Blaze Ben Brooks is one of those designers that seems to have pulled a slice out of time- he's somehow able to hit these note of nostalgia while simultaneously making work that feels so well fitted for our digital age. Every time I come across one of of his images, I know it's his work before I even see his name. I love what he creates, and I'm grateful we got so sit down for this conversation. Let's dive in!

First off can you introduce yourself to our readers? Who you are, where you are based, and how you would describe the work you do?

Hello everyone! My name is Blaze Brooks. I’m an illustrator and graphic designer based in Brooklyn, New York. Most of what I make is grounded in print work and textures from the turn of the 20th century. I take most of my inspiration from tobacco labels, Americana illustration, safety match boxes, and tattoo history. I’d describe my work as digital ephemera.

I love that description. For me, your work is this beautiful hit of nostalgia, evoking a bygone era but updated for our modern age. What was your first exposure to this style that you've leaned into? Do you remember any specific moments that pulled you into a life of creativity?

I’ve always been interested in thrifting and antiquing. Just being exposed to the wide variety of art styles in an antique shop was huge for me. I’d usually get done thrifting and then take those references and apply them to my next illustration or graphic project. Sometimes if I found a certain brand like LIFE Magazines from the 40's and 50's I’d do a deep dive searching for the advertisements or spot illustrations.

I think another big moment for me was when I realized how to properly overlay paper textures onto my work. Using the True Grit Texture Supply and speaking with Andrew Fairclough was an eye opener into the world of adding authentic texture in Photoshop.

That's incredible. I think you're a great example of someone who cultivates a great ecosystem of creativity. Personally, you've showed me some incredible artists, and generally, I see you collaborating with and promoting other amazing creatives online. How has community influenced your work, career, and the way you engage with the world?

Thank you! I definitely try my best to intentionally absorb inspiration from as many experiences as I can. The community of artists I surround myself with influences me in so many different ways. I think my favorite is being able to read the what the quality standard is and trying to push that to the next level.

Finding the details or anomalies that will push the envelope is like the great race that has no finish line. Trying to find those is what pushes me to search for inspiration in places I’d least expect. If I were to pull inspiration from Pinterest or the common Google search, there’s a guarantee someone will recognize the inspiration. That recognition usually taints the perception of the reader and can ruin the trust that the artist is acting in originality.

Interesting, I love that perspective. And that effort definitely shines through.

I'd love to hear the story behind the recent work you did with Tom Petty. I found it to be so compelling- you really matched the visuals up so well, in a way that I can't imagine those visuals being anything else. Can you share a bit about how that project came about and what the experience was like?

The Tom Petty project was completely out of the blue! It was a week before lockdown in March and I got an email from Jeri Heiden and Smog Design. She told me one of her colleagues Nick Steinhardt had come across my work and showed it to her team as well as Adria Petty. They were interested in a couple of test illustrations to see if my work style was a fit. A few illustrations later, and I was signing contracts to take on the rest of the 50+ illustrations needed to complete the project as well as a surprise animated lyric video I worked on with Aaron Hymes.

Adria Petty took the lead on such a beast of a project and did so with concrete direction, conviction, and a need to carry on her father’s legacy. Jeri Heiden did an incredible job talking me through the details and simplifying Adria’s wants. Without her and Adria’s critique or input I couldn’t have created that “match-up” you’re talking about. It was truly the best and biggest project I’ve worked on in my career and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

I like to get this perspective from everyone- what advice might you give to a younger or less established person with regards to pursuing a creative career?

The advice I’d give a younger, inexperienced designer would be to imitate and copy the work of the people you admire. You should never publish it nor should you steal anyone's work, but learning and understanding how to create the work you want to make will help you move towards creating your own style and your own voice.

Monkey see, Monkey do, Monkey evolves.