In just one short week ELCAF returns for its fourth event, promising two full days of intense, creative fun!

A celebration of print in the form of comics, graphic novels, sequential art, illustration and storytelling, the event brings together fans from all over the world to share and appreciate the art form thorough a huge plethora of activities.

The 2015 programme includes talks, workshops, masterclasses and exhibitions from leading creatives in the field of graphic art. Artists involved include  José Domingo, Brecht Vandenbroucke, Sam Bosma and Charlotte Mei, as well as Jillian Tamaki who is this years ELCAF artist-in-residence and special guest at the festival.

Here we sit down with upcoming speaker, Portland illustrator Jason Sturgill and give you the opportunity to WIN a pair of weekend tickets!

Based in Oregon, Portland, illustrator and graphic designer Jason Sturgill has worked with an impressive list of clients including Anorak Magazine, Wieden+Kennedy and Nike. He’ll be speaking at the event as well as running a stall with fellow creatives the Outcrowd Collective.

Hi Jason! – Can you tell us a little about what you have planned for your talk at ELCAF Festival?

My talk is titled “Find Comfort in the Unknown”, and I plan to talk about my experience with depression and how illustration has turned me into a more hopeful person…also on what gets me inspired to keep making stuff. I’m going to have a little Risograph for those that attend as well.

Are you nervous about your talk or is this something you quite enjoy doing?

I’m super nervous about talking at ELCAF. The UK is one of the most inspiring scenes in illustration right now filled with some of my favorite illustrators so I feel they’ve set the bar really high.

What are you most looking forward to about ELCAF? Any talks you are particularly keen to see?

Oh man, so much about ELCAF I’m excited about…I’m already bummed it’s not going to be physically possible to see everything. I’m hoping to see Brecht Vandenbroucke’s talk. I’m super psyched to just meet some of the Outcrowd Collective peeps in person for the first time. I definitely want to try and see the stalls for Kristyna Baczynski, Design for Today, Cachete Jack, Mark Pawson, Hato Press, Nous Vous, Nobrow, Lesley Barnes and Drawn & Quarterly. Since I’m a risograph printer I’m also really interested to see everything that’s riso printed.

Do you have any other plans for whilst you’re in London?

We don’t have much set in stone for our plans, except my wife and I have a dinner date scheduled with fellow Outcrowder Simon Peplow and his Mrs. at Sketch to see the David Shrigley installation which already blows my mind from the pictures I’ve seen. Working Not Working is randomly doing several events the week leading up to ELCAF so I hope to make it to some of that. Other places in my list to hopefully visit: Beach London, London Centre for Book Arts, School of Life, House of Illustration, Partizan Brewing, The Pavilion Cafe, Jasper Morrison Shop, Alfies Antique Market, Czech Poster Gallery, The Idler Academy, Whitechapel Gallery and I’m trying to find out how to find boot sales over there!

WIN WEEKEND TICKETS TO ELCAF!

We thought we’d give Jason a head’s up on all the cool things to see and do in London whilst he’s in town – so we’re asking you to share your favourite spots to be in with a chance of winning a pair of weekend tickets!

To enter simply tweet your London recommendations to @Sturgill with the hashtags  #WIN #ELCAF. Entry closes on Tuesday 16th June at 6pm.

Winner will be chosen at random by the ELCAF team and announced on Wednesday 17th June. Terms & conditions apply.

elcaf.co.uk | jasonsturgill.com