Tevun-Krus #80 - WattPunk 2.0

Author Spotlight: @BobJan70

Welcome to a very special interview with this month's Spotlight Author. It's been a while since we did a WattPunk. BobJan70 was there for it. And since we're doing WattPunk 2.0, we felt it was time to get him back in the greasy Ooorah Crew chair!

Here we go! Ooorah!

Welcome back, BobJan70! You were once known as the guy who made all the amazing Tevun-Krus covers, at least until the 28th issue, in 2016. It's come a long way since then—this being the 80th issue now, four years later. Where has your own life taken you?

First, thanks for contacting me and given me a bit of purpose in the Sci-Fi freak show we all seem to be living in. I keep thinking Spielberg will jump out any second shouting cut, that's a wrap and we can all go back to normal. I miss the pub.

Second. Shit, four years! Really?

So, what have I been doing since then? Unfortunately not writing. After college I had a short spell as a magazine editor/designer/writer. The stress was unbearable so thankfully that only lasted two issues and I moved to a uniform supplier and manufacturer as a graphic designer. My job description has changed quite a bit since then and I now do mock ups, marketing, photography, video editing, pattern designing and blogs amongst many other things. The only writing I do tends to be 'The Latest Trends in Officewear' and 'How to Customise Your......Insert Garment Here'. It sounds boring but I work with a great bunch of people and the work is really varied.

I've also done a fair bit of travelling which I could never afford before, got engaged to my beautiful soul mate and also got fat; which will have to be dealt with at some point before the diabetes sets in. That about wraps it up.

If you had to describe yourself in one word, what words wouldn't you use?

What a strange way to word this question. What wouldn't I use. Fit. Driven. Energetic. Arrogant. Impulsive. Well hung.

The Tevun-Krus logo is, in my opinion, simple but iconic. Are you a fan of your own handiwork there? Did you ever think you'd see it used over 80 times (including TK Special Editions)?

To be honest I'm my biggest critic when it comes to my own work, whether writing or design. As for the TK logo it's the first magazine logo I'd designed and I suppose it works. Like with every logo, when people recognises your brand it would be foolhardy to change it. In saying that though, you could always update. Keep the overall look but change textures and colours. Just a thought.

Think back to when you were in school. What was your favourite subject?

Hmmm, school. That's in the dim and distant past and not filled with great memories. It was still the time of corporal punishment where teachers were permitted to throw things at you. That may have only been my school though. Predictably my favourite subject was art. It's not that I wasn't good at my other subjects but something happened in 5th year that made me go 'Fuck this'. Went out and got myself a bikers jacket and grew my hair long. Teenagers, they can be real pricks.

You're a talented cover artist. Do you still exercise those particular muscles these days?

Thank you for the compliment. I really did enjoy doing covers, helping others promote their work. The one I particularly liked was for Gav Wilson, better known as TheOrangutan; his Merlin's Gold story. The way I work is Photo Manipulation. Layers of photos, textures and colours are brought together in Photoshop to create something that doesn't exist. When you get it right it's quite effective.