A while back I sat down and did an interview with the awesome and amazingly talented Aaron Jay. Aaron, also known as Randyotter has had his art work printed on some of the biggest tee shirt design sites on the net and he’s been featured in multiple magazines.

He also designed our first tee shirt, you can buy it here!

Check out the rest of his work at randyotter.com and follow him on tumblr

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Phil: hey man how’s it going?

Aaron Jay: Yeah I’m good, trying to get back into routine after Christmas.

Phil: yeah man Christmas is a killer; I’ve gotten so lazy lately so tell us a little bit about yourself.

Aaron Jay: Well without out trying to sound like every guy my age, I love going out meeting people partying until the early hours and fitting work in around my social life which is the main reason I love this job just for the freedom to do what I want when I want to do it.

Phil: Geeze being a graphic designer sounds awesome but you must obviously love the design side of things as well, how did you get into art?

Aaron Jay: Well I have always drawn since a young age. My parents never encouraged me to do it, they told me to do anything different but they were generally happy for me to do as I wished as long as I did well at school. So I always took all the art and design classes.

Phil: But they didn’t want you to pursue it as a career?

Aaron Jay: they didn’t mind what I chose they never thought it was a bad idea it was more of whatever you are gonna do, do it well. My dad has always been self-employed so I think it’s kind of in my nature to do the same.

Phil: looks like you kind of took that advice to heart; you’ve been printed by threadless a lot, 15 times? I mean the competition is tough getting just one print is a major achievement.

Aaron Jay: I think like anything threadless gets easier the more you try, I will hit 500 total submissions this year. Things were a lot easier when I realised I was not competing with anyone else more just competing with myself.

Phil:  That’s insane amount of submissions.

Aaron Jay: Thanks, I have found it a great way to stay motivated and a reason to draw every day.

Phil: Do you pick designs you think will print or do you create the work you want to create.

Aaron Jay: I try and create the work I would want to see, or make little worlds I find interesting

Phil: A lot of your designs tend to feel a lot like cartoons, like you’re telling an entire story in one image.

Aaron Jay: I don’t quite have it in me just yet to make my own cartoon so I try and make a single story play out in one image.

Phil: But I think those images work the best, what are your inspirations?

Aaron Jay: My main inspirations are children’s cartoons, originally things like Pokémon, SpongeBob square pants and more recently Adventure time.

Phil: I’m a big fan of Pokémon, never really got into SpongeBob but I love adventure time, have you watched Phineas and Ferb, I really love the level of imagination that goes into. Those shows and it really does seem to spill over into your work.

Aaron Jay: I think I may have seen a show or two but I have never actively looked for episodes I usually have day time TV on while I am working, as terrible as that sounds.

Phil: meh day time TV is easy and it’s designed to be on whilst people do house work not actually to be watched.

Aaron Jay: I guess I am doing it right then

Phil: So recently you did a design for we are the ascent, what was the inspiration behind the image?

Aaron Jay: When you described what sort of image you wanted my first thought was about all my friends, leaving the house to go skate half of the fun is skating into town in a big group every taking different routes diving in and out of people ollieing curbs and such and I tried to convey that in a more of an abstract way with these characters.

Phil: that really shows in the image, all of these guys are on a board together but it looks like their having so much fun.

So how long have you been skating?

Aaron Jay: I skated before university for about 3 years just doing it after school outside my house never got too serious as there was only flatland available we built a little ramp and a grind rail but those usually broke pretty quickly. At the start of summer I picked things up again and now skate a bit more and go down to the local parks now and then there is generally a good skate scene in Southampton so we dont get too much abuse :)

Phil: Guess I should move to Southampton then lol. Awesome man, are you any good? I could never land any tricks so for me longboarding kind of made more sense

Aaron Jay: I know a little bit of each area I can do a few grinds/slides a decent amount of flips and just about hold my own on a mini ramp.

Phil: nice, so what type of board do you ride?

 Aaron Jay: I have the Luan oliveira deck from Flip enjoi wheels and Royals trucks with the classic bones reds bearings Might get some new grip tape though the winter months wear it down kinda quickly.

Phil: nice. So have you ever tried longboarding?

Aaron Jay: I’m afraid not, the closest I got was when I owned a scrub board I guess but I am fairly happy to cruise around on my skateboard in a similar fashion.

Phil: fair enough, you should come down to London and hang out with the London longboard crew

Aaron Jay:  Sounds like a good idea, would be a nice skateboarding adventure!

Phil: cheers.

Sorry man, I hate wrapping up interviews I never know how to end them properly

Aaron Jay: awkward goodbyes, a hug that lasts too long, a friendly punch on the arm, a promise to hang out some other time I have mastered the weird goodbyes.

Phil: awesome, thanks for taking the time to chat to me mate

Aaron Jay: No problem Phil :)

Aaron Jay: thanks for working with me.