Andrew McCracken

Beautiful type, unexpected color combinations and interesting illustrations are the standard for Toronto-based design shop Doublenaut. Andrew McCracken is one half of the creative team there, which has produced posters for The Flaming Lips, Circa Survive and more. In addition to their posters, Doublenaut sells clever clothing, printing their signature designs on merchandise anyone can wear. Be inspired by Andrew’s 10 ANSWERS below.

1. How would you describe your work in three words?
Conceptual, simple, colourful.

2. Who is your creative role model?
This is like asking who your favorite band is. We’re inspired by many of our peers in the gig-poster community. There’s really too many to list so many amazing poster artists are doing amazing stuff right now. As I get older I find I’m inspired more by thoughts than design necessarily so in that sense I like a lot of what people like Stefan Sagmeister and Frank Chimero have to say.

3. If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it?
Ride my motorcycle, play table hockey, read magazines.

4. What place in the world most inspires you and why?
I love British Columbia. It’s very beautiful there. Being able to see the mountains is so amazing to me. I think living there you probably take it for granted, but whenever I visit I find it an inspiring place to be.

5. If you could do a different job for a day what would it be and why?
Mechanic / carpenter. I like working with my hands and designing things off of the computer.

6. What is your favorite homemade gift to give?
I make people calligraphy birthday cards. It’s not much in terms of a gift but people seem to get a kick out of them.

7. What is your favorite object in your home?
We have a Douglas Coupland side table, which is really cool. I also have a great wooden bookshelf that’s really strange that I found in the garbage on Queen St. in Toronto.

8. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Do what you’d be doing for fun for a living.

9. What websites do you use for inspiration?
Grain edit, Book Worship, A Journey Round My Skull, Project Thirty-Three, Terry posters, and many more.

10. When do you consider a piece of your work complete?
When we can both agree that we’re happy with it. We usually try to design something that has different levels to it. Something that you get right away and relates directly to the client / subject and then something that drives it home even further but might take the average viewer longer to see but when they do the design makes that much more sense to them.