James Jean Interview / Giveaway
A couple weeks ago I had a chance to talk with James Jean about his new book REBUS which comes out this fall, and thanks to my generous friends at Chronicle Books I have a signed copy to give away to one of you!
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JAMES JEAN INTERVIEW / REBUS GIVEAWAY
If I came out to LA to visit for a day, where would you recommend I go for my breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Jeff, you will begin your day by having breakfast in bed with me, then El Taurino for lunch, and finally Gjelina for dinner. We will retire to my place to look at some fine etchings. If you play ball, you can enjoy croissants and fresh squeezed juice again the next morning.
Haha breakfast in bed first! Like the first date in Annie Hall when Woody Allen asks for his kiss before they eat so he can actually enjoy his meal. If you could be a character in any film who would you be?
Grizzly Man. Because I enjoy being consumed by the thing I love the most.
I have been following your work since 2004, around the time you started the Polite Winter project. That was one of the things that really inspired me when I thought about creating Booooooom. I like the idea of an on-going visual conversation between artists over several years. What was that experience like for you?
Wow, did I really have a hand in the creation of Booooooom? Polite Winter was a nice way for me to keep in contact with my friend, Kenichi Hoshine, who lives in New York. It was also a good outlet for me to experiment with images and materials. Looking back on it, the experience was kind of like playing Words with Friends: after sending my solution to Kenichi across the country, I impatiently waited for his response. But upon seeing it, I’d feel the pressure to come up with something worthy… I’ve been so confounded that it’s been my turn to respond for 5 years.
I had never seen Kenichi Hoshine’s work before that, and two years ago I curated my first art show and was able to bring Kenichi’s work to Vancouver! Also, I’m sure my friend is cheating at Words with Friends, last week he laid down the word OURARI. Smart people don’t even know that word and my friend is dumb!
Yeah, your friend is a horrible human being. My word of choice is QI. Compact but lethal.
Stylistically your work has changed a lot since then, but there seems to have been a big shift in your creative process too. What are you thinking about when you make work now?
I’m thinking about the nature of things. The process is much more philosophical, frequently elusive, and ultimately futile. One day I hope to come to accept the futility, so that my tears will evaporate into a vapor of inspiration.
Is there someone else’s work that you can always return to for inspiration?
Looking around my studio, I have new books by John Baldessari, Neo Rauch, Yohji Yamamoto, Alexander McQueen… I can’t point to once source, it’s constantly changing and evolving. Idolatry is forbidden.
Did you find it hard to switch from illustrating for other people to making work solely for yourself? I worked at Electronic Arts for awhile as a concept artist and now sometimes I have a hard time putting down that first bit of ink and feeling like it’s an honest line.
The switch was relatively easy for me — I had a backlog of images and ideas that were waiting to be brought to life. Thus, the craft of illustrating filtered into the work from Kindling in 2009. I guess it took me some time to get to the inherent nature of the mark, as opposed to being tasked to create the illusion of a mark. That’s why the work has changed so quickly. Once having exhausted the reservoir of images, I had to start investigating the nature of what it is that I have to express.
Over the past couple years I’ve shifted the focus of Booooooom quite a bit, luckily there are enough people willing to change as the site changes that it continues to grow. Do you feel like there is a similarity between that and the path you have taken, gaining a massive following in comics and now shifting to the kind of work you make now?
My website was gaining a fair bit of traction even before comics in 2000 – it was featured regularly on the big art and design blogs of the day like Pixelsurgeon, Design is Kinky, and others. The comic covers were but one aspect of a varied commercial art career . . . but I guess it makes for a good story. It’s an easy narrative to follow. But to be more accurate, my current paintings can be traced back to the sketchbook work I was making from 2000-2003. Since I stopped illustrating in 2008, I’m meeting people now who had no idea that I did comic covers. There’s some crossover, but I’m beginning to find that the audiences are distinct: the fans of art and design don’t necessarily care or know about the comic covers, and the comic fans don’t necessarily follow the art world. And that’s OK.
They sent me out an advance copy of your new book “Rebus”, it’s enormous! How do you feel when you go through this collection of your work?
Yes, it is big… swollen with images. If you tickle the spine, the cover gets extra hard. But it’s a terrific size, just the right scale and heft for a proper monograph. It gets the job done.
What’s next for you?
Checkout ovmlove.com for a few teaser images. Other than that, I’m always painting and teasing things on twitter.com/jamesjeanart
I’ve seen you do really quick drawings, I was hoping you could make a sketch in a minute or two that I could use for this interview? It could be a drawing of yourself or relate to something we talked about.
OK!
Thanks for talking with me James!
Hey, thanks for support and daily bits of inspiration!
If you’d like to win the signed copy of James Jean’s new book REBUS, leave a comment here with your best Scrabble word, if you don’t play just that’s ok, just make one up (it worked for my stupid friend).
I’ll pick a winner next Wednesday! Good luck!
Best Scrabble word: Atlatl
HOoo boy, I love Jeans’ work. gimme that book, NOW!
please, I actually require it.
