JASON FORD – Biography
Jason was born in London. He studied at Brighton and The Royal College of Art. After The RCA he set up the studio Big Orange with fellow graduates and invited Darrel to join them a few years later. Jason has been represented by Heart since 1994. Darrel and Jason occupy the same twenty cubic feet of hot air and nonsense in their shared studio with the agency in London.
For Jason, the madcap adventures of Band Dessineé have always sparked amusement and admiration in equal measures. His illustrations continue with the tradition of fast paced hijinks, exaggerated pathos, action in and out of frame, the frozen scene and captured moment.
All of Jason’s artworks are hand drawn in pencil on A3 layout pads. His drawing table consists of an angled piece of mdf which sits in the vicinity of the studio photocopier, to which frequent trips are made back and forth. The line work is then painted in black ink with a fine brush. Colour is finally added on the computer. A large collection of art and design books often provide reference points. His love of packaging, gonks, masks, memorabilia and ephemera all provide inspiration. This wide appreciation and knowledge of art, design and general pop culture imbues his drawings with references in style, composition and colour that create an underlying feeling of familiarity.
Collectively Jason’s artworks convey mans long running battle with life, illuminating the absurd, the over reactions, the lovers tiffs, the mistakes and mishaps of everyday existence. Elevating and celebrating the everyday has meant that Jason has worked extensively for an editorial client base that can rely on him to tackle subjects such as health and safety, call centres, and colon health. His graphic line work has resulted in advertising campaign’s for among others American Airlines and Ben & Jerry’s (who also commissioned a short graphic novel) and window displays and seasonal identities for Ted Baker.
In 2013 his first children’s activity book ‘The Super Book for Super Heroes’ was published by Laurence King, followed by ‘The Superhero Comic Kit’. Jason has also created products for Magma including a perpetual calendar and a ‘Build Your Own Spaceship’ kit.
Select Client List
American Airlines, American Express, The Atlantic, BP, Cadburys, Ebony Magazine, The Economist, Euroman, Fortune, GQ, The Guardian, Laurence King Publishing, Los Angeles Magazine, Magma, Men’s Fitness, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, The New Yorker, The New York Times, New Scientist, Nickelodeon, NSPCC, PORT Magazine, Random House, Ted Baker, The Telegraph, Walker Books, Die Weltwoche, The Wall Street Journal, Wired Magazine