EXCLUSIVE! - Interview with Jem Doll Box Artist Sharon Knettell! (Interview by Jeff X) For years, many have wondered who were the artists behind the realistic & colorful artwork on the boxes for the Jem Dolls & products. (plastered all over this site). Well, wonder no more. Here she is, the awesome Sharon Knettell!

JEFF X: Hi Sharon, so, you are the kool artists that did the artwork on Hasbro's 1985 Jem line? SHARON KNETTELL: Hi, yes, I did most of the packaging art for 2 years, until it folded. I did not do any of the animation. It was a blast. Was it that many years ago?! JX: Wow yes, it's been almost 20 years since Jem came out! SK: I think the animation was done in Japan. JX: I always noticed that the doll/outfit artwork portrayed on the boxes was usually on-point. But the actual product & animated version were sometimes different. Any info on that? SK: We were both probably given prototypes of the dolls. But since it takes a lot longer to do an animated series, & the packages were produced closer to the sale of the dolls, I most likely got the latest model, as the artwork on the packages had to be more accurate than the series. JX: Do you have a favorite of your Jem artworks, or any particular character or piece you truly enjoyed? SK: I liked The Misfits the best! They were edgier. Especially the leader (& the one with the white spikey hair). JX: I know it's been a long time, but do you remember who were the models? SK: It was quite a production to do those packages. I hired models & had exact costumes & wigs made. I also made "mock-ups" of the instruments. Unfortnately, not many illustrators are able to go to this amount of trouble, as there is not enough time & money in the industry today. It was a lot of work to just get the right refrence for each figure. JX: The artwork for the Misfits & Rio's "Smashin' Fashions" seemed different from the others, was that you too? SK: There were quite a few artists working on Jem, but my art was the "prototype", & set the style. As I said, I just did the doll packages, as well as the car package. Any other individual fashion outfit packages, or other periferal stuff, was done by other artists. JX: Do you still have or own any of your Jem works? If so, was there any artwork you did that was never used? SK: I dont have any of the original art, but I wish I did! There was a water bed, but I dont know if that made it to the market. JX: Yes, it did. The "New Wave Waterbed". lol. What is Sharon doing these days? SK: I am doing fine art & portraiture right now. Thats what I originally went to school for, but ended doing commercial art to support myself. JX: Sharon, thanks so much for taking the time to shed some light on the subject! SK: Thanks, & I hope this answers some of your questions. JX: Thank you again, it was definately a pleasure, & an honor! :)

(& a special thanx to Krista! :) )