Pheaturing Teeg Ketchen

Hello, and welcome to a Wednesday entry of the Phile, kids. Please, don't read this while walking, texting, talking on the phone, or listening to music. Safety first. This is gonan be a short entry as our main computer is having problems, something to do with the Mac airport blinking amber. Whatever that means. So, like before I am using Logan's computer. Nick Nolte was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. It's his first major nomination since 2002, when he was nominated for Most Maniacal Mug Shot. President Obama gave his annual State of the Union address. And the State of the Union for 2012 is Kentucky. Congratulations. There's a State of the Union drinking game. Let me just say this, if you really are playing the State of the Union drinking game, you're probably an alcoholic. Obama focused on four areas he believes are the keys to restoring economic security. Energy, manufacturing, education, and TV shows about cupcakes, which we love. You all know by now that the New York Giants beat the 49ers last Sunday, I love the poster the 49ers released.

Everyone is talking about Newt and Mitt, but no one is talking about Ron Paul who the Phile supports... just because Kelly Clarkson says so. Anyway, here is the Ron Paul inspirational poster.

Well, it's time to talk football with my good friend Jeff, kids, in a pheature called...

Me: Hey, Jeff, how's it going? First of, what's the big news in the NFL apart from the Giants and Patriots Super Bowl rematch?

Jeff: The biggest news coming out of the Championship week is a quote from Peyton Manning. "It's not a good envirment right now here in Indy." Which pretty much has led to speculation that he might leave the Colts. I remember a time when great athletes (for the most part) stayed on their original team. The Bucs thought they had hired college coach Chip Kelly, but at the
last moment he decided to stay at Univeristy of Oregon and not go into the pros. Of course this week we also saw the passing of former Penn State coach Joe Paterno. Say what you will about the scandal (he did something bad, I am not justifying it) but let's remember his legacy for the first 84 years of his life, not what learned in the last year.

Me: Very good. So, how did we do with last weeks picks?

Jeff: Both games last Sunday were close. They were highly competitive games and we could easily be talking about Ravens vs 49ers. I went 0-2 this week thanks to the spread, you went 0-1-1. But thanks to the Giants winning and your tie, you are now up by 2 points going into the Super Bowl.

Me: Yeah, I'm winning! Alright, so, I say you come back on the Philes Super Bowl Sunday
entry, recap the season and we'll do our Super Bowl picks then. You know what team I'm gonna pick.

Jeff: See ya in two weeks!

Today's guest ia the 10th artist to be pheatured in the Peverett Phile Art Gallery. He is a talented freelance illustrator and designer from Boston who has his own blogspot. Please welcome to the Phile... Teeg Ketchen.

Me: Hello, Thomas, sir, welcome to the Phile. How are you?

Teeg: I'm good. Excited to be here... haha. How are you?

Me: Pissed my other computer is not working, other then that, okay. I have to say I like that name Teeg. It's very sci-fi sounding. What is the origin of it, sir?

Teeg: Haha... thanks, unfortunately there is no real awesome origin story to it. Basically my first and middle initials were T.J. and as babies my brother for some reason couldn't say that so he said Teeg. And it has been in place ever since.

Me: Where are you from? Boston, right? Have you lived there all your life?

Teeg: I am from the Boston area yes. Born and raised as they say. I love this area.

Me: I have to say, I love your artwork, especially on your Batman and Spider-Man stuff, both my favorite super heroes. My all-time favorite super hero though is Captain Britain. Have you or will you ever do a Captain Britain piece? do you know who he is?

Teeg: I do know Captain Britain, however I don't think I've ever drawn him. I have no real reason not to draw him so maybe I can work in a piece with him at some point for you.

Me: I notice you do a lot of super hero drawings, Teeg. Who do you like better, DC or Marvel?

Teeg: That is a tough question because I like certain things about each company. Though I would say if there was no way to get out of it and I had to choose one it would be DC. Mainly because they house Batman who is my favorite comic book hero of all time.

Me: Have you ever thought of drawing for them?

Teeg: I have thought about it, I like to think doing something comic related professional is an avenue I eventually go down. I would love to draw covers for comics.

Me: I noticed your artwork is very French, do you agree?

