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'''JS''': Actually, my dad tried to talk me out

compete against, artists like Daniel Adel, Roberto Parada, Ismael Roldanand Philip Burke. I realized thatthese guys all can paint. And atthe time I wasn’t doing any kindof painting. I started getting work once I startedpainting, but I felt like I still hadthings to figure out. I felt that maybeI could be faster and better if Itook a couple of classes. So whenI was 26, I went to an art schoolin downtown Chicago called theAmerican Academy of Art. I wentthere because a lot of well knownillustrators like Alex Ross camefrom there. I just felt it was a goodschool. I went, just to take a classor two...but it turned out that I hadto do the whole sha-bang. It wouldbe nice if an art school couldsprinkle fairy dust or wave somemagic wand and just like that youcould have it all figured out. Thetruth is, it’s a lot of work. So I wentto college for three years. Duringthose three years, my workreally started totake off, I did workfor Time Magazine while I was going toart school, so that was cool. I ended upgetting so busy that it was really difficultto continue with my schooling. It got tothe point where I was turning down workfrom magazines so that I could go toschool to get work from magazines. So itreally didn’t make sense. During my last semester, I went to NewYork and met with many art directors. Everyonewas asking me why I was stillgoing to school. What’s the pointand why are you going? I said tothem that I thought you had tohave a degree to work professionally.They told me Iwas ready now and noneof them ask to see adegree; it’s the work thattalks. So I talked to mywife about quitting school,and she was more thanthrilled because it was takingup my entire life. So I’mno longer going to school,but I am still payingit off. Drawing and paintingfrom life and basic anatomyclasses made going to artschool worth it! '''JR''': That’s great. And do youthink those are importantfoundations to have? '''JS''': It may sound a little goofysince I won caricature artist of the year,but I don’t really consider myself a caricature artist. Instead, I consider myselfmore of a portrait artist who stylizes anduses exaggeration to create somethingcool and original. The word “caricature”sometimes gives people the wrong idea.They just think that they are some quicklittle drawings. A lot of artists I see attheme parks are doing more complicateddrawings than what people in the regularworld think of when they think of caricature.So anyways, I try to stay away fromthe “C” word. Anatomy classes, learningstructure, and learning how to draw, andpaint how the masters would paint-all ofthat goes in play with everything that I dowith my work today. I might be exaggeratingor pushing someone’s features, butI am using the same techniques as if Iwere painting or drawing like a fine artist.I feel the same rules apply. '''JR''': I know you mentioned somepeople you would like to be likeRobert Parada, Ismael Roldan. Wasthere anyone that really sparked youto a new level? '''JS''': It’s kinda funny. When I first starteddoing caricature, I didn’t really know thatthere was anybody else doing it, didn’teven know what I was doing had a name.My Mom and Dad used to take me to theMall of the America. And I think that iswhere Tom Richmond’s booths are. Iremember I would just stand by thecaricature booths, watching those artistsdraw for hours while my parentsshopped. So early on, Tom Richmond’swork was something that helped me tosee structure and exaggeration. For years I kept trying to draw in a moreexaggerated way and then tried to renderor paint them in a realistic way. I thought Iwas being original and clever. Then my Dadbought Kruger’s book, Stars. I was like “Ohmy gosh, This guy is doing exactly what I’m‘trying’ to do.” That book totally changedeverything. And right now that book is barelyholding together. If you go to the last fewpages, they will start to fall out. '''JR''': So it’s really been a great reference! '''JS''': Yeah, at first, Kruger’s work was a biginspiration for me. At first I was trying to emulatehis style. I have always had the abilityto look at someone’s work and pretty muchfigure out what they’re doing ...So when Istudied Kruger’s stuff I began to understandstructure and anatomy a little more though Inever studied anatomy before that. Kruger’swork really helped me develop in that way.At one point, I met Thomas Fluharty who isalso an excellent painter and caricaturist,and he has done a lot of covers for magazines.He told me, “Your work has a qualitythat is good enough to be published anywhere.You could be huge...But your problemright now is that your work looks too muchlike Kruger’s. Close your Kruger books andtake what’s good from him, like structure andpainting techniques. But make it your own.Do something on your own. Basically, findyour own shoes and fill your own shoes.”That was some good advice. I didn’t realizeat the time it was so obvious that mywork was Kruger-ish. So I listened to Tom’sadvice. I closed my Kruger books, and I juststarted to try and develop my own drawingstyle. Before that, when I would drawsomeone, I’d look at how another artist mayhave drawn them just to see what they werethinking. Eventually I stopped looking atother caricaturists all together and thought“How would Jason draw this?” I would juststart doing my own drawings and not look atany reference. And I did that for about a yearor so. I started studying poeple more on myown. And really through all of that I kind ofcame up with my own voice, my own way ofdrawing and my own style. There were a lotof different steps, levels and phases. Now Ilook through my Kruger books for paintinginspiration, he’s one of my favorite painters.But I don’t want my exaggerations to emulatehim. When I draw people now, it’strictlyJason Seiler. I just let my pen or pencil