Dirty Pool Podcast Ep03 – Jonathan Bergeron From Punk to Pinball

From tagging as ZEN in Montreal’s graffiti scene to illustrating Jurassic Park, Dune, and Labyrinth for Stern and Barrels of Fun—Johnny Crap has carved a path through art that’s anything but ordinary. In this episode, we trace Jonathan Bergeron’s evolution from punk-fueled muralist to in-demand illustrator, designing merch for Slayer and Guns N’ Roses before getting hooked on pinball. He shares his creative process, the challenge of keeping his voice intact while working with major licenses, and what it really takes to bring his distinct aesthetic into the world of modern pinball machines.

00:00:00 - Intro

00:00:36 - How To Pronounce Bergeron Correctly

00:01:16 - Punk and Graffiti Background

00:02:36 - Old School Skateboarding

00:04:12 - Graffiti? Start em' Young!

00:05:00 - Who Is Zen?

00:06:05 - Art For Local Bands

00:07:25 - Art For Pinball

00:07:45 - David Bowie Rocks?

00:08:08 - Dune has a Labrynth Easter Egg.

00:09:29 - Intelligent Playfield Art Design

00:10:41 - Labrynth Had Much Of The Design Locked In

00:11:30 - Details On The Playfield By Hand

00:14:32 - Johnny Crap's Artwork Aprons Are Beautiful

00:14:50 - Designing The First Pinball Playfield (Not JP Home)

00:19:12 - Dune Alternate Backglass?

00:19:47 - What's It Like Designing Band Merch For Metal Legends.

00:23:14 - Differences Between Art and Pinball Art Design

00:24:30 - Working As A Team

00:26:10 - Involving Yourself With The Community

00:27:02 - What's Your Favorite Game.

00:28:11 - What It's Like To Be A Bad Pinball Player Like @BrassLeagueGaming

00:28:46 - The Importance Of Down Time

00:30:00 - Pinball Events As A Creator

00:31:00 - Creative Reset

00:31:45 - Fine Art World Is Not For Everyone

00:32:37 - "I Like To Paint Garbage"

00:33:44 - Can A Playfield Art Be 'too busy'

00:37:10 - Intelligent Playfield Art Design Pt2

00:37:55 - Dune and 3D Playfield Design

00:39:19 - Computer To Wood, Do All Ideas Translate?

00:40:36 - When Is a Project Done

00:42:00 - Understanding Pinball and Making Designs Reflect That

00:43:06 - Chat Questions

00:43:18 - Critique Of hired_goons17 'fine art'

00:43:41 - Great Alternate Backglass For Godzilla

00:44:10 - Constructive Criticism In Pinball

00:45:19 - What's The Timeline For Artwork Production?

00:47:01 - Dream Theme That You Would Do? (It's CONAN!)

00:49:50 - Lets Talk Multimorphic!

00:52:37 - What Is Best In Life?

00:54:00 - Lets Talk Traditional Painting

00:55:05 - More Chat Questions?

00:55:25 - Multiple Backglass Releases Is It Annoying?

00:57:00 - Pinball LCD Graphics, and Layered Art Assets... Why Is There a Disconnect?

00:58:20 - Is a Cohesive Art Package Important?

00:59:18 - Everyone has an oPINion.

01:01:15 - More Pinball Competition Betwenn Companies Is a Good Thing

01:02:40 - No Bad Games, Just Games You Wouldn't Own

01:04:47 - Turquiose

01:05:47 - Thank You Jonathan!

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