Axiom Artist Series interview with Absorb81
With the release of the newest Artist Series from Axiom discs with the Insanity in Cosmic Neutron plastic, we took some time to speak with the artist Craig Patterson of Absord81!
MVP: As a fellow 81’er, I think I know how that number plays into Absorb81! You’ve been at this a while, but not many disc golfers know who you are. What have been some of your career highlights?
Craig: I have definitely been doing this for a while. I have been drawing most of my life. It’s been a fun learning process, and I still have so much to learn and improve on. I have worked for a lot of screen print shops over the years, but my most significant career highlight is when I decided to break away in 2014 and start my own design company. It’s been so rewarding working with entrepreneurs who trust my vision for their company or brand. Even though I’ve worked with some big brands like Marvel and Harley-Davidson, it’s those small business owners that I’ve really enjoyed working with.
MVP: Do you have any other disc golf art experiences?
Craig: I have designed five custom discs for Discmember.com for their member subscription releases. I have about 30 discs at home in boxes that I need to add to my online store at some point.
MVP: Your work almost twists and deforms in front of the viewer. When did you start really pushing yourself into that kind of art style? Are there any particular artists that you’ve discovered that really helped shape you into the artist you are today?
Craig: So, growing up, I was really into Skateboard Graphics and Comicbook Art. Anything by Vernon Courtland Johnson (VCJ), Andy Howell, and comic book artists like Todd Mcfarlane (Spawn) and Sam Keith (The Maxx). I’ve always been impressed with people who create something that you can’t find in the real world more than a realistic drawing of something. So I’ve really been breaking the anatomy rules from the start. Ha.
MVP: When you’re not all up in Photoshop and Illustrator; Do you find time to go out and play disc golf? How long have you been playing?
Craig: I try and get out and play disc golf as much as I can. I used to play “ball” golf almost every weekend for a few years in my 20’s, and it was expensive, and I was terrible at it. I loved the game but never felt like I was improving. I found Disc Golf in about 2008 and fell in love instantly. It was the perfect blend of Golf and a backyard game of Cornhole. I was SOLD!
MVP: When you think about the Insanity name, this artwork absolutely fits the mold. When we found your work, it was an immediate “Yes,” and we knew you’d deliver a home run. Tell me about the name of the stamp and your creative process. What led you to choose that particular design for the Cosmic Neutron Insanity?
Craig: I wish I could tell you that I had a deep brainstorming session where I walked a disc golf course and listened to the sounds of the wind through the trees, but the truth is my brain said “a face with three eyes would be cool” so I just went with it.
MVP: With your first triple-foil design under your belt, what attracted you to do this Artist Series design for us? What did you take away from the experience? What is something disc golf stamping is missing these days?
Craig: I’m always excited to work on a new project and a new medium. So when you guys asked me to design something for this, I was excited for sure. The toughest part of this design was that it was a three-color stamp on a pretty busy disc pattern. I think we made it work, though. All the discs that I’ve done so far have been a 1-color stamp on a solid color.
MVP: If you could design a custom stamp for any one of our discs (Axiom, MVP, or Streamline), What would it be and why?
Craig: Anything in a GLOW plastic would be fun to work on.
MVP: We can’t thank you enough for wanting to step up and be our next Axiom Artist Series creator. This absolutely sets the bar, and we’re excited to have you!
Craig: Thanks, I had a lot of fun working on this with you guys.
