Justin Roach

Photo Credit: Greg Scelp

I met Justin when I worked in Oakland. He always had a unique story and a great sense of humor. I appreciated it when Justin would talk to me about the graphic design projects he was doing at the time. I took a few graphic design classes in high school so I found the conversations relatable and enjoyable. Graphic design is a genre that you can create different forms of art such as invitations, shirts, posters and so much more. I see Justin as a talented artist. He brings a cool and unique dynamic to graphic design. With that being said enjoy his interview below!

1) Where Do You Think Your Passion For Graphic Design Stems From?

I think I’ve always had a love for the arts and colors since I was a young child. I would invite friends over to my house as a kid and they’d play with toys of mine and I’d be drawing at a table off to the side. Hahaha. I think it was always just a passion of mine from a young age and I was somehow lucky enough to turn this into a career all these years later. Once you are able to see your creations and artwork in public and in some cases on a large platform it becomes addicting and really provides additional motivation each day to try and recapture those moments again and again.

2) What kind of services do you offer?

I offer freelance illustration and design. I’ve mostly worked in the entertainment industry or very similar fields in a freelance role. I do graphic design for a bank in Northeastern Pennsylvania called Wayne Bank during the day but my evenings are often spent doing freelance work or just doodling and practicing.

3) If you were able to give advice to a graphic designer that is just entering the field what would it be and why?

I always try to tell artists that are starting out to offer free services early on. It allows you to meet new people in new fields and to start networking. Also, who is going to turn down FREE?? For several years, I did so many free projects. By doing so, it allowed me to practice – not just art, but practice learning and adhering to deadlines, dealing with file formats, sizing, etc. Giving a lot of yourself for free early on can come back to pay big dividends as you advance in your career. And just network. The more people you know and the more your work gets out there, the more in demand you can become. I feel like there are very little excuses left with the rise of social media over the past 15 years or so. You have unlimited reach and can impact people across the globe. Artistic talent by itself can only take you so far – always keep the other things in the back of your mind as you enter the art field.

4) What do you think makes a person a strong designer?

Well, I think there’s many things that can make a person a strong designer and I think that kind of diversity is what makes it such an exciting and interesting field. More than any technical skill, it just has to look “good,” as generic as that sounds. Typography and color are big parts of design and these two things that can really separate good artists from good designers. Many people can draw or paint really well but have a hard time putting the whole package together in a design field. Ultimately, I think you either have it or you don’t. All the schooling in the world can’t make someone have a good eye for color, etc. It definitely helps but I think it’s just a natural gift that some people have. I struggle with the design aspect still and I’ve been doing it for 20+ years. I taught myself and there’s definitely pitfalls for me some days.

5) What is one project that you are most proud of?

I’m proud of a lot of the projects I do mostly because I feel good that somebody thinks highly enough of my art to put their trust into me being the creative mind behind their brand. It’s a great responsibility to help someone bring their vision to life and I take that very seriously because a lot of times, these projects reflect that person’s life long hard work and I want them to be proud of what they are putting out there too. I think specifically, the ones I feel proud about are the ones that make it to TV or are viewed worldwide because it allows my family and friends to see it all around the country and world. It makes me so happy to hear my mom call me and tell me that she saw Snoop wearing something I helped design while hosting Ellen or something like that. I always strive to make my parents and brother proud and I hope that I’m able to do that to some small extent through my art projects.

6) I heard that you had the opportunity to work with Snoop Dogg. Can you tell us about that experience?

Sure! So I’ve been lucky to have worked with Snoop now for over 10 years on many projects and the reason I was able to start working with Snoop was through a childhood art hero of mine named Joe Cool. Joe Cool is Snoop’s first cousin and he illustrated all of Snoop’s early album and single covers. When I was a young teenager I was obsessed with Joe’s drawings and I would always draw his little dog cartoons on all of my school books and folders. Joe and I were put in contact back in 2010 I think and at the time I just told him what a big fan I was of his and I showed him some of my work and he really liked it and he immediately asked me to help him with projects going forward. It was really quite a chance encounter but I ended up working with one of my art idols growing up and we’ve become good friends and are still doing work together today. A lot of our projects are for Snoop. We’ve done album covers, clothing and other tour merchandise, music videos, video game projects…even an action figure. Hahaha. It’s been a blessing to work with Snoop (and Joe). Snoop Dogg is such an iconic figure and has become one of the more well-known celebrity figures of our generation and so because of that, his reach is enormous. Partnering with Joe and Snoop on projects has really brought a spotlight to me that I never expected. It’s kind of cool to see some of the behind the scenes aspects of a star that big, too. Snoop is really easy to work with as well! I honestly have only great things to say about Snoop Dogg and Joe Cool and my experiences working with them over the years.