Teeg: Maybe? I mean I do use some French words in a few pieces as well as some Latin and such in some others. This is mainly something I picked up through an artist I really enjoy which is Francesco Francavilla. He tends to use foreign languages a lot in design for posters he makes. I thought it was cool so I do that sometimes as well. As for the actual look of the art I make resembling potential French art if that's what you mean then I don't know. I don't know that I know much about French art.

Me: I am English, so by right I shouldn't like your French looking artwork, but I do. Did you study art in school, Teeg?

Teeg: Hahaha. I did study art in school. I originally went for Graphic Design and then decided against it and got a degree in Illustration. However I like to think that the design experience I have helps with my overall personal art direction as I try to incorporate smart design into even my illustrations.

Me: Who is your favorite artist of all time?

Teeg: Wow, that is a tough question. I don't know that I could just pick one so I will give you a few. LeSean Thomas, Inoue Takehiko, Marko Djurdjevic, Tite Kubo, Kazuto Nakazawa, Ryan Ottley and Tim Sale. There are a bunch more but they are all so great that people should know them already.

Me: I have to ask what tools do you use? Do you sketch out the stuff you are gonna do first?

Teeg: It usually varies from piece to piece. Sometimes I work 100% digitally other times I will sketch something and then scan it and then finish it in Photoshop. The basic tools I use would be standard issue printer paper and mechanical pencil, scanner, Photoshop CS4 and my Wacom Cintiq.

Me: I saw you took part in a Decemberists poster contest for "The King is Dead". How did you do? I have a picture of it here.

Teeg: I don't know exactly whether it was considered or not as they didn't say all I know is that I didn't win... haha. No big deal though I had fun making the poster.

Me: You actually drew a dead king under a tree, which is cool. Are you a Decemberists fan?

Teeg: I am a big Decemberists fan. Yes I took the title of the album quite literally when designing the poster as I thought it would be unexpected given the nature of the band and their general aesthetics. It was so high concept it was simplistic... haha.

Me: One design I have to ask you about and that is the Air Nimbus one. I am sorry, I don't get it, can you explain it to me? What is a nimbus?

Teeg: Sure, Nimbus is the flying cloud from "Dragonball" and "Dragonball Z". It is given to Goku from Master Roshi and you can only ride on it if you are pure of heart or so they say. The design was made in the vein of an airline. Just instead of airplanes there were flying clouds.

Me: Okay, if you were gonna draw a logo for the Peverett Phile what would it look like, Teeg?

Teeg: I don't know, I would have to stew on that a bit. Generally when designing a logo the client tells you a direction they are hoping to go in as sort of a launching point. So we would have to see.

Me: I have to ask, what is the favorite thing you have drawn or designed?

Teeg: Another good question that I am afraid I don't have an answer for. I have drawn/designed so many things over my years that it would be impossible to pick one and hoist it above the rest.

Me: Teeg, thanks so much for being on the Phile, and please come back. Go ahead and plug your website, sir.

Teeg: Thank you very much for having me and for this opportunity! Folks can find me on Twitter @TeeKetch. My redbubble where you can buy some sweet clothing with some of my designs on them: www.redbubble.com/people/teeketch. On DeviantArt - TeegKetchen. Or people can check out my blog: tketchen.blogspot.com. Anyone and everyone feel free to find me in any of those places and leave a comment or what have you.

Me: You sell your artwork?

Teeg: I do. Anything I have already done I sell prints of and I am also open for design and commission work. Anything from comics to logos, I try and do it all. If anyone is interested in hiring me on for any art work or interested in picking up a previous piece I can be contacted through any of the above sites or by email to tketchen@gmail.com.

Me: Thanks again, and keep up the good work. And I hope to see a Captain Britain design from you soon. LOL.

Teeg: Thanks again and maybe some day soon I can make that Captain Britain a reality.

Well, that about does it for this short and shitty entry of the Phile. Thanks to Jeff Trelewicz and Teeg. The Phile will be back Sunday I hope with singer, songwriter Kyle Carey and on Monday with singer, songwriter Charity Chapman. Then next Wednesday it's Brian Sumner from the duo The Sumner Brothers. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.