How did Heartcore start, and what influenced you to stop boring regular jobs and do what you love?
The story is super long, so I will cut it down as much as possible. I had a really crap band. We sucked so much balls that I couldn’t believe that our friends continually lied to us about how good we were. We played several shows without any merch. I designed a shirt (also crap) and we got it printed for way too expensive. Then we sold out of them after the first show.
Something went off like a spark in my head that was like, "Hey, dummy. Why are you wasting time playing these crap songs when you could be making shirts and selling them?"
I had just started getting into designing stuff in Photoshop and was really into it from the get go. I actually got with Conor (little known fact) in the beginning, we had the initial idea to get something going and it just went from there.
I worked regular jobs for a long time while doing Heartcore. I was a server at several restaurants. I worked at Fueled By Ramen for a while. I worked at a sign shop - which was my last regular job. I actually worked at the sign shop while running the large print shop. I had tons of extra money and blew it on stupid stuff like a retard.
How do you balance school, printing and still find time to design?
Well, I currently go to school part time. That definitely helps. I keep ridiculous hours, which, if you ever read my posts on Emptees from like 4 am, you’re familiar with.
My print shop is at my house now. I walk out back and there’s work! I don’t have to commute and drive around all day. That also gives me a good amount of time. Working at home is the best decision I ever made. I love not having to go anywhere.
How do I find time to design? I keep a sketch pad in the bathroom. That’s right. I don’t waste any time while pooing. I utilize my most sacred moments throughout the day to jot down ideas and draw stuff up. Some of my best selling designs have come from the porcelain throne.
Which do you like more, the creative, production or business aspects of what you do?
Oh, no contest. The creative is definitely way more awesome. Sometimes I hit a wall though, and can’t think of anything good. I have hundreds and hundreds of designs I have never put out or done anything with because I don’t like them after a day.
Really, designing is just easier. No sweating, no intense labor. The most annoying thing you run into is a client "not feeling it". But then, who cares? Someone else will pick it up eventually. There is so much competition though for design work, it’s nuts. Compared to a lot of people designing, I don’t feel like I’m all that awesome. I don’t really have a distinct style. I just kind of do whatever I think will look cool.
I also appreciate printing. The reason I love printing is that it really is an art. I genuinely enjoy getting stuff to look really good before cranking it out. It’s very satisfying to see the final product, especially when there’s some crazy/sick separations involved. It’s also cool to work with a lot of artists whose work I admire. It is an honor printing some of the stuff I get to print!
What do you think of the abundance of Nascar dads and thier over the top nascar tshirts (and would you move to canada if I told you that those guys don’t exist here)?
Nascar dads are the best. All they want to do is give you beer, and talk to you about why Jeff Gordon is a pussy. I think it’s because his dad is rich and he’s spoiled or something.
I can appreciate the ... um ... ok, I can’t think of anything cool about the shirts. I like all the corporate logos? Um, is that ... fuck it.
I would move to Canada for many reasons. Nascar dads are at the bottom of that list.
How did you become a part of Emptees?
Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a part of Emptees, necessarily. I just moderate comments and stuff. When I’m not drawing in my sketch pad, I usually am on the computer in the bathroom. Matt and Eric took note of that, and when I asked them if they needed any help moderating - they said yes.
That came about when someone posted Two Girls One Cup on there, and some pictures of poop and stuff. I think it was Kyle.
Has Emptees made designers more creative or is everyone ripping each other off?
Honestly, I think that Emptees has caused a large group of designers to step their game up. I’ve seen a huge metamorphosis for many of the members of the site. Some of the people I consider design giants have evolved from "okay artists" in just a matter of months.
The people who really rip Emptee’rs off are just lurking to steal ideas. Everyone who is actively involved seems to be truly learning from the interactions with each other.
What, if any, bands influence your work, or at least what are your favorite bands out at the moment?
Most of my older stuff I would say was influenced by bands a lot more than the newer. As far as artists go, I really love the work of Shawn Harris, the singer from the Matches. He’s a friend of mine, and some of our best conversations are centered around art. I really respect the stuff he has done, and it makes me want to do better work.
I mean, hell. This guy is touring 24/7. Writing music. Playing shows. He turns out so much amazing artwork, video work, paintings, etc. in his spare time. Wow!
As for what I listen to? Mostly poppy bands. The Matches, Motion City Soundtrack, The Audition, Cobra Starship, The Graduate, Bayside. I really am into The Cab right now. I listen to a lot of NOFX and Alkaline Trio. They never get old. Alkaline Trio is my favorite band of all time. Occasionally I will put on some really heavy shit like Some Girls, or something cooky like The Blood Brothers. Burn Piano Island Burn always gets me in a good mood.
What do you think of the overpowering effect of gore and goo and chains and skulls on designers and their work?
Right now it’s a trend. It will go away once people get tired of buying it.
Do you think a lot of designers go in the direction because its an easy way of not doing something more creative?
I think a lot of designers end up doing it because it is what people want and are asking for. That is just really popular right now.
And what artists do it because they are actually good at it?
There’s a lot of people who are super good at it. I think as far as who is guilty of starting the trend? The Rush. Horsebites. Sockmonkee. I mean, they’ve influenced a lot of people on Emptees, as far as I’m concerned. YASLY and ToothJuice have done a good job with it too.
Do you think generation X and Y will get over the 80's?
I mean, as soon as people get tired of it, it will go away. Then it will come back. Ultimately, the portion of generation X and generation Y who were born in the 80's will never get over it. I, for one, will always love 80's music and style.
The thing about it is, everything that was fashionable then was so horrible that it’s taking us a long time for making fun of it and bringing it back to get old.
When you first started out it seemed like there were only a handful of tshirt companies with their feet on the ground, with the explosion of diy tshirt labels, do you think the market has become over-saturated, has it affected your business?
It’s the rule of the bell curve. When Heartcore got started, there weren’t many people really doing it like we were. We got involved with the bands straight off the bat. We were making designs that nobody else was selling. We were doing pretty well for a good amount of time.
When having a "clothing company" became as common as having a band, we definitely lost a portion of business. Some of it, I believe was due to other reasons. However, saturating the market with a ton of companies all trying to do the same thing, and produce the same kinds of shirts killed it.
Heartcore is doing about 10-20% of what it was doing just two years ago in online sales.
With that t-shirt company boom, though, came a lot of customers who needed shirts printed. For a while I was kind of stupid about it, and didn’t want to print anything in fear of competition between their brand and mine. What I came to realize, is that they’re going to get it printed somewhere else anyway. I was being retarded again.
Now, the saturation of the t-shirt market is the best thing ever. It’s allowed me to work from home, and the business is often repeat. So ... yeah. Kick ass.
What toys as a child may have had an unknown influence on your art?
I honestly really loved buying up all the Batman toys when I was a kid. I had pretty much every single action figure that came out for all of the movies. There came a turning point in my life where I thought, "Should I keep these?" and decided not to.
I gave them all to my little cousin.
I suppose that the macabre themes from the Batman films had some influence on me. It made me enjoy darker art. I don’t really remember many other toys I had as a kid though. Lincoln Logs. Legos. Erector Sets. I did all that stuff. I guess that gave me a little bit of a creative side.
What plans do you have for your future?
I have a few projects that have been on hold for a while. One of them is Little Red Thread. I would really like to get that off the ground officially this Fall - which it looks like I’m going to be able to do.
I’d kind of like to move to the Pacific Northwest sometime before I’m 30. I’d love to spend some of my younger years there. I’d like to move around a bit, actually. Go to different countries.
As for anything else? I roll with the punches. I am pretty easy going when it comes to that.