 
You may not be able to pinpoint where exactly, but you will have seen this guys work somewhere. Unique in style and modest in personality who, I quote, ‘gets a lot of pleasure from a brush these days!’ We introduce the brains behind the biro… Mr Jago.
What made you choose Mr. Jago as your alter ego?
It’s actually my surname - Duncan Jago,
Oh yeah that makes sense. I clearly lack the ability to put two and two together…
I kinda grew up with that one. I was a bit shy about doing stuff and I did a flyer design for a night here in Bristol and my mate said ‘what do you wanna call yourself, do you want your name on it?’ I was a bit embarrassed, so didn’t put my name on it, but when I got the flyer he’d just put Mr. Jago, so I just stuck with it.
Where you one of those kids who never left home without your biro?
Yeah I was. I grew up as a kid in the eighties, so we did all the classic lino break dancing stuff. I liked graffiti but where I grew up you couldn’t really do it, well I kind of did it a little bit and got caught immediately, so I did sketch books and stuff instead.
So you’ve kept it pretty legal since then?
Well I’ve done a few bits, but just because it’s on a wall it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s illegal. There are walls that you can do things on, painting with friends, but I guess it all comes from not being very confident about my work and having it out there. Now I’ve got a little more used to it, but I’m not really a proper graffiti kid.
What’s the deal with the ‘Scrawl Collective’?
It used to be a lot more of an active thing, as it stands, it’s more of an idea and when the book came out that Ric (Blackshaw) set up and we were getting enquiries from quite big companies. We decided to make it look like more of an agency where Will Barras and I worked together. It’s quietened down a bit now.
So was that where the bulk of your work came from?
It used to be and I literally did what I did because I got the opportunities. If I was called up and asked if I wanted to get paid, you say ‘yes please’. Over the last few years work has come to me, because I’ve got a website, which bring less commercial work and any commercial work is more along the lines of working to a brief, where as now I can pretty much just make my pictures.
What level of freedom do you get on briefs... do you generally get to do whatever the hell you want?
Yeah, nowadays complete freedom, which is really lucky. I started off thinking, ok, I’m an illustrator because I did an illustration degree, but I didn’t really know how to sell myself. It’s a thrill to start with, getting a record sleeve or some kind of product out, but that wears off pretty quick really and you end up feeling a but hollow just doing things to sell. Luckily nowadays I can do what I like, within reason.
So does your main income as an illustrator come from the products you make and sell through your website or is there more money to be made from projects coming form larger corporations?
I’ve tried to survive by just selling artwork, but when you do get a job it’s nice because there is that security and they do pay quite well. It’s a weird feeling to have someone else’s approval. It makes you feel more valid to get someone else’s approval on work, and then when one person says that you’re good for something, then other people start to think that you are too.
You have a huge client list (including Nike, Addict, Levi’s, Enjin skateboards, Sony, VW) did this kind of spiral or was it more of a calculated approach?
It was more of a domino effect. I was lucky because I was hidden away doing what I was doing, but not really knowing how to do it, and the minute work was out there these people came to me. I didn’t really know my client list until I had to make a CV press pack recently and I was like ‘bloody hell’, but it all kind of lead on from one thing to another.
The one question that will be on a lot of aspiring illustrators tongues, is: Do you make shit loads of money?
No. I remember being younger and thinking wow, I wanna be him, but I think it’s a bit of an illusion, because you get paid per job and there’s only a certain amount of jobs you can do within the timeframe. Unless you do something like Jamie Hewlett where you license it to something, and it goes off in multiples, and you own it. There are a few things on the bubble that should mean that I’ll be able to live like a normal person soon. It needs to be that product, like the Gorillaz and I’d imagine he’s [Hewlett] doing quite well for himself.
How did the Addict and Enjin Skateboards work come about?
I remember being younger and buying Addict T’s when they first started out, I think they started out with a photocopier and some iron on transfers. Two guys kind of met in the street who were into the same sort of stuff music wise then they grew into this really cool company. They got in touch with the idea that they wanted to do an artist based t shirt range, of course I was very pleased because I’d always respected what they did and it was nice to be considered. From there, it got a good response and because it’s a British brand and they were one of the first to do that artist collaboration thing. Then they had other ideas like a tour, a patent for coats and ski goggles…
If you had to choose one mark-making implement to use for the rest of your life what would it be?
Before I would have said the Bic biro, but nowadays I would have to say the brush. I get a lot of pleasure out of a brush, without sounding too dodgy! There’s a lot you can do and it gives me the opportunity to try and master a new medium.
Mr Jago has just launched a new streetwear label ‘Play Nice’. Check it out at www.playnice.com.
Words: Jonny Cazzola
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