I am suuuuuch a big fan, winning this book would be exultafablerifficalicious… Please?
Sorry, wrong email addy!
Kava for 84 points! Best. ever.
“ZEALOT”
Yeah. I love James Jean. This book would look so good beside the one of Joe Sorren
quersemmeln ,it´s german and makes no sense
, but it was fun to argue it to my opponents
Winning this book would make me the most hippochilasticallying person in my block.
“Scrabble”
QUIZZES! Oh I would love to own this book!
Qi best way to get rid of that Q at the end of the game!
WYNN!
cwtch x x x
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Godddd, I want this book, I adore the man.
!
<3
Please and thanks!
‘bequeath’
As in, I’d quite like you to bequeath that copy of ‘Rebus’ to me.
Quijibo, a balding, fat, North American ape with no chin.
Ha!
I don’t really play Srabble but I’m such a fan. Here’s my word, discombobulated. O.o
ANTIPHLOGISTIC (adj.) – 1. Reducing inflammation or fever; anti-inflammatory 2. Won me 50 bucks in Scrabble
just a casual OXYPHENBUTAZONE !
O L Y M P I A
1 1 4 3 3 1 1
Mine was ‘Toolkit’ right off the bat, so I got 50-point bonus as well as double score! However, the next turn my brother ALSO scored a 7-letter word and evened out the score…
Horcruxes, a seemingly ordinary object in which one uses dark magic to put a part of your sol into.
o.o what……HARRY POTTER SCRABBLE FTW!!!!
‘LEVEL’… only 8 points
BUT YOU CAN READ IT BACKWARDS! woooooohooo!
I think EDENTULOUS is a funny one
MBAQANGAS
ANUBIS. that word usually does the trick for me
JUXTAPOSITION
kumquat!
My favorite scrabble word: kwyjibo
GARN!
audrey hepburn’s fav word in my fair lady!
Qintar – You know, for when you don’t have a “U,” Qi is already on the board or you’re traveling to Albania.
Ventriloquistic – big words are fun!
Quirkier for 128 points
ZZZ
knickerbockers! Yes it’s possible in 2 turns
WHISKEYS !!!!!
Besides, it’s what I drank the first time I saw the work of James Jean
I felt so void next to him………
QOPHS
One time when I was a 8 I was playing Scrabble with my Grandma and she played the word “sex” and I started crying.
Adze. A tool used for smoothing or carving rough-cut wood in hand woodworking.
Love James Jean. Never won anything in my life. hope i win.
viewing James Jean’s work usually causes my mind to implode onto itself as my soul transcends into another dimension. I need this book.
scrabble word – Australopithecus?
QUIXOTRY
ftw
I once payed ZEALOUS on a triple word, using all of my words, to END THE GAME. 16 x 3 + 50= I SRSLY WON.
YOUTHFULNESSES
Ah this book looks neato! It’d be awesome to own.
As for my word… Zombify can get you 76 points!
Vernacular.
That’s pretty great.
damnit james, i was gonna say QI.
liquidization & infrequently are some good ones i’ve played before
ahem, all of my letters i meant
also to be mathematically correct: (16 x 3) + 50!
yaaaaaa James Jean!
fuchsia
as in the color that wanted to be pink but ended un punk.
thanks.
Winning this book would make me unexceptionably, inexplicability, inextricability happy
!
smorgasbord.
anticonventional~
a s p h y x y
<3
james jean is my favourite contemporary artist, hands down. and the fact that he seems like a super fucking cool guy is awesome too.
scrabble word – quixotry
which seems extra applicable in this case. definition: visionary schemes.
Quixotic.
Syzygy! I can’t remember how many points it was, but I know I earned the angry glare from my opponent.
Sashagreyphilia, no? It exists! I swear
QUIZ on the triple Word
SCRABBLE WORD: Quixotry
How about I share my least favorite word, but most favorite when I need a quick points bump? Qi or Qis. I try to get this in a triple letter or triple word score.
Misstvieh
The best word ever on scrabble is QUIXOTRY with 365 points, but it’s a boring one therefore i would say SQEEZE with 77 points xD awesome idea btw!
Im in México so I play in spanish, and once I won with “wey” wich means something like dude… but everyone complain because it also could be written as “guey”…. but I won!
Quirk!
Quartz Not only can you run an electric charge through it to keep time, but it also gets rid of 2 of the pesky letters with q and z
MM
Trying to put the word ‘oldballs’ while playing with my grandma. She wouldn’t let me.
ZA
QUIZ… it’s just a matter of getting that elusive ‘U’
AI – a three toed sloth! and fun to shout, especially if I win this book!!!
spezzatura
xi!
Sphere
I made COITUS just by adding U and I.
I love James Jean’s art. Even more than I love the word QUIM.
Xenophobically
VOLUPTUOUSNESSES….
kazoo!
Aletude
WACKY is a great way to get some points. I almost chose rebus just because.
This book would be so awesome to have
hahaha OURARI is my word. not going to lie…I totally googled that word XP
JAMES JEAN!!!!! …whoa I almost have the same name… sweetness
Cool to hear that he wasn’t just doing comic covers back in the day!
