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Plastic Kid

Plastic Kid is the moniker and freelance platform of graphic artist Jakob Printzlau, working mainly in the fields of motion graphics, illustration, installation, identity, art shows etc. Founded in Copenhagen in 2002, Plastic Kid´s work has been featured in numerous books, magazines and exhibitions both domestically and though out the globe. Plastic Kid collaborates with anyone from local indie–rock bands and street wear brands, to some of the worlds largest corporations, creating visuals for any possible media.

FMCS: Hi Jakob how’s things?

Swell, thank you very much.

FMCS: Please tell us a little bit about how you were put together, if there are any parts missing, your past lives and how you came to be where you currently are today!

I was born as an only child in a small town of Denmark, where I spend most of my youth drawing violent cartoons, skateboarding and trying to figure out how to get in a metal band.

Later on I meet the love of my life and moved to Copenhagen, where I more or less kept doing my thing. And that just kinda evolved into my current situation.

FMCS: If you woke up one morning to find that everybody in the world was midgets (dwarfs if you will), and you were the only person who remained the same height you always were. How do you think you would feel? How would you cope? Would you capitalize on your new found superiority and maybe have aspirations of become a Dwarf King?

It’s already like that. I am pretty tall so everyone is like a midget to me. No, seriously if it was like that I would probably be pretty lonely. And I don’t think I would make much of a king. My hair is too big for any crown anyways.

FMCS: Where are you currently living? And do you work out of the same location?

In Copenhagen Denmark and yes I do.

FMCS: What/ who / thing kicked off your interest in Graff/street art?

I think I just came gradually. I have always been doing artwork in some form, so when I saw what other people were doing in the neighborhood I just felt like taking it outdoors as well. I am not the most persistent street artist, but it’s like another canvas that I can use every once in a while.

But I feel like street art has certain obligations. It needs to be communicating with the people beyond the visual decoration. It’s not enough that it looks good; I also believe it’s important to use the street to confront people with certain issues. Using humor and artwork together is very powerful so that’s mostly how I go at it. Site: Plastic Kid

FMCS: Are you exhibiting at the moment? Where can we see you? Also do you plan to exhibit more internationally?

I am not doing much on the exhibition side at the moment. I have too much other stuff lined up right now. But we are about to start a gallery at a friends skate shop in Copenhagen, and I will be the first to do a show.

And lately people have been asking me to do shows in many different places, so I will try to focus more on that. I love doing shows so just invite me, and I’m there!!!!

FMCS: Jakob we see your hair is quite long what do you hide in there?

Massive sideburns, a huge forehead and an occasional bad smell. That’s pretty much it!

FMCS: How do you find people respond to your work? What’s been the strangest, funniest criticism you have received?

At the moment people are very interested in what I do. That’s a good feeling. But I am getting carpet bombed with emails from nice people who sometimes ask weird questions. I try to answer everyone as well as I can, but there was this one person who kept writing me asking me "how I got a website like that"? I thought she meant how it was build, and what kind of technology was involved, so I answered that it was simple html code and that I build it myself. Then she answered: "yeah, but how did you find images and graphics to put on there, because I have been searching the web and I cant find anything good looking to put on mine"!?

So I realized that she though I was just some guy who found a shit load of images and graphics on Google and decided to do a website of that. I thought it was pretty rocking that she hadn’t noticed that there was artists with portfolios out there. It kind of got me down to earth and that’s always healthy.

FMCS: What’s Rodeo 27?

Rodeo27 was a good excuse to play around with ideas. It was an online magazine that was released in six issues featuring artwork from myself and a lot of other good people. Each issue had different themes and was put out as a long strip of images. After a while it just became pure redundancy so I decided to end it while it was still interesting. But it’s still online; I just won’t put out any more issues.

FMCS: How do you kick back and relax when you are not working?

I can also be a real couch potato. I love to watch DVDs, and that’s always good relaxation. I have a pretty decent DVD collection so when I need to unplug my brain that’s a good way of doing it. But I also like to get outside. We sometimes go to stay at my parents in the countryside. I like getting out of the city. It’s just so relaxing because everything is at a different pace and it’s like nothing can distract you.

FMCS: What’s all this about you being a rock star as well? Maybe you could fill us in on this you sly dog?

Yeah well, it’s kind of strange because I have been singing in bands since I was 13. And my current band is signed to a major record company which spends a shit load of money on us. We are just about to record our second album.

But the thing is, I have always tried to keep it separated from my life as a graphic artist. But now as my work is getting more and more noticed, people in the art world are starting to ask me about the band. I just never liked using one good position to promote the other. I will rather let each of the roles have their own life, so I never really talked about either one in the past when I was doing interviews as an artist or a musician. But it’s not like it’s a secret or anything. I just think the two should have a healthy balance away from each other. Cause I have seen so many people in both industries taking advantage of their popularity to sneak in all over the place. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Personally I just prefer to keep focus on art or music, and earn my spot by being good at that without too much lobbyism. But the again here I am talking about the band.

FMCS: Let us know your favorite top 5 web sites?

apple.com/trailers
starwars.com
ebay.com
emilkozak.com (my Danish friend living in Barcelona)
arcadefire.com

FMCS: Template designer interview question… What color pencil do you prefer red pencil or blue pencils?

I would probably go for a red one.