Shortlisted Interview #6: JB Casacop
Shortlisted Interview #6: JB Casacop
Apr 16
Aside from being one of the first ones to see fantastic artworks, part of the fun of doing these interviews is knowing about the interesting backgrounds of these awesome artists.
Last time, we talked with a nurse (Peejay Catacutan) and this time, we’ll be featuring someone who did ballet for sometime before realizing his life’s true calling is in the field of comic book arts.
Boys and girls, let’s all meet JB Casacop!
Mark Rosario: Tell us something about yourself.
JB Casacop: My full name is John Brian San Gabriel Casacop but you can call me JB or Jabo. I’m an illustrator based in San Pedro, Laguna. I consider my sister and I very lucky to have parents who, despite being engineers, supported us when we both developed interest towards artistic endeavors. Music and dance were among those. Actually, I majored in ballet during my years in Philippine High School for the Arts. Then I realized that I’m much more interested in drawing and painting so I took up fine arts in UP Diliman.
As of the present, I work with Ladyluck Digital Media, Inc. as one of its senior concept artists. With regard to comic book projects, aside from my college thesis, the only other comic project I’ve finished is a short indie entitled “Palagdas “ which I released during the Komikon 2011.
MR: What did you apply for and what made you decide to try out?
JC: My primary skill is digital painting so I decided to try my luck and see if I can get picked as a cover artist. I very reluctant to try out when I first heard about Cebulski’s talent search because prior to that, I didn’t have any Marvel-inspired artworks in my portfolio at all. But in the end, I couldn’t resist submitting my stuff because I understood that there was a very rare opportunity.
MR: Tell us a little about the samples you sent.
JC: I sent several digital paintings. Most of them are commissioned fantasy-themed illustrations. Also included in my submissions are a couple of sequential samples, my own rendition of the tikbalang named Makabo from Ian Sta. Maria and Mervin Ignacio‘s Skyworld, and finally, a copy of my short indie comic. I didn’t create any new pieces because I felt there won’t be enough time for me to polish them as much as I did my existing artworks.
MR: What were you doing when you discovered you made it to the shortlist? How did you feel at the moment?
JC: I just got up when I got the call from National Book Store. It literally jumpstarted my day which I spent almost entirely by preparing my stuff for the meet up with Cebulski.
MR: How did the Cebulski interview go? What did he say about your work?
He liked the pieces I submitted. If I understood what he said correctly, he was pleased with my compositions and painting style. We talked about my approach to painting, the tools and techniques that I frequently use. Then I also showed him the rest of my portfolio which I had brought with me. I’m glad he enjoyed looking at my game art samples and personal works.
MR: I heard there’s still another test from Cebulski, right? What does that mean and what are you currently doing to warm up for that?
JC: I think that means I still have to prove myself since, like I’ve said earlier, there were no Marvel-based pieces in my portfolio prior to the interview. I’m supposed to come up with a couple of test covers. I’ve already finished one. Now I’m doing some research for the next.
MR: Let’s talk influences. Who are some of your heroes in the industry?
JC: Frank Frazetta and Alex Ross are my favorite painters. I’m also a fan of John Buschema. I have to admit that I don’t have a collection of comics drawn by him but I owe a lot to his book, How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. Of course, I shouldn’t forget to mention the names of Filipino artists whose works inspire me like Francisco Coching, Nestor Redondo, Lan Medina, Gerry Alanguilan and Leinil Yu.
MR: Given the chance to pick, which Marvel books/characters would you hope to do in the near future?
JC: In no particular order, I’d love to work on Wolverine, Thor, Hulk, Venom, Spider-Man, Moon Knight, and The Ultimate Avengers.
MR: Thank you for your time! Tell us where fans can find you for updates and more.
JC: Thank you for this interview! For more about my work, please visit:
My DeviantArt gallery - http://jbsc.deviantart.com
My art blog - http://casacop.blogspot.com
Related posts: