emailed me a picture of himself with my tribal face art tattooed on his full back. Having my art permanently on some ones body like a walking portfolio is both very flattering and little strange since I couldn’t make that level of commitment to my own art myself.

 
What is the story behind using the “Evil Clown” as your avatar on Twitter? It sure is eye catching and a tad scary!
It’s memorable and gets a reaction so I think that works well in a viral social networking environment such as Twitter. BTW, my mom hates the clown art which ironically enough makes me like it even more. LOL

 
Quick! Name 10 things that are on your work desk right now.

1. Omega-3 Fish Oil Capsules
2. Bose Headphones
3. Design sketch for a secondary branding element
4. TiVo Box (Wish it was the size of Apple TV)
5. Universal USB card reader
6. NetFlix "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" I love Audrey Hepburn
7. Microsoft Wireless Mouse (The only Microsoftstool product I use)
8. Stack of note pad pages with doodles, concepts and thoughts on them
9.  iPhone
10. An external HD loaded with music that my friend gave me.

Janeane Garofalo or Mary Lynn Rajskub? I had to ask!
Mary Lynn Rajskub all the way! I’m Garofalo intolerant. 24 jumped the shark making her a federal agent that fights terrorists IMO. But I have hope, she may turn out to be a mole as the story wraps up?

 
With two book releases under your belt, are you working on a new book project?
Yes. I just signed my third book agreement. It’ll be out in late 2010. Tentative tile is "Border.Banner.Frame" but that may change? I have another book concept I’m also developing but can’t disclose that until I have a sign off with the publisher.

 
What new creative marvels can we expect to see from you in the near future? Can you tell us a bit about upcoming projects that have you excited?
I’m just starting a fun project now creating sticker sets for high end construction power tools so the owners can put tribal motifs, flames etc. on their equipment.

As I mentioned earlier I’ll be developing a whole set of tribal tattoo designs that I’ll license and market through another company so that should be fun too.

 
Any parting words of wisdom for fledgling designers?
Practice is good, but process will make perfect. So it’s important to know how you work best and develop and refine your own creative process. This will equip and enable you to grow in your work and open up many doors of creative opportunity for you moving forward. A designer should always be improving with age just like a good bottle of Chardonnay.

Thanks Sneh!

Thank You once again Von for this valuable insight into your creative world.

The art of Von Glitschka can be found on Vonster and Glitschka Studios. Von also shares his knowledge generously in the form of tutorials on Illustration Class. Read about Von’s whims, fancies and more on his humorously interesting blog Art Backwash. Stop by at Vonster Books And Keyboard Characters to become proud owners of Von’s latest projects. On Twitter, Von tweets as Vonster when he is not fighting cyber-crime at the Federal Bureau Of Illustration.