Jo Chen

Jo Chen
website:  www.jo-chen.com
facebook: Jo Chen Fan Page
images copyright Jo Chen

10 Questions With Jo Chen

1.... who is your favorite artist?

Yasuhiko Yoshikazu (link) was one of my favorites growing up and is still my favorite.  Osamu Tezuka (link) is also still a fave.

2.... do you offer workshops for artists?

No, unfortunately I don't.  My deadlines prevent me from mentoring or teaching.  It is just a reality of my life at this point.  Besides, I'm not the most outgoing of people and am not sure how well I would rate as a mentor/instructor.

3.... what do you like to listen to while you work?

When I'm coloring, I listen to the news in Chinese.  Conversely, when I'm brainstorming and penciling/inking, I don't listen to anything.  Actually, some times I do listen to classical or film score music since there are seldom lyrics to distract me.

4.... what medium and tools do you use to create your art?

Pencils, inks, natural paint such as watercolors are combined with digital painting in Photoshop and Painter.

5.... during an average week how many hours a day / week do you work on creating art?

About 8 - 10 hours per day, 6 to 7 days a week.

6.... are you working your dream job?

Sure.  I'm still working, periodically, with great people on the Buffy books and other Dark Horse titles, and I'm finally publishing in Japan; a dream of mine since I was little and an aspiring artist living in Taiwan.

7.... do you feel its important for others to pursue their dream jobs?

Yes, I do.  But the blind, crazed pursuit of dreams should always be tempered with realistic assessments of oneself, the setting of achieveable goals and a back-up plan if the dream isn't realized.  That way, you may pursue with the peace of mind that comes with having a fallback position so you don't starve and can support yourself and your family.  I worked in advertising right out of high school, and if I needed to could go back to it if my comic book career opportunities suddenly dried-up.  Have to put food on the table, you know.

8.... where can people see your work (online, conventions or exhibits)?

Yes...to all three.  Add your to the list your neighborhood comic retailer, and you can see what I'm up to.


9.... was there a certain moment that you knew you wanted to be an artist?

Yes.  When I was 5 or 6, I made the decision to tag along behind my sister, two years older than me, into the profession.

10.... is there anything else you would like to add or say to other artists?

Work hard.  Unless you're a child prodigy and just naturally gifted beyond reason, you will work harder at this than anything else in your life.  This, of course, is not a recommendation to neglect your studies (school and grades are important to your back-up plan, if nothing else) but if you are young and just starting down this career path, you better clear your brains of boyfriends and girlfriends, cars, clothes, and hours of wasted time playing video games and texting, posting and tweeting drivel.  Take that time and devote yourself to your art instead.  There is time later for all of the aforementioned diversions once you've established yourself and are working.

Jo Chen
website:  www.jo-chen.com
facebook: Jo Chen Fan Page

images copyright Jo Chen