My best scrabble word: Asinine.
“Quidnunc” is a good bingo word. But “qi” can get you out of a pinch!
I once put down “viziers” for some insane number of points.
quixotic.
QAT… when placed strategically, it has great power.
axolotl?
ABECEDARIANS, the Grandpops is a pastor so the big church words win me the points.
XYLYLS – best Scrabble word ever, at least during that one game where this helped me demolish my aunt and uncle who are Scrabble freaks
vacuum.
!
malevolent! muahahahaa (vanishes in a puff of deep purple smoke)
Scrabble word: EXODUS
Would absolutely love a signed copy of the book
DINGUS
Waxworks. Thank you, and yes please to the contest.
Jazzy!
“Racecar” (which is racecar backwards.)
‘jinx’ for 100!! Best ever!
i’m pretty awful at scrabble, but one time i pulled off “kerfuffle”.
it was a proud day.
I don’t play scrabble. But one of my favorite words is Defenestrate, which I learned in my 6th grade Latin class. It means to throw someone out of a window. Most likely to kill them, which was how the Romans liked to roll.
James Jean is an amazing artist and I need this book to fill the void in my heart that knows I will never be rich enough to own an original piece.
PLACEBO
nice interview by the way.
Triumphable
Great interview.
My best scrabble word:
QUIXOTRY
Boom, indeed.
I really like to use ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ when possible, but the finnish word for soap salesman is much more exquisite, since it’s also a palindrome: sauppiakaippuas.
Unassuming yet high scoring,’PATCHING’is one of my best.
quandary
Vixen
Sesquioxidizing!!
meaning the creation of a sesquioxide, which contains 3 oxygen atoms and two radicals.
All depends on the placement, but HAZED was a huge score once.
SEXT
which i put down as a JOKE thinking it meant “to text someone lewd comments and photos of yourself” but really it means “the fourth of the seven canonical hours, or the service for it, originally fixed for the sixth hour of the day taken as noon.” so that’ll learn me.
used in a sentence: if idolatry is forbidden, then you’ve caught me looking at this book and sinning during sext services.
quixotic!!
ha. scrabble and james jean, i love this article!
i remember scoring 56 points off of ‘ZAX’. i remember that because that was the first time i beat my coach at scrabble
rebus
“eleemosynary”!!!!!!! this word won me the game!
Xenophobia. Hope I win!
zoea is my favorite. Shrimp larval stage.
Oh golly, I would so very, very much love to win this. I’m a huge fan of James Jean’s work.
Scrabble word? Cocaine. Yep. Double points.
I love everything that man does. Total fan girl.
My word is: Quadragesimarian
VALETUDINARIANISMS
or ZOMBIFICATIONS is pretty awesome…
“Mustered”
It was then argued that I had misspelled “Mustard”.
Love the James Jean interview . Keep up the good work.
. fugue .
Ow i definitely wanna get that book… so I take chance with: TAXIWAY !
How about “Rebus”?
WIZZLEWAZZLE
i made it up ._.
I think there needs to be ‘scrabble – ascii art’
‘Allotetraploids’
REBUS
KIWI, and it also works in my spanish scrabble.
ya cant go wrong with quahogs! or zone- my friends hate that one puahah~
Best word is probably dog, because I’m awful at scrabble!
Much love for James!
I was able to get Xanadu once. Sadly, there was nowhere for me to use it on the board. lol
vow is usually a good one you can lay down almost anywhere, and the points on the v and w double and triple nicely
Zoo. I’m gonna go with zoo.
best scrabble word: scum
…
James Jean is a fantastic artist. I love his work.
“xylophone”
QI with tripple letter Q.
sarsaparilla
rebus!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebus
I ♥ JJ
Xi!
liquifies
you
quark!
Cattywampus
coagulate, duh.
corazondemelon.
Quartz!! Quartz is the game winner.
sequoia-all five vowels ftw
‘What’
When I was younger it used to boggle my mind how one would describe what ‘what’ meant without using the word what… >.<
Oh James, I love your work!
I am not good at Scrabble, but I love James Jean, so maybe that’s enough? If not, um.. Quarrelsome. That sounds like it might be good.
Excommunicate…is my world and would dearly love love love a copy of that beautiful book….
ZINCS.
PLEASE GIMME.
fugue had to be my best try so far.
My favorite Scrabble word is “lichen.” It sits there on the board, simple and unpresuming, formed by the interaction of two organisms.
I met my buddys mom at lunch in NYC, we play scrabble and the first word I get is Anus.
My best scrabble word would have to be QUARTZ and it was on my next turn.
endozoic or endexine
those x’s and zs are killer
xylophone is a good standby
XI
(also a fan of QI)
OX
*ovulate*
pweeeez.
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, the longest word ever to appear in an English language dictionary.
parangaricutirimicuaro: Its the name of a town in mexico
Love this one because has made me won a few times
i used ‘STUPEFY’ for a 52 word point score. worked deliciously as a harry potter commemoration AND as a way of ensuring i’d disable my opponent and win the game.
