BRANDON
Goodrow
My Artist Statement
My concentration is in graphic design, and honestly, it's difficult to say what my personal style is because I'm not sure that's the right question. Graphic design, at its core, isn't really about the designer. It's about the client, their needs, their vision, their brand. We are conduits. We are a vessel through which someone with an idea, a business, or a dream can transform the verbalization of a concept into a visual reality. So is there really any of me in my work? I'd argue there isn't and that's intentional. You're not supposed to know the designer was ever there. Applying the same aesthetic across every client would be a catastrophe. You wouldn't use the same design principles for a skate board clothing brand that you'd use for a hospital health brochure.
What I think about when I design is this: How do I get the vision across and how do I make it interesting? People say every idea has already been executed, that there's nothing new under the sun. I disagree. It's all in how you frame it, how you put your own spin on it. You don't need to reinvent the wheel, you just need to add a couple more spokes. The real magic happens when you create something that truly appeals to the consumer. Whether it's a painting, a candy bar wrapper, or a poster, everything is being consumed emotionally, intellectually, commercially. So how do you create something that feels fulfilling to the viewer, to yourself, and to the client? That's the whole point of design. It's reading between the lines. It's spending three hours researching what exact shade of blue to use, even though no one will ever know. It's designing packaging so deliberately that every inch of artwork is visible even as the consumer tears it apart without a second thought.
Creatives don't design for other creatives. Creatives design for the people who are quietly craving art without even knowing it. Every product, every label, every movie, every book. An artist thought more deeply about that object than its consumer could ever imagine. The world needs lawyers, doctors, and firefighters. But every night, those same people go home, turn on the television, crack open a book, or have a snack. An artist made all of that possible. Without art and the consumption of it, life would be pretty gray. I find myself always trying to add a stroke of color to that gray world.
My inspirations reflect that philosophy. Graphic artist and poster designer Drew Struzan, comic book illustrators Alex Ross and Todd McFarlane, whose work carries weight and intention in every line. And Ilene Vultaggio, wife of the Arizona Iced Tea founder, who designed the now famous cans artwork. Now in an era where any other brand would have defaulted to minimalist simplicity. Her designs have stood the test of time. The consumers love them. The product is good, and the artwork has never needed to change. That's what iconic looks like. Simple, purposeful, and effective.
The best designers solve the problem and solve it well. Getting too strange or too abstract can push people away, and while creativity and boldness have their place, knowing your audience is everything. That's why I've always sought feedback from people who aren't artists. Throughout my entire childhood, I asked anyone I could, even people who had never picked up a paintbrush or used a mouse to create anything. What they thought of my work. An artist doesn't truly know their own work until they step back and see the whole picture. Writing this statement made me realize what kind of artist I am and what kind I want to be: someone who tries to fulfill. Maybe there needs to be more to that but maybe there doesn't. Art is subjective, but truly great art lasts forever. It becomes iconic. Sometimes, even legendary.