THE PROCESS

What do you do? 

I am an illustrator and graphic designer and I make custom letttering, branding, and illustrations.  

What does your work space look like? Where do you like to create? 

I would describe my work space as very americana. There are a lot of old advertisements, pennants, plants, and some taxidermy. You’ll see some of this stuff in the photo up top.  I really like all the old americana stuff because I feel like their was so much passion and authenticity going into making all of it.  I mostly create out of my studio but theres times I’ll go to a local coffee shop and work just to switch things up.

What role does the pencil play in your process?

A crucial role.. All my work starts out with rough sketches using pencil and paper. I hash out a bunch of ideas fairly quickly and then choose from those which ones I’ll narrow down and finalize.

Why do you choose to work with pencils and, specifically, Blackwings?

I really like Blackwing pencils because of how smooth they feel when you are drawing with them. Another aspect of Blackwings I really like is that you can extend the eraser out and keep using it. 

What other tools are essential to your process?

Other essential tools besides paper and pencil are a wide variety of Micron pens, Sharpies, a vintage Stanley folding ruler, Staedtler eraser, reference books, coffee/water, a scanner, and a Macbook.

How do you overcome ______ block? Writer’s block, artist’s block, etc.

If I just keep the pencil moving on paper, sketching ideas, something good usually pops out from there. That does’t work all the time though so another way I overcome artists block is going for a long ride on my bicycle.  Something about that fresh air and exercise.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Leave everything and everyone better than when you found it.