410BC

Matt Skiff  has quickly become a household name in the tee shirt industry. His designs are vibrant, detailed and clean. He is also very dedicated to his clients; his client list includes – A ROCKET TO THE MOON, CREEP STREET, DANCE PARTY MASSACRE, ELECTRIC ZOMBIE, FAMILY FORCE 5, FUELED BY RAMEN, PARAMORE, FRONT MAGAZINE, GLAMOUR KILLS, MARVEL COMICS, I WRESTLED A BEAR ONCE, PYKNIC, PANIC AT THE DISCO, THREADLESS, THE RED SHORE, SHRED CLOTHING, PRESTIGIOUS CLOTHING, 410 BC and many more.

He works tirelessly to create the best design and meet the clients needs. It was truly a privilege for us to be able to work with him. This is an illustrator you can definitely expect more big things from in the future! We’re proud to feature him for our ”5 Questions with” monthly interview.  Also, be sure to check out his site: http://www.ithew.com

410 BC: How did you get into graphic design? Did you go to school for it, or are you self-taught?

Matthew Skiff: I literally fell into doing design work as a job. I first started out learning how to use photoshop when I was in middle school when I got a copy when I bought my printer, and then I took some digital imaging classes in middle school and high school too, but they didn’t really teach me much except how to use the program. I went to college with the intention of getting a major in drawing until I found out there was really nothing you can do with that, so I decided to take some graphic design and computer graphics classes and graduated with a BA in Graphic Arts. After I graduated college I didn’t find many design firms that would hire me, so I just decided to draw and design my own stuff in between looking for jobs, and that eventually led into what I am doing now.

410 BC: What’s the best piece of advice you could give to someone wanting to make it in the design world?

Matthew Skiff: Practice is the most important thing you can do. Practicing will help you draw better in terms of technique and knowledge. Don’t just stick to a certain subject matter or even a certain style, do everything. Doing this will help you eventually create your own unique style. That is what I think people are looking for in the design world, some kind of uniqueness that makes you stand out in the crowd. However, you wont really get that far if you don’t understand the technical aspects of drawing and designing.

410 BC: What was your first “big break”?

Matthew Skiff: My big break was a mixture of a lot of things. All at about the same time I was getting deigns picked up over at emptees, and that eventually led to me working with 410BC which enabled me do different type of design (besides slime, monsters and zombies) and that really helped me get other work. And then I got a design printed over at Threadless, and that helped me get my name out to a bigger audience.

410 BC: What are you favorite types of designs or your favorite themes to work with? What makes a good client?

Matthew Skiff: There are so many different types of designs that I love. I love being able to take certain themes or characters from my childhood and making a design based off of that. I also enjoy doing horror themed designs, cartoony designs, and recently I’ve been able to work on simpler and more streetwear type designs that are a nice change of pace. A good client in my opinion is one that has a clear direction on what they want the design to be, and after telling me what they want, they let me do my own thing without having to make little nit-picky changes that don’t effect the outcome of the design.

410 BC: Who or what inspires you?

Matthew Skiff: Everything inspires me, I can’t turn my brain off. I find myself watching TV, driving, or even just walking down the street and looking at everything and seeing how it is designed. It could be something as intricate as a logo on a storefront or as simple as how someone is dressed. I do get a lot of inspiration from my childhood and the things I loved as a kid, and I hope that shows through a little big in my designs.

Matt Skiff designs for Dance Party Massacre:

Matt Skiff Designs for Glamour Kills:

Matt Skiff collab with Mark Capicotto of Glamour Kills:

Matt Skiff design for Pyknic:

A few of the designs Matt has done for 410 BC: