Jappy Agoncillo

December 29, 2023

⚜️Jappy is an illustrator, graffiti writer and a muralist from the Philippines that currently resides in New York. He has worked with companies like: Samsung, Marvel, Warner Brothers, Adobe and the New York Rangers. The list goes on, but it didn't start out that way. He built this life by working diligently through different processes and without getting hung up on right or wrong ways of doing things like for instance, using projectors or brushes versus spray paint. In doing this he was able to build a skill set that allowed him to pivot his approaches to different projects, in turn this allowed him to work in a broader range of work environments; enabling him to create a larger workflow to support himself as an artist. Today he has a good resume of past works and a well-rounded skill set, all by keeping an open mind and remaining humble. Read the full interview here or check him out on his respective website and social media links.

⚜️@JappyAgoncillo⚜️

◼️WWW.JAPPYAGONCILLO.COM◼️

◼️1. What got you into doing murals?

⚜️ I got really into skateboarding and graffiti in high school and started experimenting with that style of art when I could. I would make stickers and slap them on telephone poles, I'd use felt markers to tag up hidden spots. Then as my art grew, I wanted to do bigger and bigger things from just paper. Started with skate decks and canvases, and when an opportunity presented itself to paint a wall with my style, I jumped at it. It snowballed from there and I'd been hooked ever since. ⚜️

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◼️2. Do you do any other types of art like for example music or sculpting?

⚜️I do a lot of comic and digital illustration, which I feel sometimes can feel very different from street and fine art. I've done some animation as well, but i tend to stick to visual art for the most part. I do really like film though, and have an affinity for making videos which I wish I had more time for really.⚜️

◼️3. What was art like for you growing up? Did you take any art classes or have any influences that sparked your interest in it that were monumental to you?

⚜️ I didn't take too many classes, really. I just consumed a lot of art through tv and comics. I had one lesson on how to build basic shapes from an uncle who drew comics, and I was off on my own. I read a lot of how-to draw books, watched a lot of videos, absorbed as much as I could from the comics and cartoons I watched. And I just kept at it -- drawing when I could and finding ways to improve, taking what I saw in other art and trying these out myself.⚜️

◼️4. On your bad days how do you stay motivated? Are there sports, places, other artists, books or movies etc that inspire you?

⚜️ On bad days I could get pretty hard on myself, so taking a break from art was always key or else I would keep beating myself up over not delivering the way I want to. I would work out, or watch movies in theaters, ride a citibike around and just get away for a while. I find that remembering theres life and a world and other art outside your little bubble helps get you out of your own head.⚜️

◼️5. Are there any tools or art supplies that you use today that you wish you knew about or had when you first started out?

⚜️Of course! Back then it was just Pentel Pens and office-grade sticker paper and the cheapest acrylics a small week's allowance could buy. I use a lot of posca paint markers now and acrylic-gouache paints and projectors and all that. But i dont regret not having these things, I think its all part of a good natural progression and (possibly) builds character.⚜️

◼️6. Do you have any advice for beginner artists or those that would like to move towards making a living with their art? Maybe something you know today you would tell your younger self?

⚜️I would tell myself not to care too much about what other people think, which funny enough is something I still struggle with to a degree. A lot of the time I would be too worried about how my work was perceived or if i was pleasing anyone or stepping on toes, and it stunted my growth and path i feel. Young artists should be free to explore and learn and try - make mistakes and grow from them. And I think that wanting to please people or the algorithm with art, and the fear of not being liked, it can constrain you. You're the only person it should matter to, you're your only competition.⚜️

◼️7. What would you say has been the most special piece of feedback from people coming across your work?

⚜️Coming from The Philippines, and specifically being able to go to the US and get jobs and projects here, I would sometimes get messages from people back home telling me I've inspired them to go after art as a path, or that I'm representing home or that I'm showing that it IS possible to make it out here. And that too me is pretty special cause I used to be in the same position myself. I used to dream of making art in New York and being part of festivals and painting for big companies. I would even message international artists asking how they did it, looking for any glimmer of hope that it can be possible for me. So, to be in a position where I can help the next generation because I was able to do it myself is huge for me, and very surreal still. ⚜️