Jon Vermilyea recently sat down with The Stuff for a hard-hitting interview in tandem with his new Nakatomi Invitational release.

Biafrah Winfrey: What is your current studio set up like?

Jon Vermilyea: My studio is my bedroom in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Its mainly just a drafting table with a lamp and a desk with my computer, scanner and tablet.

BW: In your work, do you employ any unique artist techniques that you’d be willing to expose to the world (with tools, media, software, etc)?

JV: Most of the work I do is drawn on plate finish bristol board. I like really smooth drawing surfaces, not rough or toothy. I pencil with a PaperMate mechanical pencil. It’s not especially fancy, but it’s really light. I don’t like heavy mechanical pencils! For inking I use a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. In some ways it’s not as good as an actual brush. It’s harder to do dry brush effects and the bristles aren’t as firm. But you don’t have to worry about cleaning it and the tip is always at a point. For panel borders and lettering I use a ruling pen and a glass pen.

BW: What was the inspiration behind teaching Vincent Van Gogh about nutrition in your /Breakfast Crew/ series?

JV: I just thought it was a good mix. He looks very stoic in paintings. I thought it would be funny to put him in a situation with over animated characters.

BW: Can you talk about some of your artistic influences that might not be apparent in your style, or not well known in general?

JV: Some cartoonists I’m influenced by are Basil Wolverton, Richard Corben, Gary Panter, Joann Sfar, and Vaughn Bodé. I’m also a big fan of the animators Ralph Bakshi, Vincent Collins, Bruce Bickford, and John Kricfalusi.

BW: Do you have a day job, or are you able to survive on your bare artistic instincts alone?

JV: I’m currently surviving on doing art projects. I also do freelance work in book production.

BW: What do you have lined up for the Nakatomi Invitational in May?

JV: I have a really awesome poster and shirt called The Brood.  It’s very inspired by Basil Wolverton.

The day has finally come!

Jermaine Rogers’ entry into the Nakatomi Invitational dropped today-

“Rabbit Fighter” is based on the cover of the classic 70′s glam rock epic album “Electric Warrior” by T-Rex.   “Rabbit Fighter” is an 18×24 screenprint, for sale ONLY from March 2nd through March 31st!

There is also a Glow In The Dark variant limited to just 30 copies.  At the time of this writing, there are still a few copies left.  (Like, 5…)

Jermaine Rogers is one of the GIANTS in the poster industry, and we here at Nakatomi are thrilled to have him aboard!  (And when I say Giant, he’s like that endocrine mutant Chinese basketball player…like, 8 ft tall.  He scares small children, and shops for pants in a parallel dimension where gravity is a weaker element, and everyone grows taller.  For real.)

-alex fugazi

Okay…SUNDAY March 1st is the last day to purchase subscriptions and Stout’s print/shirt for the Nakatomi Invitational!  On March 2nd, we’ll release the new combo- Jermaine Rogers’ “Rabbit Fighter” and Tyler’s “Nuclear Option” will be gone from the site for good!

So, in case you were wating…WAIT NO MORE!

Head on over to the NAKATOMI INVITATIONAL page to sign up, and get 6 months of awesome delivered to your house, along with the EXCLUSIVE Wood Variant of Tyler’s “Nuclear Option” print.

And, be on the lookout for Jermaine’s “Rabbit Fighter” print/shirt dropping on the 2nd!  NOTE- there will be a limited glow-in-the-dark version of “Rabbit Fighter”, of which we’ll only have 30 copies, and will first be offered to the subscribers (which are also only limited to 30)!  Don’t miss out!

-alexfugazi

Wow…February is the shortest month, but dang…that flew by. There is still ONE WEEK LEFT to get your hands on the Tyler Stout entry into the invitational series, as well as ONE WEEK LEFT to buy yourself half-a-year of awesome with our 6 month Subscription to the series. Every subscription gets you the super-rare limited edition Wood Variant of Tyler’s print, as well as first crack at every variant poster we release through the series.

Tyler Stout's first wood print!

All our variants will be limited to just the qty of subscriptions that are for sale (just 30…yikes!), so the only way to guarantee that you’ll be able to get your hands on those prints is to SIGN UP!

And,
On March 2nd, we will be releasing Jermaine Rogers’ T-Rex inspired entry into the series ‘Rabbit Fighter’-

And the Glow in the Dark variant of this piece will first be available to SUBSCRIBERS only, and then the MAILING LIST, and then the rest of you!  So my advice is…if you want to know when this guy is going to drop, at least get on the mailing list, eh?

Sorry for the hard sell, but I’m still getting emails from people upset they missed out on the last 3 in this series, and I want to make sure everyone who wants one gets one!

Tell your friends!

-Alex Fugazi

It’s Valentine’s Day.  Did you remember everything?

Flowers- check.

Card- check.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries- check.

The Limited edition Nakatomi Invitational T-shirt and Poster releases?  FAIL!  ABORT!

Don’t worry- there’s still time.  Today is the VERY last day the original 3 Poster / Shirt Invitational releases will be available.  At Midnight tonight, C.S.T. they’re ‘outta here!

Scoot your sweet self over to the NAKATOMI INVITATIONAL and get ‘em.  Because just like true love…these will soon expire.  (I don’t even know what that meant.)

-alex fugazi

Just a quickie reminder- there is just ONE WEEK LEFT for you guys out there in Nakatomi-land to pick up the first three entries in our Invitational series. Once midnight rolls around on Valentine’s Day, those posters and shirts will be gone forever!

If I get any emails from people saying ‘Oh dang, I missed out, do you have any left’ on the 15th, I’m buying a ticket, going to their house and eating their dog.

Serious.

-alexfugazi