My name is Jason Week. I like making lines. I like to tell stories.

As far back as I can remember I’ve always drawn. There’s nothing remarkable in that. Every artist starts their bio similarly. However, somewhere along the way making art became an inextricable part of my own self-image. Art – especially drawing – became the most important part of my life. So important, in fact, that if I wasn’t (by my estimation) the best artist in my grade, I would be in danger of losing my identity.  By high school I was capable of elaborately rationalizing away any criticism of my work, and able to craft any excuse when confronted with a more talented artist. I couldn’t take any risks, because I didn’t understand what it was that made an artist skilled. What if I put my work out there and failed? I didn’t understand that skill came with practice and hard work. I thought that if I failed, I would somehow become less…me.

Fiction had been a needed escape throughout my childhood, and, thankfully, as I grew older a fervent longing to create work that would mean something to others slowly eclipsed my fear of failure. I made mini-comics. I bought a computer, learned how to build a website, and started a webcomic. Finally, I applied to the two-year certificate program at The Center for Cartoon Studies, was accepted, and moved the over 1000 miles to Vermont. Site unseen.

It wasn’t easy for me. I had a wife. I had two cats. I had only gotten a driver’s license 2 years earlier, and was still scared of driving. I had never even flown, and was terrified of it – which was going to be a problem if we ever wanted to visit home for the holidays. I was 28 years old, but I might has well have been 18.

It was the best decision of my entire artistic life.

The experience of going through an MFA art program with no formal training and no college experience was…humbling, to say the least. My ego was burnt to its foundations and rebuilt with the incredible help of my teachers, peers and wife. I was better. Stronger. Open to critique without reflexively deflecting valid criticism.

Since my graduation in 2010, I’ve had the incredible good fortune to make a living creating comics, illustration, and most importantly to me – constantly improving. I’ve done unique work for passionate, homebrew toymakers. I’ve helped to create the identity of websites created by people whose work I enjoyed long before working with them. I’ve even illustrated a three-book series of middle grade novels for Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.

There is absolutely a strong element of obsession to what I do. Survival, even. I don’t know how anyone can be a creative professional without that raw need to prove themselves.

tl;dr: I make art because it matters more to me than anything else. I take funny pictures very seriously. I love what I do, and I want to do it to the best of my abilities at all times. I used to daydream about eating my way out of a room full of sub sandwiches when I was 12.

Clients

My clients include: Farrar Strauss & Giroux, Yoyoexpert.com, Duncan Toys, CLYW, Dinosaur Dracula and more.