JASON GAYLOR

I'm Jason Gaylor, I'm a freelance designer and I work alongside software developers, other designers, and a marketing director. Together we collaborate on projects but maintain our independent contractor status. Soon we will be incorporated or LLC or something. We all work out of an office in downtown Springfield, MO, home of Bass Pro Shops and 30 minutes from the Country Music Capital of the World, Branson. Although we don't currently have any Branson projects on our roster, nor do we intend to. I like hot peppers and peanut-butter-and-honey sandwiches.

My portfolio (in need of updating): http://www.jgaylor.com
Some current work (I plan on adding to the portfolio soon):http://www.designfruit.com/jasongaylor/portfolio
My blog: http://www.designfruit.com/jasongaylor/blog
My Photoshop brushes: http://www.brushes.designfruit.com


When did you first decide to become a graphic designer/ illustrator? Was there a pivotal moment?

I wouldn't say there was a pivotal moment. I've always loved art classes. Art was the one thing I could actually focus on in school. So I took art classes in high school and college. During my partial college career I decided to major in Graphic Design, minor in Marketing, and drop out to be in a band. I continued to hone my skills doing flyers for our shows, CD packaging, posters, etc. I did some other CDs for bands along the way.


Who or what inspires you?

Just about anything can inspire me, but I'm most inspired by great design. I spend a lot of time "researching" or looking at others work. I think the more time you spend absorbing great work the more it will show in what you output. Bad design is also quite a motivator. When I see something that is not designed right such as a "resealable" bag that doesn't reseal, or a company name printed on the side of a truck misusing proper typography rules and punctuation, I feel out of control. I think design is good therapy for people who like to be in control.


Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?

I'm mostly self taught. As I said earlier, I didn't finish college. I did spend enough time there to learn a lot about composition and typography amongst many things that I most likely would not have picked up quickly such as when to use an Em dash.


How do you keep "fresh" within your industry?

I read a lot of books and subscribe to several magazines. My favorite is HOW. They provide articles containing highly useful information that I can apply to my daily life as a designer. They have several competitions such as the Interactive Design Competition and the Self-Promotion Competition. I love looking through all the work and getting ideas. I feel like most of the time I'm a follower, but as long as I'm following the right people then my work is fresh. I don't mind following trends. If you follow the trends then the Industry is always changing, keeps it "fresh" and interesting. I'll leave it up to someone else to start the trends. I'd rather use my free time to hang with friends.


What are some of your current projects?

Rabbit Fighter CD Packaging. I just completed a CD for a band called Rabbit Fighter. I was mostly inspired by the band photos that were taken at a friends house. The house in which they were taken is owned by a friend that designs and builds cabinets and old-world style carpentry. Everything he does is dark, robust, heavy and reminiscent of the quality work that you see in older homes. With the high ceilings and rich colors as backdrops, the band took on a look that I wanted to carry over into the art work. After recently seeing the band at House of Blues in Chicago and experiencing a similar architecture and quality of craftsmanship, I had plenty of ideas to start laying down. I was going for rich, regal, strong, ornamental presentation combined with a touch of modern. These days the distressed, worn look is fairly popular, and I think it's because it gives our modern canvases an aged dilapidated look that is appealing because it is unexpected.

Here's a link to the CD artwork: http://www.designfruit.com/jasongaylor/portfolio/rabbitfighter.jpg

Randy Bacon Photography Web site. Randy Bacon, a photographer in Springfield, MO approached me about doing a Web site. Since I created his last one I was extremely excited to work with him again. He's one of those clients designers dream of having. He's very open to new ideas, and basically lets you do whatever you think works. Randy is not just your average photographer, he takes pictures of people, but more than that he "freezes a moment in time." His philosophy is to change peoples lives through their experience with him. He wants to capture the preciousness of life and the reality in the lives of each individual. Sounds fun huh? The Web site needed to be alive and real, not forced or modern, but natural. I used a hand drawn technique for buttons. I combined rough edges with a cut-and-paste presentation that gives the site a soft organic look that is very alive. I didn't want it to compete with the photography, so I made most of the non-photography pieces neutral in color.

Here's a link to the site: http://www.randybacon.com


Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?

I'm usually most proud of the projects I've just completed. Perhaps it is because they are so new, but when time wears off I suppose I'd say I'm most satisfied with all of the CD packaging I've done. Something about having so much design work packed into a neat little compartment supplemented by music is hard to top.


Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?

As with any profession there are infinite directions I could choose to take, so yes. However, I've read several books on Macromedia Flash and the use ofActionscript so I can continue to grow in the area of Interactive Flashdesign. I really think it's important to be good a many things as a designer in this day and age. Although it's impossible to learn everything, continuing education is a must. I would like to go back to college but I fear I've learned more since I dropped out, and I would only be spending money to learn something I could teach myself. Perhaps those Art History classes could help though.


Any advice to the novice designer/ illustrator?

Design is like any other skill/craft. It takes years to develop your sensitivity to all the subtleties of composition, contrast, repetition, typography, etc. More than that though. Even if you are a great designer, you will have to sell yourself to the world. You can't just put a bunch of design up on the walls in your apartment and expect people to start calling. You've got to look for opportunities. Take part in interviews. Market yourself in forums on the Web by asking for critiques, etc. Get critiques from great designers that will tell you like it is and be honest. Take on some free work in the areas that you want to pursue. For example, I love doing CDs for bands, so it's pretty easy to walk up to a band in a club and say, "Can I do the artwork for your next CD for free." If you're just starting out, this is a great way to get some stuff in your book. On the contrary, if people are coming to you, don't be afraid to charge what your worth. There are books on this subject and articles on sites such as creativepublic.com that help you figure those fees. Charging too little hurts you and the entire design community.


What makes a designed piece or illustration successful?

I know in my heart when I'm ready to present something to a client. But you can't depend on that, you must be able to back up the reasons for your decisions. I think a successful piece solves a problem or issue, and presents it in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Typical: Function meets Form. Mostly though, if the client is pleased, and I am pleased with the work I've created, and I was able to make a living doing so, then that is success to me.


What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?

Change. Embrace change. Go play tennis, or rock-climb, or something you've never done. Take walks. Create boundaries. Don't work all the time. Roll the idea of change into your work. Try different techniques. Scan random things in. Print out your work and rub it on the ground or pour water on it. Dry it out and scan it back in. Use the tools. Have fun.


And finally, what is the best thing on prime-time TV right now?
Arrested Development, The Office, Family Guy. Oh, I hate to say this, but I like the O.C..