QI – so many points for so little letters.
Seems like I’m not the only one who has used juxtapose~
I played the word ‘phoniest’ in a game yesterday, it ain’t the funniest word ever but I scored a muthatruckin load of points
james is my hero, I’ve got five of his prints adorning my walls plus I have skrewl for my dribblings and rift. Please please please pick moi
” SOGGY “
CRUMBOBBLIOUS, courtesy of Edward Lear’s nonsensical cookery recipes.
vascular
Jean is also a very good scrabble word.
JO and some other J-word with the J on a triple word. Best Scrabble game I played, ever!
Paroxysm
My love for Jame Jean’s Art, both illustrations and recent fine art gives me parosysms.
Piranha
LIMERANCE
the prettiest idea!!
Bagel
Anaconda
I got 140 points once! I think it was with two bonuses and… PORTENTS? But that seems low-scoring… I can’t remember the word anymore ):
I managed to get a whole bunch of dirty words on the board when I was playing with my boyfriend, he was kinda annoyed haha
WHIMSICAL
(Fingers crossed!)
Yay for James Jean!
psychopathology for 1026 points! Or my favorite word in or out of scrabble, Flapjack..306 -points!
There would be nothing better than to read this book while enjoying a flapjack! :O)
I love you james jean you are an inspiration!
My favorite Scrabble word is probably “Ass,” because it provides a decent amount of opportunity for the next player to add-on.
NO CLUE. Zonoscope
best scrabble word: boom!
caterwaul :>
Quijibo – A fat, balding, North American ape with no chin. First used in a Scrabble by Bart Simpson.
Good interview – much appreciated.
James Jean!
ZOMBIFICATIONS!
OH!! I would love to win a James Jean book! That would just be the best thing that happened all year! My scrabble word for 77 points is Jukebox
I love James Jean.
Best Scrabble word: Pyx.
“Defenestration”
Not the highest scoring word, but certainly something worth throwing out.
Booooooom
ZAFFERS
The best word in scrabble…rebus! :O)
Ain’t nobody like James Jean! His work is dope!
I’m pretty happy when I can use WHISKEY in a game!
This would be a great gift for my best friend who absolutely adores James Jean!
Quadrilateral, best word evaaaa! but I didn’t even win
‘alchemist’
pachydermatous
oxazepam!
Quail!
UREDINIOSPORES
thin walled spores on fungi.
just sounds cool too.
curmudgeon!
my best word two nights ago was queef. really.
QUERY… nie interview!
AMRITA. That which is immortal. I just played it a few moments ago!
YOKEFELLOW
Best scrabble word: Qtip
quite the double entendre there, sir
“Obrotund”. Not the most elaborate word, but still. Any foreign curse word is a good bet as well.
ZOMBIFY
Triple Word Score for the WIN !!!!
CHUTZPAH is the greatest scrabble word of all time!
Cwm – a valley, especially one created by glacial movement
Jackie Chan .
SOLUBLE – I had some lucky letters so I got to use all my pieces on the first word!
jezebel!
It’s really not very elegant but my word of choice is ‘zits’. I was playing Scrabble a few days ago and used it twice in two games. It’s good for when you’re running out of vowels, you don’t have much space to work in and you need to stop your friends from using that triple word score.
scrabble word: axolotl
nocheeeeeeee, thank
physics
word: predominant
trying to deliver the message, who will be the winner in the end..
how about knolling
zimbabwean
WERQ as in Fierce Tranny You Bettah Werq!
Rebus looks pretty amazing, and zephyr is my word!
sginue
relaxin was my best, and its not a slang version of relaxing, its some hormone women release during childbirth. strange.
WARTHOG !
WYVERN. at first i didnt think i had anything. but then BAM
Can’t wait to see more of the new book!
Best Scrabble word: MUZHIK
I’ve only played scrabble once, nothing comes to mind, so I’ll say ‘birthday’ cause its my birthday tomorrow. Coincidence?
How about quinine? Only since Quijibo is taken …
I would LOVE a copy of this book. It’d be my first James Jean collection.
“thought”
Jeers!!
QAT : easy to use, works well in tight places, u can chew it! yay!
bookkk.. i wanttttt… but if you have the first volume of process recess.. would love to own that as well =P
greed is good…
ZIT! It was my first word on my first game.
I don’t know if this will work…
J E F F H A M A D A _ _ _ _ _
A _ _ _ _ R _ _ _ N _ _ _ _ _
M _ _ _ _ T _ _ _ I _ _ _ _ _
E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M U S I C _
S K E T C H _ _ _ A _ _ _ _ _
J _ _ _ U _ _ P _ T _ _ _ _ _
E _ _ _ L _ _ H _ I _ _ L _ _
A _ _ _ T _ B O O O O O O O M _
N _ _ _ U _ _ T _ N _ _ T _ _
_ _ _ _ R _ _ O _ _ _ _ U _ _
_ _ _ _ E _ _ _ R E B U S _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I vote this comment to win :]
my best scrabble word was : toxic.
yeah lame, but still i’d love to have a copy of this XD
My word is “nejkulaťoulinkatější” it means most-roundlinest-ever in Czech language.
lighght
SCHNITZLE
WAFFLE!!!!
