Hey Greg! Let's start with a little intro on your work and who you do it for...
I’ve produced commercial work for Adidas, Microsoft, 2Degrees, Fuji, Huffer, New Zealand Tourism, Greenpeace, Auckland Zoo, T-World, Les Mills, and AirNZ over the past few years. All of which has been created after my 9-5 day job, where I work on graphics for apparel companies like Barkers and Hallensteins. My style is quite varied but hopefully it all carries my own unique stamp. Some people might have seen my Tui illustration on the Westpac Eftpos card, over a million and a half will be produced over the next 5 years.
I’ve also become involved with a lot more product this year working with the CUPPACOFFEECUP guys on my own range of cup designs, cards through NZ Niche Greeting Cards, a series of cushions with Mr Vintage, a small collection of Greg Straight eco friendly tote bags and my own kids clothing line which I am really excited about. So its busy times for sure!
OK, so you still have a 'day job'?
I am still employed as well as self-employed but have just cut back to 3 days per week at my day job. I felt the time was right to take the plunge as I could not keep up with the amount of freelance work that was coming in but I also didn’t want to jump ship totally just yet, there is a lot to be said for a regular income, especially when you have 2 kids and a mortgage!
Tell us the story of how you came to be a designer?
I have always drawn from a very young age. Growing up I became obsessed with doodling and at school I excelled in art. It was always my bag, I never really got into the whole sports thing until later on when I started skateboarding at 11 and surfing at 12.
After high school I went to Elam School of Fine Arts, I majored in painting and got interested in printing making. Once I graduated I enrolled in a one-year design course (which I sucked at) and then got a job in graphic design. A year later I hijacked my friends trip to the States, Mexico and England and found myself in London working for a big clothing company. I stayed there for 6 years working for a bunch of brands like Bench and Duffer and returned home six years ago.
So in a nutshell I’ve been working in the industry for over 14 years and a lifetime of pencil sharpening and vector manipulation.
What media or creative discipline do you most enjoy working in and why?
I’m a huge fan of screen-printing, I love it, the look of freshly screened ink on clean white textured paper is something to behold. One thing I’ve learned is the space around the work is as important as the image itself, getting the proportions (and for that matter the colour) just right. Like I said before I draw a lot so working with nice black pens and A4 paper and of course working on my Mac. Ideas always start on paper and end on the computer. Currently I am trying to go a bit more low-fi and produce work that has a more hand drawn slightly wonky feel to its appearance. Trying to give the whole thing more character. Saying that I do love super clean vector stuff too, like James Joyce’s work and the bike print I just did. Bold, simple versus rough and sketchy? Its all good.
Greg's latest project - a colouring book for Usborne!
What’s the biggest professional lesson you've learnt and how has it shaped your career?
I did some downloadable desktops for Microsoft and was meant to be paid 10k it’s a long story and I didn’t get paid, I figured they might as well use them but I regained the copyright. They were downloaded over 800,000 times (in the first year) both here and in the States.
A year later Westpac approached me and wanted the image on their Eftpos card and I finally got paid. The other image I created I gave to Greenpeace. It buzzes me out to think my illustration is now enjoyed and downloaded worldwide. If only I got $1 for every download!
So to answer the question some projects have more than just a monetary value, like amazing exposure, but you also have to recognize when you have done the hard yards and its time to make a living.
What advice would you give to others starting out?
A quote I took from Semi Permanent is do nothing and nothing happens. It is so simple and yet so true. You need to work really hard and just start creating. One thing leads to another and after a while it snowballs , it starts to build and build and becomes really exciting.
Hard work always pays but sometimes it doesn’t pay that well. Pricing jobs is never easy and as each client changes so should your price structure, don’t under sell yourself and don’t over sell! Leaving money on the table is something to always be aware of especially when dealing with big companies. You also need to get your work out there, who is going to notice you if the work stays on your bedroom wall? The more avenues to get your shit seen the better. I am not a purest and don’t believe art should be only for gallery walls. Art and design is on everywhere and on everything so why not get amongst it?
