Keeping up on design heroes can sometimes be like collecting baseball cards.
…At least for me! I know that when it comes to the people I look up to in the design community, I’ll follow them on social media, study their work, read interviews, and really try to learn from them. To me, it’s the best way to truly “stand on the shoulders of giants;” especially in such a vibrant, ever-evolving field as design. Some of my favorite design heroes span the legacy names such as Paul Rand and Massimo Vignelli, to modern-day titans such as Paula Scher and Stefan Sagmeister, and especially newer ones such as Aaron Draplin and Jessica Walsh. The one name that’s always had my curiosity? Timothy Goodman.
Image courtesy of Timothy Goodman
If you’re a designer like me, you probably know this name pretty well. A world-reknown, award-winning designer, he’s also an illustrator and muralist with clients such as Google, AirBnB, Uniqlo, and Target. He’s collaborated with agencies such as Sagmeister & Walsh; most namely the experimental project, “40 Days of Dating,” alongside S&W partner, Jessica Walsh. He’s a true creative soul, and his work spans all types, sizes, and places in the environment.
Most recently, he completed a huge 40ft x 10 ft mural at the office of a large sports editorial website, celebrating the top 25 NBA teams of all time. This mural, located at “The Bleacher Report” office, is a stunning collage of illustration and hand-drawn typography, with the names and logos of each team; from the 1960’s to present-day.
What’s really beautiful about this is the amount of personality surging through. It’s just a whole lot of fun to look at; the eyes dancing across every letterform and line drawing. The inherently simplicity of it as well is quite captivating, especially when you consider the use of multi-color lights upon an otherwise monochromatic piece. According to DesignBoom, this 21-hour piece was executed partially as a “freestyle,” laying down the foundation with chalk and then going over it in oil-based paint markers in his signature illustrative style.
Image courtesy of Timothy Goodman
Image courtesy of Timothy Goodman
So full-disclosure: I’ve never done a mural before, and the thought of having to do one is something that would have me freaking out in front of a blank wall. However, as someone who has done a fair share of environmental graphics and signage, I see this as a solid example of not needing much “extra” stuff to create an otherwise dynamic and phenomenal experience. The addition of the multi-color lights is a really nice touch; the way it takes something already fun and takes it up a few notches. It’s easy to see how a passer-by would stop to look, only to get sucked into the entire experience and become immersed in the legacies of these teams.
Even before graduating from Massachusetts College of Art & Design in 2012, Chris Santoro wanted to start a kick-ass design agency. Fast forward to present-day, and not only has it happened alongside three close friends, but he's led the brand design for a wide variety of small to mid-sized companies and organizations. If he's not in the office, you'll probably find him shacked up in a nearby coffee shop or a ramen house.