What does “Vintage” mean to you?
Vintage-Something old that will cost a lot.
Tell us about the cover piece you have done for this issue and the elements used.
I think of humans as balloons on strings .. we struggle with the conflict between our animal instincts and the logical rules we make .. I am sure someone said this 1000s of years ago .. but we still haven’t seemed to figure out a good balance.
How old are you and how many years have you spent away from home?
I just turned 33. I moved out the house when I was 18 or 19. Moved out of the state when I was 23 .. and moved out of the country when I was 29
Why the fascination in South America? Do any other cultures hold the same fascination for you – and if so do you think their influence will come through in your work also?
Latin America just feels good .. I dig the people, food, music .. but really .. it’s just a feeling .. .. I feel like the Latin culture is very similar to how I am .. placing emphasis on experiences, family friends, enjoying life and not taking it too seriously .. humans aren’t perfect .. we do stupid things .. but it’s okay .. it’s a learning process and life is good.
Where do you draw your inspiration from – how has this changed over the years since you began design?
being in interesting environments is my number one inspiration .. this hasn’t really changed .. when I was kid I would take the subway all over San Francisco bay area .. skateboard in old army bases and drain pipes .. go to china town in San Francisco .. then end up in some suburb that had good handrails at an elementary school .. now .. I am just wandering around latin America .. trying new food .. looking at funny characters .. etc
Are you in limbo between South America and the States or do you do much of your work on commission through online portals and digital delivery? Tell us more about the work flow being based so far from what is probably your main market and how this works / hinders you.
No .. it’s very easy with the internet. I have an internet phone .. so calling me from the states isn’t even long distance .. So a client talks to my rep .. she works out a deal .. a client calls me .. we discuss ideas .. send a few emails back an forth .. I post rough sketches on the internet .. they phone or email me feedback .. I incorporate the feedback .. and post the highrez image to download .. they download it .. my rep sends them an invoice .. they pay my rep .. my rep sends a check to my bank .. I spend the money on books, eating out, music, going to movies, traveling, stuff with my wife .. and the process starts all over again.
The Nate technique … your work appears very raw and hand constructed. How much hand is involved in the hand / computer balance to your artwork?
After working as an art director for Microsoft’s Xbox .. I was so tired of seeing super rendered cgi graphics .. I craved the imperfections.. I liked mistakes.. I liked accidental textures.. but at the same time I realized how powerful the computer was .. so It’s about 50/50 .. I create textures and line drawing by hand .. India ink, sharpie markers .. mixing oil and water, salt, baking soda and vinegar .. etc… and then I scan these elements into the computer and resize them .. put them in new compositions and color them ..
What are your current materials of choice to work with and how has this changed over time? Why do you think this is?
Well .. I used to paint huge 24 foot by 12 foot paintings
http://www.n8w.com/newweb/photos-artsource-photo.php
but it made it a little hard to be nomadic with huge canvases and 5 gallon buckets of paint .. so I have converted to India ink, sharpie markers and copy machines .. with a wife and a kid .. I am less nomadic so I started painting again
http://www.n8w.com/gallery/color/p/
What sort of work gets you really enthused?
Music has the greatest impact on me .. I will listen to one song straight for 3 days and walk around the city and have a bazillion thoughts .. as far as visual art .. I like to make art more than look at art .. I like good concepts .. it doesn’t even have to be art .. just a good idea .. like a product .. or a comedy idea .. or a more efficient way to do something .. etc
What do enjoy in the down time … you obviously paint and create a lot of the time - and travel is a passion - what are your passions aside from the obvious?
walking my dog and listening to music is the best .. well next too good food, sex and the ocean .. I walk for hours .. I walk all over the city .. I go to places I never go .. take trains, buses .. etc .. I like learning about history .. mainly from listening to history podcasts .. I like Brazilian jui jitsui and working out .. I like to drink beer .. meet people .. see something that makes me laugh .. I like watching anything about animals and crime shows .. I like thinking of product ideas .. sitting on my balcony and people watching
Complete this line: A little known Nate Williams fact is….
I wet the bed until he was 14 .. I am color blind .. I love women with skinny waists and big hips/butts .. I just had a baby boy .. I studied sculpture in college .. had a learning disability while growing up ..
You have a strong web background also - has this computer based design been dropped by the wayside for the more hand oriented work or do you still do much web stuff?
No .. actually it really helps for other projects I do .. http://www.illustrationmundo.com , http://www.moodybuddha.com .. etc .. but I just think of it as a tool rather than a career .. it’s just a means .. before it was an end .. cause that was what paid the bills
Tell us about the fun you had doing Alexander Blue and the reaction you have had from the kids also the differences in doing this kind of work to the usual?
I created the alter ego Alexander Blue .. so I could do another style of illustration .. but no confuse Nate Williams clients .. I think every illustrator realizes you must have a strong consistent style .. but struggles with committing to one style .. so this is how I deal with the struggle .. just created other personalities for other styles .. problem solved ..
Any chance of hitting our shores any time in the near future? We’d love to have you down at the Wooden Toy gallery sometime and there’s always a couch spare!
I really want to .. I have been to Australia once and loved it .. whenever I travel I always meet Germans and Aussies .. and always hit it off. When I was in Chile .. I met some rad Aussies named John and Julia who ended up staying with me for a month in Buenos Aires .. so if you see this John and Julia .. HELLO!!
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