I LOVE YOU JAMES JEAN!
I’m done my fangirl squeal.
best scrabble word would have to be “razbliuto”
Visceral.
I had the pleasure of meeting James Jean alongside Sheldon Vella and the gang from ELEPHANTMEN two years ago.
Inspiration at its finest! He was humble, polite, and friendly mixed in one.
for the irony, going with “ANTICOMPETITIVE” (that’s like…24 scrabble points)
hope i win, love james jean-!
Schmexcellentosity = meaning the measurement of volume of a happy squee (mine would range in the high frequency range if I won)
TRANSCENDENTALLY
Anyway, Rebus looks amazing! James Jean is the coolest.
Scrabble word: Behoove
Yes for 6
JINXED with J on a 3xL and X on 3xW and D falling one short of the last row ensuring opponent can’t use the nearby 3xW tile
My favorite word is “dozens.” Got me 111 points.
charcuterie
(Won me the game! It started with “cut” then “cute” then “cuter” then BAM “charcuterie”)
my best scrabble word is likely: “wivern”
piecrust
raunchy
zaptiah.
Ox. I tend to lose.
zephyr
Antidisestablishmentarianism!
SUQS
CosbyCow. I was disqualified (probably because the W spilled off the playing surface), but still felt like a true winner.
this artist is something… already love is drawing in moleskine sketchbook but here theses painting really have something more…very deep, very powerful….
Well i’m not english native but my word will be “AWESOME” !
Guillotine…My hat’s always off to Mr. Jean, and I am ALWAYS losing my head over Scrabble. My Father does indeed refer to himself as an executioner when it comes to this cursed game.
sesquioxidizing
scrabble word: ZYGOMORPHIES
Thank you!
dehydration – 2 turns
Meiso, meaning “straying” in Japanese. In the case foreign words aren’t allowed I liked to believe it applies to the phrase “Meiso Horny.”
ontology!
SICKELCELLS
Aa! It’s a kind of lava. Helps to get rid of vowels when you have too many…
Scrabble word:
qi
the only q word that doesn’t need a u.
“Mazzard.” A wild, sweet cherry. Big kisses.
Lucky! that’s my word!
someone else claimed “syzygy,” so I’ll go with
“zugzwang,” the situation in chess where the play has to make a move, but all options are bad. I would love this book, of course. Who wouldn’t?
taqueot
Quork
CARDIAC
“ZARF”! Got my 108 points once upon a time!
JISM – High scoring and funny
The Netherlands Needs a copy of your work!!!
Scrabble word is JamesOOvisionZ
HYDRATE-Something I got to do this Summer.
Shakespeare invented like thousands and thousands of words we still use today so I think I can at least give one a go. Here it is “DRIGGLES.” I think it sounds at least somewhat plausible as an actual word.
“Dendrofilous” is a cool word i learned today but is not a valid scrabble word. That is irrelevant. Im going to go with “Glabella”-The space on your forehead between your eyebrows. I dont have one
“wowzers”!
“Skylark” definition:to frolick. awesome word.
hiccup
SURREALISM
Quiz on a tw 72points. I had to wait for a u and blocked my opponent with a d underneath (to make id) in the hOpes of getting a u. I won that game by 10 points. Would’ve lost without quiz haha
Inextricability. BOOOOOOOM!
Zandzeepsodemineraalwatersteenstralen
That’s in Dutch, it basically means ‘fuck off’
quivers!
“Penis” During a family game. Awkward start.
“si” for Spanish scrabble.
Awesome interview! James Jean’s incredibly inspiring, can’t wait to see the book!
The first reaction was Semaj! O_O (James)
Australian urban slang substitute for “fuc*”. Used as a profanity when fuc* has been hackneyed or is simply too cliche.
My best word was WOOZY and it got me 114 points
Would love the book! James Jean is awesome!!!!
It would have to be the longest word! Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
Shortly followed by antidisestablishmentarianism.
Although I don’t know that either would fit on the Scrabble board…
sesquipedalophobia – the fear of long words
ZYGOTE… look it up…won the most epic game because of this word! “i want to create a Zygote with your signed edition “
Wicked interview!!! I dont play scrabble often enough but my word for this comp would be: Nomenclature. I find pronouncing each part of this word an absolute delight, the meaning is pretty dope too!
Crazy
“Explosion” !!
Paraskevidekatriafobie
(Not made up!, it’s a Dutch word for the fear of Friday the 13th)
Sitz: Gave me 64 points. Girlfriend was best pleased tho….
Awesome work!! and great interview this guy has wit!
my word
Deoxyribonucleic acid
ok so its two but we are all made of it and it rolls of the tongue like a dream!!
This book looks incredible!
and my best scrabble word ever (no lie) was queaf because at the time I did not actually know what it meant (did I mention I was playing with my grandma?)
‘Gwynty’, the name of my grandparents dog and welsh for ‘storm’.
