Jean-Luc Serrano in our blog...
What to say...?
- Jean-Luc: Morris and Hergé, of course !! They were my first love and copying attempts. Then, one day, (I had to be 15 or 16 years old), I came across old numbers of Pilot where Chihuahua Pearl appeared and it was love at first sight for the drawing of GIR. I was born and raised with westerns of the classic era of cinema and its sense of narration, its feature, its sense of space, gag, cinematographic side have directed all my drawing wishes ever since.Much later, when flipping through a Metal Hurlant number, I discovered a comic book called "The Hermetic Garage" by Moebius and it was the same runaway. It took me several months to realize that my two favorite authors GIR and Moebius were only one Jean Giraud ...Since then, Le Major Fatal is my bedside book. Followed closely by Angel Face ...But I can also mention Alex Raymond, Noel Sickles, Hermann, Ferrandez, Loisel and so many others ...
- Jean-Luc: I had the chance to work very early with two of the greatest writers-scenerists: Rodolphe and Serge Le Tendre on the series Taï Dor and other one shots. Since I have devoted myself to cartoons I have never wanted to take comics with anyone else. Out of pure friendship and for all I owe them.
- Jean-Luc: I did not think much about it. I got too far from this universe.But I think that the world of publishing must, in consultation with the authors, give birth to a new way to market their work fairly. I know that the authors' situation is catastrophic and has nothing to do with the golden age of the 1980s, during which I had the chance to start, and that we can no longer restrain or stop pirate comic book downloads.
- Jean-Luc: It was extraordinary. I was a big fan of Spielberg since Jaws was released 20 years ago, and having the opportunity to work under his banner was close to an awakened dream!Specially since it was the creation of a brand new animation studio in Hollywood. There was a crazy energy! The two years spent on The Prince of Egypt have been, for me, probably more formative than the twelve years of comics. There were artists of such a level, of such proximity that you could only be pulled up. These eight years at Dream Works have been a wonderful and incredibly creative bracket.And then we were in the States, a few hundred miles from the Gila River, Dead Horse Mesa and Tombstone !! I have seen everything!!!
- Jean-Luc: I stopped working in comics in 1994 to start a new life in cartoons. Even if I still consider myself a comic artist who is temporarily in animation.I drew, with my friend Rodolphe, an album of the series Destins by Franck Giroud in 2010. Other projects could have been born, but very hard conditions and completely incompatible with my activities in cartoons have reduced them to nothing.I do not despair of returning to the comic book one day, but not as a mean of subsistence.I am currently working on an animation project that will be shot in Madrid next fall. The cartoon took me to California, Israel, Finland and soon to Spain. Here's what suits me ...: o)
What to say...?
Chapeau. Thank you monsieur.
When you get to reach someone like Jean-Luc Serrano, you feel comfortable since minute 0. It's really a pleasure to talk to someone who has conquered the U.S. animation scene with his talent at Dreamworks' service (Kung Fu Panda, the prince of Egypt, among others) and still he has that touch to surprise.
Judge by yourselves, this collaboration of a magnificent Jimmy McClure and get to know more about him in this fresh interview:
INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH:
-
Mario: what was your greatest artistic influence at the beginning of your professional life? And now, what artists do you respect the most?
- Jean-Luc: Morris and Hergé, of course !! They were my first love and copying attempts. Then, one day, (I had to be 15 or 16 years old), I came across old numbers of Pilot where Chihuahua Pearl appeared and it was love at first sight for the drawing of GIR. I was born and raised with westerns of the classic era of cinema and its sense of narration, its feature, its sense of space, gag, cinematographic side have directed all my drawing wishes ever since.Much later, when flipping through a Metal Hurlant number, I discovered a comic book called "The Hermetic Garage" by Moebius and it was the same runaway. It took me several months to realize that my two favorite authors GIR and Moebius were only one Jean Giraud ...Since then, Le Major Fatal is my bedside book. Followed closely by Angel Face ...But I can also mention Alex Raymond, Noel Sickles, Hermann, Ferrandez, Loisel and so many others ...
- Mario: with whom would you like to work?
- Jean-Luc: I had the chance to work very early with two of the greatest writers-scenerists: Rodolphe and Serge Le Tendre on the series Taï Dor and other one shots. Since I have devoted myself to cartoons I have never wanted to take comics with anyone else. Out of pure friendship and for all I owe them.
- Mario: What do you think of digital format comic-books...is the comic industry in danger / crisis for the wave of pirate downloads? How can this affect the work of artists?
- Jean-Luc: I did not think much about it. I got too far from this universe.But I think that the world of publishing must, in consultation with the authors, give birth to a new way to market their work fairly. I know that the authors' situation is catastrophic and has nothing to do with the golden age of the 1980s, during which I had the chance to start, and that we can no longer restrain or stop pirate comic book downloads.
- Mario: How is the experience working for DreamWorks in the US?
- Jean-Luc: It was extraordinary. I was a big fan of Spielberg since Jaws was released 20 years ago, and having the opportunity to work under his banner was close to an awakened dream!Specially since it was the creation of a brand new animation studio in Hollywood. There was a crazy energy! The two years spent on The Prince of Egypt have been, for me, probably more formative than the twelve years of comics. There were artists of such a level, of such proximity that you could only be pulled up. These eight years at Dream Works have been a wonderful and incredibly creative bracket.And then we were in the States, a few hundred miles from the Gila River, Dead Horse Mesa and Tombstone !! I have seen everything!!!
- Mario: What are you doing today and what are your next projects?
- Jean-Luc: I stopped working in comics in 1994 to start a new life in cartoons. Even if I still consider myself a comic artist who is temporarily in animation.I drew, with my friend Rodolphe, an album of the series Destins by Franck Giroud in 2010. Other projects could have been born, but very hard conditions and completely incompatible with my activities in cartoons have reduced them to nothing.I do not despair of returning to the comic book one day, but not as a mean of subsistence.I am currently working on an animation project that will be shot in Madrid next fall. The cartoon took me to California, Israel, Finland and soon to Spain. Here's what suits me ...: o)
- Mario: What are your memories / relationship / influences with Jean Giraud and their work?
- Jean-Luc: I owe him graphically everything. Or almost! I have only briefly, very briefly met him ... But as I said
above, he has been the guide of my pencil since I discovered his work.And
the biggest slap that I took about his drawing is my first trip across
California on the way to Nevada that flanked me: the desert, the space
... Jean Giraud is the only one that has been able to render it with a feather and a few faded colors ....
-Mario: Thank you very much Jean-Luc, it's been a real pleasure having your art and your talent in this blog, and your artwork makes this tribute to Moebius much bigger. Hope you enjoy my country, Spain, in your upcoming proyect and maybe I could get to know you in person and salute you.
