My boy, Ryan Williams, was instrumental in the design process that led us to our iconic Roo logo. The first time I caught a glimpse of his work I knew that I had to work with him. Some how, some way.
Jump Suit Group was the perfect opportunity to make that a reality and to give Ryan's design initiative – DoubleKnot – the proper exposure that his work deserves.
I sat down with Ryan last week to chat – Here's what we came up with:
– Q –
You absolutely crushed our logo – the feedback has been crazy positive and that's a big testament to your work. I actually never had the chance to ask what led you to the final Roo?
RW: You know, it can look cool on paper and it can look cool on a computer screen but you have to really think about how it's going to look on a t-shirt, hat or any type of gear you’re going to brand. I had to take into consideration if there are any super small details that are just going to get lost when you throw it on different mediums.
– Q –
I think the simple, clean style speaks directly to your unique style. Those sleek, thick lines are what initially caught my eye while checking out your work.
RW: Really? I couldn't really look at my work and say that it has a common theme throughout it. If you can, that's pretty of cool to me. I just go for the design that sparks something within – I don't like to go too complicated, but I also don't consider myself a minimalist.
– Q –
How would you describe it then?
RW: I'd say that my style is kind of a combination of everything that I soak up from the world surrounding me. I have a big influence with nature – I also love looking through design books – everything from old logos, previously trendy shapes, things that you might kind of pass over on the street but have served a purpose for a super long time.
– Q –
Most people only see the finished product, but we both know there's a bit more that goes into it. When you start a project, where do you go to find inspiration?
RW: My favorite place to find inspiration is through Instagram – I really like to see what other people are doing and use that as a jumping off point.
I try to get a big map of what has been done in the past, and what is currently being done to get a solid vibe of what I'm going for.
– Q –
So it's like a giant brainstorm?
RW: Yeah exactly. They call it a mood map or mood board – a spattering of all types of stuff that would relate to the project you're working on.
I pick and choose different aspects that I like and try to craft something that takes all of the elements that have jumped out at me.
That's my starting point – I like to get a feel for everything and turn that into something special.