I developed into a print media junkie at an early age. It is an obsession I have never been able to shake – a habit I can’t seem to kick – newspapers, magazines, books, posters, zines, flyers, you name it. If it has been run through a printing press at some point in time, chances are I had it horded on a shelf or in a storage area somewhere.

As a child I loved to draw. My earliest artistic memory was of coloring with my mom. I had a big cookie tin full of crayons, and I would sit on the floor and draw all day long. I remember on this particular day my mother joined me, and we drew dragons. Naturally I grabbed the green Crayola as fast as I could. Mom chose red. I thought she was really lame drawing a red dragon. Everyone knows dragons are supposed to be green. I mean really now mom, how uncouth of you.

So when our dragons were done, we held them up. Her dragon looked really cool… and mine looked, well, really uncool. I got upset and broke my green crayon. How dare it fail me! This incident taught me three very valuable lessons: 1) Doing things the way they are supposed to be done isn’t always the answer. Sometimes going against the grain yields surprising results. 2) As far as art is concerned: there are no standards, rules, or guidelines as “how to” or “how not to” do something. 3) Red dragons definitely look cooler than green dragons, and I suppose I shouldn’t have blamed the crayon.

Oh…I guess maybe that’s four valuable lessons.

Lessons I still keep with me to this day. Thanks, Mom.

Me (far left) handing out towels at a fan rally in Houston, TX during the week leading up to Super Bowl LI. Photo by Keith Nordstrom.

As I have surpassed 2 decades working for an NFL team, I’ve become more reflective – especially about all the Super Bowls I’ve attended.

I’ll be upfront – 6 were great, 2 were not so great, and 1 was completely crushing, but all taught me valuable lessons and all gave me memories I will cherish for a lifetime. If there’s anything I’ve learned from working Super Bowls (and comic book conventions), it’s that no matter how slick the production, there are people you never see frantically running around behind-the-scenes holding everything together with duct tape and prayers.

Win or lose, those people are true champions.

People see working Super Bowls as glamorous, but even though I’m an Art Director, I don’t have a “that’s not my job” mentality. People who do, don’t really last long with our organization – or anywhere else for that matter. At Super Bowls especially, there’s so much that needs to be done you have to go into it with a “get ‘er done” attitude. I have folded t-shirts, worked fan rallies, hauled merchandise, packed swag bags, helped to check player family into their hotel rooms, heck – once I even assembled a treadmill. (Long story.)

So, ProTip: Never think something is beneath you or your skillset. Don’t say “That’s not my job,” but rather ask, “How can I help?” You will earn more respect, make more friends, learn new things, and gain more experience that way. And really, isn’t that what life is all about?

The number one question people ask me is: Where do you get your inspiration from?

I think a vast majority of design is striking a balance in making information both appealing and visually digestible. To me, this doesn’t require inspiration so much, but more of a desire to know what motivates people to do certain things. Why do they gravitate to certain colors? What influences them to purchase?

A good designer knows the demographic they are aiming for and tries to cater to it.

For those times when I do need inspiration though, I get away from the computer screen. I go for a drive or dig in my garden. Inspiration is what comes to me when my mind is quiet – when I can let it wander. For me it is something I can’t force – I can make my skill perform on command, but not my inspiration.

I love scouring book stores and yard sales for inspirational reference items and books. Here’s my top 3 reads right now…

Draplin Design Co.: Pretty much Everything by Aaron James Draplin – This book is an exhaustive (the title does not lie) look at process and example. Can’t recommend this book to young designers highly enough.

Designing Obama: A Chronicle of Art and Design from the 2008 Presidential Campaign by Scott Thomas – From how Obama’s design team came up with the “O” logo, to their grassroots look & feel, this book is a comprehensive look behind the scenes to how design can not only win hearts & minds, but gain Presidential level influence.

The Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion by Paul Grushkin and Dennis King – I love and collect silkscreen rock art posters, so this one making my list is a complete Captain Obvious. The color pallets are always daring yet pleasing – just a bright, fun book to flip through.