Featured Retro Artist [UPDATED]

THIS MONTHS FEATURED ARTIST IS NONE OTHER THAN…..

ARIEL ZUCKER

1. Your work is amazing. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Thank you! I’m 28 years old and I live in Chelsea NYC. I’m an artist by day and club door guy by night.

2. How would you describe your style of work?

Comics and fashion illustration with 80ies sensibility.

3. What are your steps to creating such crazy visions? It looks like a lengthy process no?

I work on the fly a lot just come up with it as I go. It’s usually only lengthy if I’m doing comics or something with elaborate backgrounds.

4. Your work really reminds us of the 80s style anime/ manga’s seen on TV and in comics. Who or what are some of your major influences?

When I first saw Akira on the sci fi channel in the middle of the night when I was 11 I thought it was the second coming of Jesus. Akira was like a religious awakening for me.

Besides Akira, reading comics as a kid during the 90ies especially with artists like Jim Lee and Mark Tex.

My first time playing Marvel vs Capcom…. and of course Blade Runner.

Later on in college I studied fashion illustration at FIT and became involved with nightlife so seeing stylish people and studying looks found its way into my art as well.

5. What kind of projects have you worked on/ are working on?

Right now I’m mostly working on album covers for various synthwave artists but my main man is Perturbator and I’ve got some special stuff lined up with him.

6. What are some of your most well renowned pieces?

Id say besides my Perturbator album covers, first would have to be my comic art [cover and interior] for Images Hack Slash 2011 annual. I’ve also had a short film in the Atlanta film fest called “Ricky Riggs: the story of a block bitch”.

7. What has been one of your most challenging pieces?

There was a comic page I had to draw that involved an upshot of an out door subway station….. also when I had to draw a fire escape… there have been a lot. Its always been comic book pages that are most difficult because you have to tell a story and draw stuff you aren’t “good” at because the story calls for it. I’d say a comic page is worth 5 to 10 single image pieces in “practice points”.

8. Who have you had the pleasure of working/ designing for? Give lots of details! Lol

Recently I’ve mainly been working with Perturbator [aka. James Kent] and he’s great guy, a true retro-futuristic visionary. James and I are always on the same page as we share very similar taste. I’ve never worked with someone so easily its like we are finishing each other’s thoughts half the time.

There’s Trevor Something who’s ….. well he doesn’t actually exist…

And I just worked with VHS Glitch on his album “Evil Technology”. Glitch is an artist himself so we had a lot of back and forth on how to make the composition but it came out really cool. He’s a real perfectionist.

9. We see you have become very active in the retro revival scene. Who are some of your favorite artists in the retro scene that you listen to?

My favorites are Perturbator, Le Cassette, and Protector 101. Those 3 I’ve listened to the most and were the ones I started listening to when I discovered the scene.

As far as up and coming guys I love Trevor Something and VHS Glitch.

Honorable mention would go to Noir Deco, Make up and Vanity Set, Dj Ten, Memory Ghost, Tommy, Carpenter Brut, Tesla Boy, Lueur Verte, Dan Terminus and Power Glove.