Teefury

Tell us about this design:

Well, first of all, pirates still rock (far more than vampires). Influenced by nerdy game culture (aka Monkey Island) I wanted to pay tribute. Also: 12 % of all stomach pain is caused by swashbuckling, saber-swinging pirates who try to get the hell out of there. Let’s just hope they chose the front exist. Next time, don't try to be cool and just let them take the booty.

Where are you located?

50% New York City, 50% Graz, Austria

Tell us about yourself:

I was born in my favorite year 1984; I always imagined being part of a bigger adventure. Due to the bad health plan for ninjas, pirates, time travelers or monster hunters I decided to become a comic artist and illustrator. I did my Master in Salzburg/Austria, specializing in Animation. I am currently doing my Master of Arts in Illustration in NYC. I am also a proud member of the nerd NYC community, which means that I spend my free time with RPGs, computer games, comics and quoting cartoons. In my work time I create graphic novels and illustrations for various clients and for fun.

How did you get your start in art?

Comics introduced me to narrative, visual storytelling. I always wanted to tell crazy, funny and exciting stories and I decided comics are the way to do it without a big budget. I was highly influenced by French comics and American Fantasy and Horror comics. For me, it really started with the publication of 20 pages noir thriller comic when I was 18 years old. In the same year, I met comic artist Darick Robertson who told me I was doing a great job. I guess that convinced me sticking to it.

What's your art process like, from initial sketch to finished product?

Sometimes I start off with a thumbnail sketch, sometimes from the sketch. From there, I create a clean, inked version. I scan it and color it on the computer. I work with a gazillion layers, it’s crazy. Coloring on the computer turned me into a control freak.

What would be your dream job?

I would like to be a traveling thief in a D&D like fantasy landscape, adventuring for profit and saving handsome and cute guys from monsters and occasionally saving the world in an epic battle. If that job doesn’t work, I would love to make shitload of money with graphic novels.

What advice would you offer to aspiring designers?

One of the most important things for me was sticking to exactly the genre, style and way to work I loved. Stick to what you’re good at; don’t try to satisfy any commercial needs society might have. Tell the stories you would love to hear and create the pictures you would love to see. And one of the most important things nowadays is: Be social – communicate with other artists, share and make you known out there. An artist has to be at least 20% businesswoman or man nowadays.

Tell us about your favorite food.

I love yummy Austrian dark bread with butter and ham. Besides that I love the silky texture of Mozzarella, Pizza Hawaii with tons of pineapple (best one at Schillerhof, Graz, Austria) and Avocado on all variations. I could go on about food for years. I should stop now.

If you could own an exotic animal as a pet, what kind would you have, and what would you name it?

A cat-lizard hybrid (Frank Frazetta style) with a saddle, steam-punk iron wings, a telepathic link to my brain and loyalty until death! I would call it Ladidadi.

What are a few of your favorite websites?

Io9.com (nerdy nerd blog)

Oglaf.com (explicit fantasy web comic with lots of nudity)

Nerdnyc.com (my favorite NYC nerd community)

Any shout outs?

My hovercraft is full of eels!!!