Interview with the NYC-based illustrator Jungyeon Roh.
I love Korea.
First of all, South Korea got the most beautiful girls on earth.
South Korean girls cuteness is an absolute scientific fact.
South Korea got the best movies on earth (check my selection of amazing Korean movies I did for a french website).
And they also produce great artists like Jungyeon.
Jungyeon’s artworks mix Asian and Western culture in a very modern and nice way.
The artist tells us more about the working process behind the art, and let us know who are the major influences behind the drawings.
I told you, I love Korea.
Oh, and they got kimchi too.
[Update] This article was written before the whole K-Pop phenomena.
Just to make things clear, I hate K-Pop.
More about the NYC-based illustrator Jungyeon Roh.
Artwork for the cover of the book American Boys by Jungyeon Roh
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF
I’m a NY based illustrator from Seoul Korea.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
Energetic, over the top, funny and honest.
Jungyeon Roh drawing
PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR WORKING PROCESS
- Roughly sketching ideas
- Penciling on Bristol
- Inking directly
- Making color separations by hand on vellum
- Scanning, and coloring by digital or silkscreen
Jungyeon Roh illustrations for the Good Fortune book
HOW DOES YOUR ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE YOUR ART?
Ideas are based on Asian culture. Add the experiences I had in New York when using my visual language.
WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
My major influences are David Sandlin, Marcos Chin, Josh Cochran.
My favorite NYC-based artists were Adrian Tomine, Jillian Tamaki, Sara Varon, Leanne Shapton and Yuko Shimizu.
I also love Kelly Cutrone from People’s Revolution, and Erin Kaplan who was a formal youngest director of ELLE magazine and Oprah Winfrey.
Published illustration by Jungyeon Roh
ANY LAST WORD?
I’m working on another Miss Eggplant series these days. Wish me luck!