flownaturally, I’m thinking about structure andabout what makes this person special orunique and I then explore that. It’s notabout exaggerating one feature, it’s abouthow all the features work and relate withone another. '''JR''': So you are secure in your own shoesand you can look at other peoples workand whatever you can take from it youtake but it is all filtered through you. '''JS''':Most artists that I am inspired by todayare not caricature artists. I really like thework of Richard Schmid, Sean Cheatham,Bill Wray, who used to do work for Mad but ismore into plein air painting now. I really love his painting. But I think my number oneinfluence and inspiration has been NormanRockwell. I collect Rockwell booksand flip through those way more than theKruger books. Another influence of mineis John Singer Sargent. Within the lastcouple of years, working with Schoolismand Imaginism, I have met animators andartists from Pixar and Dreamworks, theseguys are overflowing with talent. Theykeep me humble. '''JR''': You share something withKruger. You said that you don’t reallyconsider yourself a caricature artist,and neither does he. He’s alwaysconsidered himself a portrait artist.It’s amazing that the word caricaturereally never crossed his lips in theyears that I’ve known him. '''JS''': I think I can relate and understandthat more and more because I don’treally consider what I do “caricature.”For me, it’s more important that it’s aspot-on likeness...Sometimes there’sjust the right amount of exaggeration.Sometimes you don’t need to exaggerateat all. Sometimes you can go crazybecause the subject allows for it. ButI think maybe something like “stylizedportraiture” is a little bit more true to whatI do. I draw and paint how I’m feeling,and sometimes I’m not feeling like thereis a reason to exaggerate. Some of thework I’ve done for publication have beenportraits. Daniel Adel’s work is sort of likethat, more portrait-like than caricature.His work falls into the caricature worldbecause he paints small bodies under his“portrait” heads. Truthfully, in most cases,if you control your exaggeration andfocus more on story and “character” you’llget more work. Daniel Adel is an amazingpainter by the way. '''JR''': Do you have any philosophies fornew people? Or up and coming artiststhat are looking to you for advice? '''JS''': Well, I truly believe that if you want tobecome a good artist, you need to studyhow to draw anatomy and structure andyou need to understand the concept oflight and how light works and values andshadows and color temperature. Thereare so many elements like compositionand storytelling. All these different thingscome into play. It’s not just learning howto draw the face. There’s so many differentthings that need to be learned. Andso many things that you need to fill yourown personal toolbox of knowledge with.And then once you know those things,then experiment, push things, experimentwith color and value control. All that kindof stuff. I guess a lot of the students I’vebeen teaching lately at Schoolism arebeginners who have never taken anyclasses before. And they just want toblow peoples’ faces out of the water.Give them huge noses. This is all fine,but you need to understandwhy it is you’redoing what you’re doingand what you’re actuallylooking at.The other thing I wouldsay is that it’s importantto have a good workethic, to truly be seriousabout what you do. It’strue that I was seriousearly on; some peoplejust have that drive.But I think it’s importantto have drive and ambitionif you really wantto be serious, if you reallywant to be professional.You can’t just doit half way.You can’t be half-heartedabout it. You have tobe full blown, serious,“This is who I am. Thisis what I do.” I compareit to studying to becomea doctor. Think aboutthe amount of time andwork a medical studentputs into their “art”. In order to succeed,they must put everything into it. They’renot out partying every weekend or playingvideo games, they’re working day andnight, reading and reading some more.I’m not comparing being an artist to beinga Doctor, I’m just saying that we need toput more “Serious Time” into what wedo, especially if we want to be professional.We shouldn’t settle for mediocre.Always aim high and know that you willalways have something to learn andareas to grow in. '''JR''': Okay. Well that sounds great. Isthere anything else off the top of yourhead that you want to say? '''JS''': Well...I’m still blown away. Still so excitedand honored that I won the Nosey.You know, I was feeling nervous, whenI first started, that people were going tobe too concerned about winning. And toodefensive. Not friendly. Trying so hardjust to win. Because I’ve seen that beforein different competitive arenas. But Ithought it was just so cool at the conventionbecause we all worked so hard andwe all hardly slept. Hardly ate. Just drewand painted ‘till we couldn’t hold ourbrushes and pencils anymore. And at thevery end when we all won the awards ordidn’t win the awards, everyone was justso happy for each other. It was almostlike it was meant to be and you just...Whoever won whatever they won, youthought, “Wow, they really did deservethat.” It was just a real nice healthycompetitiveness that I saw. And so thatwas one of my favorite things about theconvention. Making so many new friends.Everyone was from the same planet. Itwas really fun, and I’m looking forwardto coming next year, and drawing somemore. And I’m hoping to hang out andwalk around a little bit more. This year Ijust painted a lot.The convention is amazing. It wasso much fun and I wish I would havegone sooner. '''JR''': Yes, yes indeed we have missedyou. So this is great. Now you willreturn, as a Master. And everyone willbe running to you for advice. You’reone of the elite Golden Nosey winners.Congratulations on that. '''JS''': Thank you much! It really hasn’t quitesunken in yet