Interview with Jack Crossing

q) Well, first of all please tell us a little about yourself.

a) My name's Jack Crossing, I'm 21 years old and I'm a graphic design student from Great Britain, currently in my final year at university.

q) Had you always planned on being an artist [or had you other hopes]?

a) I've always wanted to be part of something creative, as long as I can remember. failing that I'd like to be a professional footballer!

q) Do you have a preferred medium to work on? Why?

a) Since studying at university I have been able to work alot with silkscreen printing, sometimes the best medium is pencil and paper as it leads to better ideas.

q) How would you describe your style?

a) Typographic + simply graphic. I enjoy the type design process and making my own typefaces, even if no one ever gets to see them. I also enjoy working with symbols and producing repeat patterns, there's something nice about seeing a set of graphics again and again.

q) Do you go through any certain processes while trying to produce your
work?

a) It's more or less the same everytime, Research, ideas, development (In that order)

q) What are you working on at present?

a) I'm currently working with Andy Topelsik, design, on a project which will see 500 limited edition silkscreen prints given away for free at an event later in the year, the idea is that 10 designers/illustrators/artists will print an edition of 50 prints in attempt to promote the method of silkscreen printing. I'm also working towards a book of photographs of LA, I'm going out to the states in the next few weeks and will be photographing LA and presenting the photographs in a large format french fold book.

q) What about recent sources of inspirations?

a) Recently I've been looking at the work of Wim Crouwel, the dutch typographer. I've been hooked into this blog called ffffound, it's a site which displays the members favorite images that have been bookmarked, It's really nice to see what everyones getting up to.

q) What are some of your obsessions?

a) producing work exactly the same way I see it in my head, sometimes I wish I could take the image from my head and just put it straight to paper. Life would be so much easier.
q) Which galleries have you shown at and which galleries would you like to
show at?

a) I haven't had to privilidge of my work being shown at a gallery, though I was part of an exhibition held in Bath, which saw a group of designers and illustrators produce a designed chair.

q) If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

a) By email, it's alot easier to take in first thing in the morning.

q) Do you have any suggestions or advice for artists that are just starting
out?

a) don't worry what everyone else is working on and make sure whatever your doing, to just enjoy it otherwise there is no point doing it.

q) Who are your favorite artists?

a) SEA, Wim Crouwel, Vince Frost, New Future graphics, Evan Hecox and Eboy.

q) What books are on your nightstand?

a) The books on my desk right now are a copy of IDN magazine, Frost (vince frost), Altitude and Dos Logos. All of which will be somewhere else tommorow and replaced by others.

q) To what weaknesses are you most indulgent?

a) -
q)..your contacts.

a) http://jackcrossing@hotmail.co.uk