Original strong work always gets noticed (although nothing is truly original) strive to find a style and make it your own. Also draw as much as possible that is where the magic happens. You can’t buy good ideas or raw talent. Good things come to good people, I totally believe that.
Greg's work on the cover of T World magazine.
OK…tell us about the greatest experience of your career so far?
Having my own solo show a few years back at Momentum Gallery called Tikitastic was definitely a highlight. Momentum have been really supportive of my work, they sold 60 prints in first 6 months! I’d like to say a huge thank you to Trent and the guys there.
The article in AirNZs inflight magazine KiaOra was amazing too, they did a three page spread and showcased my Neon Tiki screen print on the cover. There was loads of interest in my work when that came out and I was approached by interesting people to work on cool projects. The exposure was incredible.
I wouldn’t say this was the greatest moment of my career but its pretty cool. Recently at the Semi Permanent after party I met Meirion Pritchard art director for Wallpaper Magazine I had a tip off he liked one of my prints and we got talking. He had photos of my artwork in his phone. Wallpaper are the kings of cool so I am gunning to do some work with them.
Where do you go or what do you do to get inspiration flowing?
I find inspiration every where, it’s a bit like a tap once you turn it on it starts flowing then you can’t turn the bloody thing off. I have bags of ideas and drawings I have to work up as prints and completed illustrations, my problem is time to do them.
Sometimes inspiration is sparked by a song lyric or a funny little saying or seeing a bird sitting on a branch in the garden and thinking that would make a nice print.
I also am a big fan of design sites like www.ffffound.com and www.designspiration.net (I have a Pinterest account but I am time poor enough already). I LOVE design/illustration/art books and magazines and have built up quite a collection that started in London. When I see good work online or in books it pushes me creatively and makes me want to achieve more.
Greg's work on the cover of Kia Ora magazine
What was the last thing you saw or experienced that got you really creatively excited?
Semi Permanent was the big one, always IDN Magazines and my newly discovered love for Designspiration. I am in the process of joining The Pond agency and the standard of graphic designers on their books is totally inspiring, they are bloody good so I am stoked and flattered to become a part of their exclusive club of awesome-ness!
I recently met Mat Bogust from Think Packaging. He is crafting some amazing things with paper. I find that inspiring, someone working in a different field to me doing super cool stuff. We have some big collaboration plans for the future so watch this space.
Name a designer you admire, and why?
Mike Perry has been a hero for a while now. He must get even less sleep than me, the man is a creative genius and works in many styles across so many mediums, yet it all looks like his own work. I like that. His work is comical and colourful, very now and yet very lo-fi.
Other illustrators I like are MrBowlegs, Mauro Gatti, Rinzen, Fernando Volken Togni, James Joyce and Malika Favre. Actually I like a lot of people, it’s an exciting time for illustration and art, a good time to be creative.
What is your dream for your career – where would you like to take it?
Its good to dream and dream BIG! I’d love to be making art and illustrating full time, producing work for both NZ clients and international ones. I’d like to have a successful children’s clothing line and work with nice creative people on nice creative briefs.
What are you working on at the moment?
New screen prints for the exhibition in Nelson, tee-shirt artwork for Public Gallery, graphics for a range of accessories for Les Mills, organizing my folio for The Pond and Wallpaper, a Tiki logo for a start up company, artwork for my kidswear range and getting some concepts together for a children’s book I’ve been asked to illustrate.
Show and Tell time. Show us your creative space, and tell us about what's in it…
My studio space. Work, play and sleep, where all the magic happens.
Best sporting achievement! From my time growing up in the UK. I found this in one of mums dusty old boxes full of kids stuff and loved it so framed it! Always stay focused, even when entering an egg and spoon race.
Tricks of the trade. You can never have too many pens especially when your kids find them then draw on your desk and leave them with the lids off, gggrrrrrrr.
Experiments with hand drawn graphics and colour, looking at applying these to some shapes shortly.
My thought for the day, week, month & year.
To see more of Greg's work, check out his website.
And to get yourself a Greg Straight limited edition print, go visit Endemic World.
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