Interview with Ward Jenkins, artist and illustrator of Chicks Run Wild and How to Train with a T-Rex
It’s a big day for us at Pinterest, but forget the app: we wouldn’t have anything to do or talk about if it weren’t for our amazing pinners. So today we’re especially grateful illustrator, artist, and (cross your fingers!) soon-to-be-published author Ward Jenkins took the time to answer a few questions. It’s all you wanted to know about chicken suits, being a professional artist, and how he’s going to school us on illustrators with his cool pins.
Hi Ward! First, how did you get started with animation and illustration? Like most professional artists, I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, always doodling and getting into trouble for drawing the teachers during class. But I just stuck with it through high school and eventually college, where I decided to get a degree in illustration. However, during the last couple of years of the program, I fell in love with animation (having grown up watching Looney Tunes and cartoons, even during my high school years) and decided that was what I wanted to do. So, even though the school I was going to didn’t have an animation degree, there was one guy teaching a couple of classes on basic animation techniques. I took those classes and started doing my homework, searching for what animation companies were looking for in a portfolio. I ended up redoing my entire portfolio, putting in gesture drawings and animal studies - I even included a short film that I made in one of my classes. One company liked what they saw and gave me an internship the following month. That was in January and by the end of the year, I had a full time job working as an animator in Atlanta. Having an illustration degree, I was always drawn toward that field whenever looking for inspiration while conceptualizing for various animated jobs. So it was a natural progression for me to move into illustration after working as an animator and animation director for so many years. You illustrate children’s books and have also done graffiti art and solo shows; what tops your list of favorite projects? 
Good question. I don’t know! I’ve really enjoyed all these projects, especially my solo show with the b-boy paintings. I mean, it was a solo show, so that was definitely a high point in my career. And graffiti hits close to my heart because through it, I found my artistic voice, so to speak. But really, illustrating children’s books has been a lifelong passion of mine and to have finally illustrated two books (with the possibility of doing more), well, it’s amazing. I totally and completely love it. Can you tell us what you’re working on now? 
See the full gallery on Posterous Well, I can tell you certain things, but can’t go into too much detail. What I can definitely tell you is that I’m currently promoting the newest children’s book I’ve illustrated— Chicks Run Wild! It was a very fun project to work on (I mean, c’mon! it’s chickens!) and my editor and art director (at Simon & Schuster) were great to work with. The author, Sudipta Bardan-Quallen, loved the approach I took, loved how I added personal touches to the artwork in the book. Also, whenever there’s a chance to dress up in a chicken suit, I’ll do it. I’m currently working on a couple of baby board books for Chronicle Books that won’t be released until next year (2012) and I’m doing some spot illustrations and a cover for an Australian book publisher, also being released next year. Recently, I’ve completed a dummy for a children’s book that my agent and I are currently sending out to publishers. It would be the first that I’ve both written and illustrated and so I’m crossing all fingers (and toes) that it gets picked up. It’s sorta auto-biographical, but sorta not. If that makes sense. What are your main inspirations? 
I have a great love for mid-century art, architecture, and design. Can’t get enough of it. There was something about that time where the artists and designers were exploring and breaking new ground based off of various influences and inspirations. So inspiring for me. The colors, shapes, buildings, signage, lettering, characters, even the cars, you name it! It’s all so moving and stimulating for me. I’ve amassed a pretty large library of old things that I can always go to whenever the mood strikes: children’s books, cook books, educational materials and general ephemera from that era. I have a list of certain artists and illustrators with whom I’ll always be inspired by, such as Jim Flora, Janet LaSalle, Aurelius Battaglia, Abner Graboff, The Provensens, Art Seiden, JP Miller, Lorraine Fox, Bill Dugan, the list could go on and on. Plus, there’s the unknown and anonymous illustrators who were never given credit for the work they did on countless items during that time: on pamphlets, brochures, maps, cook books, etc. It’s a shame that most were never identified. I try and showcase some of these artists whenever I can, either on my blog, on Drawn, or on my Pinterest. Hopefully other people will be just as inspired by these lost and forgotten artists as much as I am. Lastly, how does someone with a magic drawing-beard use Pinterest? 
Me and The Beard use Pinterest as a place to come to be inspired and to inspire others. I also use Pinterest to expose others to amazing artists (both past and present) that might not get the credit that they deserve. I love showing people new things - it’s intoxicating. I choose my pins very carefully, taking everything in account: the colors, the composition, the way they’ll look with the rest of my boards, as well as how it’ll make me feel. I know I’m probably taking this far too seriously in the way I pin, but honestly, to me, my Pinterest boards are personal. These images might evoke a certain emotional response from me and my hope is that they’ll do the same for others. Thanks so much for typing all this out wearing a chicken suit, Ward - we really appreciate it! All images © Ward Jenkins.
