Interview with CHRIS GARBUTT

Since leaving art school in 1998 Chris has peddled his wares in the fields of Animation, Illustration and Comics in London, Paris and Los Angeles. Working on such animated projects as the Gorillaz, Robotboy, the Amazing World of Gumball, the Fairly Odd Parents, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends and Stressed Eric, enjoying roles from design, storyboarding and art directing. More recently he has been involved in creating, writing and directing new TV series for development with both Disney TV in LA and Cartoon Network Europe in London.

He has also enjoyed a fruitful career in illustration producing work for clients including BBC, M&S, Sainsburys, McCann Erickson, Oddbins, Scholastics, Nestle, BT, Vodaphone and various children’s books for Macmillan. Chris’ illustration work is currently represented by Arena Illustration in London.

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TYPICAL DAY
A typical day would depend on what I’m working on.
When I was putting together my pilot/animatic for Cartoon Network earlier this year, I’d get up around 7 to 7:30am and go to the gym. Then, after coming back home, feeding the cats, cleaning up cat shit, taking a shower, cleaning up cat vomit and negotiating public transport, I’d get into work around 9:30 to 10am. I’d be greeted by a whirlwind of crap that would need taking care of and overseeing depending on what stage of production we were at. From the early stages of coming up with stories, thumb-nailing storyboards and designs, to the later stages of voice records, making notes on music, sound effects, editing and overseeing animation and clean-up. I would often get home around 12am, watch something funny on TV to clear my head, and fall asleep with my face buried in a Dragonlance book! Then it would all start again…

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When I’m freelancing it’s often a lot less hectic, especially on illustration jobs. You’re predominantly working from home so you can organize your time better and not have to worry about putting on pants.

PROCESS FOR COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS
I don’t think there’s necessarily a hard and fast process I use for coming up with new ideas. I find it can be very counter-productive to be sat at your desk trying to force out an idea, they tend to pop out when you least expect it. Sometimes doing everyday things like riding the train, taking a walk or cleaning the house can be the best places for your mind to feel free to waltz around parading new ideas in front of your lobes. I suppose it’s like daydreaming. If you can trick your mind into thinking it’s not working it often comes up with the best stuff.
But, saying that, being in a state of deadline induced panic can also kick start your brain into unexpected heights of creativeness.

One process we have used if we’ve been stuck for story ideas in the development studio is to play a game where each person writes down a word or draws a picture on a piece of paper. Then that piece of paper is passed to the next person who writes an act one based on that word or picture. Then the next person writes act two and so on. It’s not always successful but you do sometimes get a couple of gems. And it’s just a good way of getting the creative juices flowing.

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MY WORK IS A MIX OF ART AND…
Fart…

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WHAT IS SOMETHING NEW YOU HAVE NOTICED OR LEARNED RECENTLY?
I’ve just learned recently that Soundgarden have reformed and I’m trembling with rock-fueled excitement for news of them touring again.

TOP FIVE INSPIRATIONS
It’s difficult to break it into a top five as I tend to take inspiration from everywhere, but music, films, cartoons, books, traveling, seeing new people and places all help to inspire and freshen up the creative side of my brain.

TOP FIVE FAVOURITE THINGS IN LIFE
Again, it’s hard to whittle it down to five, there are so many. Cartoons and comics (of course), tea and biscuits, music and playing the drums, football, getting lost in a heroic fantasy novel, and the undeniable joy of a bright blue sunny sky in the morning (a rare occurrence in my life due to growing up in the north of England and currently living in London).

TOP FIVE BANDS/SINGERS