Me: so, for the record... can you state your name and location

Mark.Stuckert: OK: Mark Stuckert, North Vancouver up until last Sunday ... now, Vancouver I guess?

me: swell. can you describe for me your work?

mark.stuckert: Oh man.  Well, I guess I wouldn't place it in the realm of graphic design, or the realm of visual art(s), but I suppose I use the tools of both disciplines (this is all concerning personal work, of course). I just make "things".
  :)
Well, you know what I mean. It's not fine art, it's not graphic design per se (nothing is being solved). It's just ... stuff, loosely assembled.
Oh, and the work is usually dark. And fucking witty. And generally EasyToMake™ www.theproblemofnothing.com

me: I will agree with you on that last one for sure! I find it hard not to make some weird arbitrary comment when I see your flickr stuff. Where do you show your work?

mark.stuckert: Once upon a time I actually painted, showed some work in some West Vancouver galleries ($$$), little things at Subeez, things like that. Then I couldn't be messy any more, so it went from 50% physical work w/ 50% virtual work to ... virtually all virtual work ;)



me: and that is a happy transition for you? You don't miss getting physical?

mark.stuckert: Yeah I miss it. I was always too focused on the end product though, so in that regard, when everything is already pixel perfect, it doesn't matter if it's shit. If that makes sense ... ?

me: sure it does....If your work went from canvas to digital, can you describe the work you did on canvas? Can you call it graphic design if it's not done on a computer?

mark.stuckert: See, you've got the embracement (sic?) of what paint does, so it's perfect, and you've got a heavy grid-based structure, so it's all very ... well, fuck, very self-serving and ... OCD. Ish.
Oh yeah. And the juxtaposition stuff. For some reason I can't seem to stop doing that.



me: so is this working for you? you're selling things to random people or what?

mark.stuckert: Oh hell no. The majority of my creative output is at work (www.sequencepost.com) and prior to that @ Engine (www.enginedigital.com)



me: so then the fun stuff is just for fun?

mark.stuckert: All the MSDC, MSDN and Flickr stuff ... yeah. It's way, way too big a part of my identity. www.mark-stuckert.com | www.mark-stuckert.net | flickr.com/photos/mark_stuckert
  But you know that shit :)
me: how long have you been with sequence?
 
mark.stuckert: Since February
 
me: how did you get in with them?

mark.stuckert: APPARENTLY (this is awesome) they were going through some portfolios ... but I contacted Ian a while back on LinkedIn, and he checked out (wait for it) my Flickr, saw the oddities on there ... we had lunch, he hired me. I didn't even know it was an interview. Ergo: Easiest interview ever. It was awesome. Everyone there is awesome.

me: and I've been looking through the site but what is it 'exactly' that you do with them? Graphics, advertising, space monkey?

mark.stuckert: I came on board, it was slow, so I redid the website ... then some motion graphics, TV show stuff, some print stuff, currently some more web, mostly motion graphics stuff. So pretty much everything (except minimal print)


me: right on, you're the go-to-web-guy. People there must love you
 
mark.stuckert: Except I can't code. Which is fucking hilarious
 
me: ok then, fix-it guy? are you self taught or schooled?

mark.stuckert: Fix it yeah
  Emily Carr
  2001 - 2006
  Foundation, one year in Integrated Media, then 3 in Communication Design

me: nice... is this where you wanted to be when you graduated?
 
mark.stuckert: Yes. I was surprised I got a job when I got out
I guess someday ... art director? 'Twould be neat. Also, I've always wanted to design a series of clean, minimal book jackets.

me:  you went to China? Recently, right?
 

mark.stuckert: Yeah, HK with family, then Japan with my dad

me: so, in an artists perspective, did you see a lot of art you'd be interested in while you were there?

mark.stuckert: Kyoto / Tokyo were amazing. We are far behind. Vintage video game stores ... the vending machines ... the polite folk ... arcades ...The fucking awesome phones. Really, really long phones ... everyone has them ... hard to explain why / how they're awesome, but damn. Take a "Saved by the Bell" style cellphone and bring into 2008 ... or 2020.



me: what software do you use for your digital work?
mark.stuckert: Cinema 4D (learning), Adobe Premiere (Learning), Adobe After Effects CS4 (learning, decent), Photoshop (pro), Illustrator (OK), InDesign (sometimes), Flash (used to), Coda (kinda) ... I think that's it? Seems like there should be more ...But it's all Photoshop.


me: ... and what photo equipment do you use?
 
mark.stuckert: A neglected Nikon D70
Oh! And I use a Wacom at home and at work. For everything. Haven't touched a mouse in ... almost a year.

me: is there anything else you'd like to share with the class?
 
mark.stuckert: Umm  "Always give up"