I don’t play scrabble but one of my favourite words is “cellardoor”. or “Hippopotamus”. I guess I’ll stick with “Hippopotamus” yeah. I’d love to win a copy.
purdoozler. if i was playing balderdash right now i’d probably define it as “a member of the feline family when displaying the contentment of a perfect comfortability”. if i was playing scrabble i’d probably try and bullshit that definition in the same way…
Confuzzled… Technically my word but I love it!
I never played scrabbled and I don’t even know the rules of the game but ok so : eloquent
lol idk.
The book seems amazing though.
I hope I win
anticonstitutionnellement – thanks for this giveaway !!!
Here’s one that’s possible, gets a few points: quorum.
‘ZOO’ simple, but effective, especially when used on the double point squares etc
James Jean is such an inspiration to me. I’m an art student, so this spectacular new book of his would be a wonderful addition to my small collection of art books!
You sunk my battle-ship!
‘Zareba’ a protective enclosure, as of thorn bushes, particular of Sudan.
Chutzpah – bitchin score especially if you land on triple word score!
- this is in the players dictionary
Once some friends and I were playing Scrabble the old-school way and decided to only allow words with sexual connotations (we’re very mature), and at the end someone came up with “mulestation” which is pronounced like a cross between “mule” and “molestation”. We allowed it, and it is my favorite.
I’ve been following James Jean for years and years now but this is the first interview I’ve read. I’m glad to know my favorite artists is funny as well!
ZOMBIFY
qi
Coffee!
Quiz. Drop that on a triple word score!
Vuvuzela.
Zephyr would be the best word i manage to achieve in scrabble once.
Love the interview, love the book. He’s such a great artist and I’d really like to have a copy of his ‘Rebus’.
For the scrabble word: “Onomatopoeia”.
Zygomatic’s always a classic.
My best Words with Friends word ever was LIZARD attached to OILIER and NIP, also creating PI for 116 points!
I’d love to play James in Words with friends!!
Kumquat.
HAMAD A.
TAXES. (I’m better at Connect 4)
pyjamas
AQUATINT (84 pts)
abstrkt!!
yeah!
James’ work is truly amazing! Thanks for posting the interview!
My best Scrabble word was Quashed on a triple word multiplier for 104 pts.
JINX to everyone else but me!!(and the other two who posted the same word…)
Once lost to the word dovetail.
Would also make for a good James Jean title.
REBUSES
Onomatopoeia.
get me off
lightbulb
Semantics.
schistosoma \o/
DEMYTHOLOGIZERS
ADORABLENESSES..
GOOGLE
haha so many replies my word:
+ Supercalifragilisticoexpialidoso + marry poppins magic, but in SPANISH jaja
GLOBULE – It’s the coolest sounding word in the English language.
This book looks DYNAMITE. (maybe not the best scrabble word, but one of the best that I’ve ever played.)
Gingerbeer! But I’m not a very good player.
“BONER”
Then send a message to the random opponent you are playing that says “Automatic win!”
I love this!!
CINQ – The number five, as signified in dice or cards
“ridiculoid”
psychoanalyzed
Gestalt!
(OuO ) I want!
Hmmm…. a scrabble word : QINDARKA
my favorite word for anything right now is ‘betwixt’
and it would make a great scrabble word, I think. Always hard to cram those x’s somewhere.
I fucked up someone’s life with ‘DELTOIDS’ the other day. It’s not flashy, nor is it filled with huge multi-point letters, but when I dropped that big bitch across two TWs and a DL, using all my letters in the process, my opponent knew the game was all but over. Delt smash, baby.
my best word i ever did in scrabble was quizzical on a triple word score
pizzazz.
“Anticonstitutionnellement” (longest word in French)
tribbles.
rizzuto
I once got 103 points for the word JAWEL…..I can now die a happy person….but this book would be the icing on the cake!
Cookies!
I don’t even know how to play scrabbles.
inexplicability for 1080 pts!
qi! I want to win just a bit more then everyone else.
‘logophilia’
Yup.
PERINEUM
my best word: quieted
XZORAYNUZ
Transillumination. I like the way it sounds.
epiphany. it’s such a pretty word, so it kicked butt when i was down by 14 pts. and won using this word.
QUETZALCOATL
A Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and means “feathered-serpent”
A friend of mine had put QUETZAL (A type of bird) and I added COATL
Miscellaneous. Almost impossible to get it right.
kwyjibo:
A big, dumb, balding North American ape. With no chin and a short temper
QUIZZED
Cervix
I was going to say Quixotic, but someone beat me to the punch. Anyway, it’s a good way to get rid of an X. I sometimes have trouble ridding myself of V’s as well.
QIBLA! telling scrabble that you don’t need a U to get your Q on a triple word score
JJJJJJJeaneology – the study of one James Jean (yes in my version you would have 7 j’s to work with)
I’m the worst at words with friends. One I used recently; taenias.
Great interview! Looking forward to seeing more of JJ’s work.
