Tim Biskup.

Tim Biskup.
http://www.timbiskup.com
This page.
‘Golden Plague’
Tim Biskup.
http://www.timbiskup.com
http://www.flopdoodle.com
After spending a long tiring day hiking through the California Hills conducting this interview,
Tim brought me to a spot overlooking what locals call Devil's Horn Valley. We had a few beers
and slept for a while. Then I had the most amazing dream...
In it I had my very own Tim Biskup. I brought him everywhere with me showing him off to
friends and getting him to draw pictures of my enemies. We would spend mornings designing
toys together and the evenings painting. It was thrilling. When we woke, the sun was setting
over the valley and I knew I had a plane to catch. We took it in for a few more minutes and
then without a word to each other we walked back to the car.
Text and interview by BrenB.
This page.
Biskup products.
This page (clockwise from left).
‘Helper Dragon’, ‘Yeti Pass’, ‘Woo’ & Studio.
Left.
Various illustrations.
Right.
‘Butcher’.
BRENB: Have you ever been approached by anyone to make your life
into a Reality TV Show?
TIM BISKUP: Nope.
BB: No, have you ever approached anyone about making your life into a
Reality TV Show?
TB: No.
BB: No, shit, have you ever approached me about making someone's...
never mind sorry, could you just tell us about what a day in the life of
Tim Biskup is like?
TB: Well, it’s not really very reality TV worthy, but here’s the scoop. I get
up & clean my guns, then I make myself a few pots of coffee... By the
third pot I start to get a little twitchy, so I take the edge off with some
bourbon. If I make it to noon without blacking out I throw myself a little
party & pull out the paintbrush... Blah, blah, blah... Then I do some
ballet dancing with my little girl. We dress up like fairies & fly around the
house for about an hour. I sit her down in front of the TV & answer
email for the rest of the day. The wife comes home at some point. We
play a little game I like to call Pitch-Black Whiffle Ball. One of us usually
gets hurt & then it’s off to my shed behind the house to sleep it off.
Boring, eh?
BB: Did any of your teachers in High School ever catch you doodling in
your notebook during class? Then throw you out screaming at you that
you could never make a career out of Art? And did you go to your
School Reunion and lord it over them, turning down a chance to score
with the now aging and most likely alcoholic Prom Queen in the process?
TB: Fuck, man, where you there?
BB: How do you keep track of all the projects you are working on, what
with the Paintings, Illustrations, Toys, Coasters, T-Shirts, Stationary, etc?
Do you have a huge wall chart, a photographic memory or a team of
crack admin girls?
TB: I was good at keeping track of it all for a while, but now it’s just too
much. I have a great assistant & a calendar program on my Mac. I still
feel like I’m always dropping the ball. I really need to just say “No” more.
The opportunities that I get lately are so great, though... I can’t pass that
shit up.
Top.
Limited edition art prints, only 10 of each available.
More at http://www.flopdoodle.com
BB: You must have to turn work down now? When you tell them you
haven't the time, do they wait until you are free? Surely it wasn't always
like that, can you tell us something about what it was like when you
started out and maybe how you got to the point now where you are
screening calls from commissioning editors?
TB: It’s a whole new world these days. I used to take everything that
came along, then I got to the point that I only took on the stuff that I
really wanted to do. Then I had to start turning down some of the good
projects. Now I don’t give out my number & I have an assistant that
screens my emails. It’s crazy. The really great thing is that I get to think up
projects that are exactly what I want to do & then I just go & pitch them
to the people that I want to work with.
BB: Do you find inspiration and ideas everywhere or do you have a
pouch of fairy dust in your jacket pocket that you can sprinkle whenever
you need it?
TB: By “fairy dust” you mean “angel dust”, right? Really, though, I get
inspired by different things at different times. I’m reading all about the
Salem Witch Trials, right now & that’s getting my brain going for my
show in Barcelona in July. It’s called American Cyclops. It’s all about
religion & politics.
>>
Previous page.
Various illustrations.
This page (left & right).
Ultra rare Qee Deco Armageddon Set.
More information at http://www.toy2r.com
Centre.
Biskup stack toys.
Top.
‘Black Helium’.
Bottom.
Biskup ‘100 Paintings’ details.
Clockwise fom bottom left.
‘Stack Pack’, ‘Big Totem’, Acidhead Dunny & ‘Executioner’
Clockwise fom top left.
‘Great ghost walk 2’, ‘The Animation Show’ poster,
postcard illustration & ‘Great ghost walk 1’.
BB: Before I can draw I have my partner hide an
unpeeled banana somewhere in the studio, not too
close but enough that I can get the odour
intermittently. I find knowing it's there can make a
tremendous difference. Do you have any rituals that
help when you are working?
TB: I do the same thing with a cat turd. It’s very
comforting.
BB: Your Toy Designs are amazing but surely you
can't be hand painting each one? How does that
work, it must take years!? Can't you do it on
computers, maybe use a template or something?
TB: Every one is different. Most of them I do by hand.
Some designs are very graphic & simple. Those ones
I can just do in Illustrator & send a file. Some are
done with airbrush & other techniques that you can’t
really do very easily on a computer. I usually paint a
master by hand & then send it off to China.
BB: Apart from Ireland what's your favourite foreign
country and why? I might have to disqualify Japan
too unless your reasons mention something else as
well as the toys!
TB: Damn, I’m so predictable. Japan is great
because it is just so totally different than the US. I
love it there. I really love Italy, too. I’m sorry to say
that I’ve never been to Ireland. Steven Stapleton
lives there, so there’s one good thing about it. I’m 1/4
Irish so it’s probably a good idea for me to go over
there & sample your whiskey..
BB: When Acme eventually releases a mass-market
Time Machine T what period of design history would
you set the dial for? And what period would you just
break off the dial, cos there ain't no stinkin' way you'd
go back there?
TB: I’d go back to the 40s & stick around for about
20 years. I’d spend all of my time stealing originals off
of peoples desks & probably fuck the whole future up
for everyone. I’d like to flush most of the 70s down
the toilet.
BB: Do you ever daydream about your professional
future? If yes, what do you imagine it will be like?
TB: I just want to keep making things & for people to
keep buying them so I can make more. If that’s the
case it will be great & I’ll stay happy forever.
Previous page.
Various illustrations.
This page (clockwise from left).
Postcards, ‘Virtue’, ‘Ghonner front’,
‘Hamlet’ & ‘Ghooner in state’.
Clockwise from left.
‘Plasma switch’, ‘Mutation on the bounty’,
‘Tomorrowland man’, ‘Partyworm’ & ‘Pencil fight Ghonner.
This page clockwise from left.
‘Helper power 1’, Calli’s, ‘Butcher 7’ & Polska Cyclops Egg Qee from Toy2R.
Next page.
Various illustrations.