We visited Jesse Jacobs’ studio in London, Ontario (Canada).
What projects are you currently working on?
Right now, I have a few different projects progressing simultaneously. I like working that way, jumping around from thing to thing. The main project I’m focusing on is finishing a short comic book that will be published by the Italian publisher Hollow Press. They approached me a while back to do a limited edition book. I love their dark aesthetic. The story is about a haunted house. I’m working on another long form comics project, which is still in the early stages. I hope to finish it by next year. I’m also involved in a secret project that I can’t reveal yet, but I’m very excited about it.
Which instruments/tools do you use to draw?
My tools change a lot. I’m always looking for the perfect pen. The last book I drew, Crawl Space (which will be released by Koyama Press in the spring), was drawn with a mix of Faber-Castells and Staedtler pigment liners. All my comic ideas begin in small coil bound sketchbooks, which I sketch in with Pilot G-Tec pens. I use a cheap tablet to colour my stuff in photoshop, and make corrections. I’ve also found digital drawing to be great for planning compositions, and figuring out layouts. Especially when I want images to look symmetrical.
Do you have any peculiar habits or routines before starting to draw?
Not really. I like working, so I usually just jump into it when I get up. I’ll stretch, eat some breakfast, and drink coffee, then work. I live outside of the city, so there aren’t many distractions. Around noon my dog gets up so we go for a long walk in the woods or on the beach.
Do you have books or comic books you keep close by when you draw?
Not intentionally. I use one of my favorite books, Big Questions by Anders Nilsen, to prop up my computer. It’s a huge book.
Are there certain objects in your studio which you’re particularly attached to?
I’m very attached to my dog, Desmond, who is often in here, but I don’t really considered her to be an object. I have some interesting stuff that I keep around, old toys and books, but I don’t care about them too much. I’m not really a collector. As a kid and young teenager, I used to be really into collecting comics, toys, etc. I was always concerned with the condition of these things, it used to drive me crazy. When I was about 16, I made a conscious effort to stop caring as much about it. It was getting to be a problem, I would be at school worrying about my comics.