كنت رائعة – in Arabic
ти са фантастични – in Bulgarian
je bent fantastisch – in Dutch
तुम शानदार रहे हैं – in Hindi
Not for nothing, but just today I was urging my friend to use “ortolan” in Scrabble. Not a lot of points, not even sure it is in the dictionary, but creepy.
pink
LABIA
Goosnargh!
(A special Betelgeusian word used when something should be said but the speaker does not know what it should be)
Congratuwelldone!
‘Conversations’. Something I find in many of his pieces.
Soory but I just googled it.
2 Letter Words
AX 9 EX 9 JO 9 OX 9 XI 9 XU 9
BY 7 HM 7 MY 7
3 Letter Words
JIZ 19 ZAX 19
ZEK 16
FEZ 15 FIZ 15 PYX 15 WIZ 15
BEZ 14 BIZ 14 COZ 14 CUZ 14 KEX 14 ZAP 14 ZIP 14
4 Letter Words
QUIZ 22
JEEZ 20
FOZY 19 HAZY 19 JAZz 19 WHIZ 19
CHEZ 18 COZY 18 JEUX 18 JINX 18 JOKY 18 MAZY 18 QOPH 18 ZYME 18
5 Letter Words
JAZzY 23
JACKY 21 JIFFY 21 JUNKY 21 QUAKY 21 ZAPPY 21 ZAXES 21 ZINKY 21 ZIPPY 21
FURZY 20 HAFIZ 20 QUACK 20 QUAFF 20 QUICK 20 QUIFF 20 WOOZY 20
BOOZY 19 COZEY 19 CRAZY 19 ENZYM 19 FUZzY 19 HAMZA 19 JAMMY 19 JEMMY 19 JERKY 19 JIMMY 19 JIMPY 19 JOKEY 19 JUMPY 19 KUDZU 19 KYLIX 19 QOPHS 19 WHIZz 19 ZILCH 19 ZINCY 19 ZYMES 19
6 Letter Words
MUZJIK 28
QUEAZY 27
EXEQUY 25
FROWZY 24 MUZHIK 24 QUARTZ 24 QUEZAL 24 WHEEZY 24 ZINCKY 24
BLOWZY 23 HAMZAH 23 SCHIZY 23 ZEBECK 23 ZEPHYR 23
7 Letter Words
MUZJIKS 79
BEZIQUE 77 CAZIQUE 77 JUKEBOX 77 MEZQUIT 77
KOLHOZY 76 SOVKHOZ 76 ZINKIFY 76 ZOMBIFY 76
ASPHYXY 75 JAZzILY 75 JEZEBEL 75 MUZHIKS 75 PACKWAX 75 QUETZAL 75 QUEZALS 75 QUICKLY 75 QUIZzED 75 SQUEEZE 75 SQUIFFY 75 ZYMURGY 75
I’m going to assume ‘vivacious’ is a great word to use.
I’ve been admiring James Jean’s work for ages, his book looks utterly fantastic.
best scrabble word hmmmmm
WINNER
that book looks like total sweetness
James Jean Rebus is ridiculous awesome!!!
Axotlotl
Real life pokémon!
It would definitely be axolotl for me!
Quixotic!!
DDD
the word someone else plays on a triple word score
nene
Ladylike. +50
I like QUERULOUS. It requires someone to leave “US” hanging out there. After which they’re likely to get a bit querulous.
Ewe.
This book is a necessary source of inspiration in my life right now…
gah!
much love.
SQUIFFY FOR 75 POINTS!
Beautiful looking book.
My word would be BARONG
quixotic – Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical
Art lovers word …..
P S E U D O N Y M
DADA
I’m following him since around then too Jeff. He’s one of my favourite artists and i already have some of his printed matter, but it seems like i’m not able to get this one, because i live in the little tiny country called the netherlands.
My word:
WALLYDRAIGLE – The scientific term for the little spiral at the end of a pig’s tail
Awesome word!
axolotl is the ultimate scrabble word. just like james’ paintings i’m entranced by them. + i’m pretty sure x is a 10 point letter.
I’m not an avid scrabble player but when I do get the chance I like to throw down the word “POOP.”
asseocarnisanguineoviscericartilaginonervomedullary – Structure of the human body
i can study sasha grey’s asseocarnisanguineoviscericartilaginonervomedullary all day!!
hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
quickly
It is a simple word that gains a lot of points, especially when combined with colored squares and/or when used to build upon another word.
‘Kitsch’- meaning tastelessness or bad taste in Art.
lol when I used this word in Scrabble, my friends were yelling at me and insisting that this was NOT a word; thank God for Google lmfao. And so, this word DOES NOT, in no such way, apply to James Jean lol. His name should be seen as the opposite of this word because his work displays only EXCELLENCE and SIMPLICITY yet, complexity at the same time. I LOVE James and he is SUCH an inspiration to me.
Win or lose, I’ll be getting this book ;D
Hello!
“fireants” was the final word that defeated the computer in scrabble (the computer game)and forever placed humans on the board
humans-1 robots-0
robots can suck it
Oh how I wish I played Scrabble, but let me give it a shot anyway, anything for a free James Jean book
“ambivelous” – having equally bad ability in both hands, something I’m sure James Jean is not!
