Jeff Mangiat
Biography ▼
When I was in second grade, I was blessed to know I would be an Illustrator. My father worked for noted Illustrator Bob Jones who told him I should go to Pratt Institute. My future was set. Early influences were Norman Rockwell, National Geographic and The Tom Swift book series. I live in Demarest NJ, 20 minutes outside Manhattan. In the early days I’d meet with a client and deliver the final art in person. Messengers and fax machines were a way of life. My work covers figurative to technical, and color is an important component of my style. My medium has changed many times as the market has changed, but my approach has always been to do my best for the client. I have been fortunate to have worked on the original Transformer box art. It attracts many fans that give me much joy. I also worked on many Newsweek covers. The most notable being for the Ronald Reagan Star Wars, which I did over a Friday night. The following Monday it was on newsstands around the word and on the nightly news showing a Russian family looking at the cover on Russian TV. Very exciting. I’m proud to have Mendola represent me for over 40 years. To spend your entire life doing what you love is a blessing.