DOUX
A not to shabby 13 points and you get rid of an x (I swear I get every x in every game I play)
“COLONIALization”
Sadly, I’ve never played scrabble before. However, I really like the word BEERIEST.
loved the interview.
“myxomatosis” i thought was always a beautiful word, and an awesome song !
epistemological rupture, contrapasto and monotonous and lao-te-se are my favorite words
I am not a scrabble player, though I’d like to be, so I’m going with a word that’s a reason why I’m not: ABSENTMINDEDNESS
Yearn
Zqfmgb:
A worm found in New Guinea.
Mezzanines is a great word to play. In fact, it is my favorite word.
Second play in last night’s Scrabble game ‘HOLDINGS’ on a triple word score and using all letters for 95 points, BAM!!
Great interview!
“CLUCK” for 25 and “WO” 5 points on my ipod app
and I “WO”N!!! xD
nice interview + and pics looking great!
COERCE
Zeppelin!
Qi!!! Easy points. Specially if played on a triple word.
NICE interview!
I’ve always liked the word ZENITH: the highest point reached in the heavens by a celestial body
jumbles
” reality ” is a good one
“Zoantharians” yeah I rocked it and it was all a guess.
Khmer is a pretty wicked one
Booooooom
Obviously!
“antidisestablishmentarianism”
Give me the book, please!
Would you give this awesome book to a great fan from Rio de Janeiro who actually lives in a wild jungle and couldn´t afford it?
Nyctalopia
I love words. Best word: Phosphorescent. (It means to glow without emitting head.)
If you can remember to spell it correctly.
Correction to previous comment.
I meant heat, not head. Woops!
Many people have already said it – but i love playing the word QI.
But one of the words i was most proud of making was LORDSHIP, where i added onto the R of the tail end of Vexer (another word i used!)
qi has saved my butt so many times…
SCRABBLE!!!!
‘Whatchamacallit’
HiHiHiHiHiHihI
SW-ZIPPY
played scrabble with my mum in the south of france t’other day and my favourite was ‘coagulate’
QI
pissflaps
erm zapping!
I was always horrible in Scrabble…
its not that i have bad grammar and an extensive vocab, its just im cursed in games.
anyway~
best word was ZEPHYR.
“ghastly” love that word!
If I had the letters, defenestrate.
I honestly don’t play much Scrabble but QUATTUORDECILLIONS seemed to be a pretty good word.
I honestly do love James Jean’s work, and getting my hands on Rebus is something I look forward to very much – in whatever way it ends up in my hands.
Favorite scrabble word: xylophone.
My favorite scrabble word is ‘zygote’, if you get it on a triple word it scores amazingly.
XI is practically the only word that I can use “x” with.
It’s either a Greek letter or a Chinese Vassal state.
“QUEEF”
Wish I was kidding. My friend beat me using it once and I’ve been using it whenever I can ever since. Try it for yourself!
PLETHORA
^_-
CATERPILLAR is the best word I tell you
Bodega
Whisky!! That’s my word, not what I drink!!
In France we drink wine!
I love James Jean! Thank you so much for this interview, that’s very interesting!
It’s not my best word ever but last week I won a crapload of points for tagging “stonier” onto the end of “quest” (making it “quests”). Triple word score, seven-letter bonus AND the extra points from “quests”!
Wonderful interview. I <3 James.
and the word is: pandalicious
Lissome
I dont really play scrabble, but I guess if I did, I’d try to use “graphite”, “Zetsubou”, or “polymorphus” in there somewhere.
I obviously dont know how to play scrabble but I love James Jean.
SIPI
“Sipi is a part of the body.”
I’ve never played scrabble but I like the word Haboob.
I once got 84 points for the word mixes in words with friends! Like James, my favorite is qi. I have a lifelong futile quest to use antidisestablishmentarianism…
Aaaaaaaaaand, the best scrabble word ever is: Bently. Because it makes 15 year olds laugh.
‘CORUSCATION’ and ‘LUMINOUS’ are pretty great, Scrabble or otherwise.
My favourite scrabble word: Quasi
Love your work james & jeff great interview q’s!
xox
Never played scrabble, but I’m gonna go with
“sigh”.
Endor
Home of the adorable Ewoks.
XOQI
And put the X after someone else’s word ending in X, like AX or SAX.
Thanks!
hmmmm UNDYED
I love James Jean my word would be joust.
Suq!
epiphany!
Za or insomnia
Insomnia
Azavorum
shadenfreude :
satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune.
Zeitgeist. Qwerty.
Azure. It was the last word played, hit the triple word score and helped my brother beat me at Scrabble by wiping out a 50+ point deficit… Now all he has to say to get me riled up is “Azurrrrre.” Which he does. Often.
CONGRATULATIONS TO RUSSELL ALTON.
You have won yourself a signed copy of James Jean’s new book REBUS. Check your inbox!
Thanks to everyone for participating, stay tuned for more giveaways!