Designer Q&A: Brad Woodard on Creating With Purpose

This year’s beautiful Camp design (including the 2013 shirt, and web badges!) was done by the incredibly talented Brad Woodard. We were lucky enough to get the chance to pick his brain about inspiration, the perfect book cover, and one particularly close encounter with a moose:

What can you tell us about the inspiration behind the design? Can you talk us through the process of putting the poster together?

The inspiration for this poster came from a lot of the memories I had of going to scout camps growing up. I had so many ideas for things to incorporate that it was really hard to decide what made it in. Having so many elements to choose from made it kind of like a puzzle, trying to fill spaces around the Camp NaNoWriMo text.

Once I finally managed to fit it all in, I had to do a lot with textures and colors to make sure it all balanced out at the end. I heard you all like the bear, and that was in there because of the number of bears I’ve run into in my years of camping in the mountains. Just felt right.

How would you describe your artistic style? 

My artist style is playful, but very much influenced by my design background. I love to experiment with all of the design elements in my work: lines, textures, patterns, colors; they’re Legos to me. I can sit down with the same box of Legos every day and come up with something new to build each time.

I notice certain geometrical figures feature prominently in your work. Is that a deliberate choice on your part?

I struggled with every math course I ever took, except for geometry. As abstract as we think nature is, at it its core, it is all geometry. I love searching for those relationships in everything I illustrate. It is challenging, but super rewarding.

And what’s your dream project?

My dream project would be to illustrate the side of a U-Haul truck, or to illustrate a children’s book.

So let’s get serious. Are you an avid camper?

Actually yes, I’ve been camping since before I could walk. Then when I turned six, my dad started me backpacking, and I haven’t stopped.

One time, my buddies and I left for a backpacking trip in the Teton Mountains completely unprepared. Thinking we were in better shape than we were, we chose a climb without really looking at just how steep the elevation gain would be. We didn’t even bring enough food. After a brutal climb to the top, we were sunburned, exhausted and noticed that it was starting to snow. In our hurry to find a spot to ditch our backpacks, eat, then hide in our tents to sleep and get warm, we made a big mistake. We parked our tents right next to a stream.

Now if you are a hiker, you know full well that camping that close to water is a bad idea because animals come to the water to drink. And after about an hour of sleep, I was woken up by heaving panting and snorting. I opened my eyes only to see the silhouette of a massive moose head chewing on the tent poles. Not knowing how I should react, I remained as quiet and still as I could.

Unfortunately my buddy sleeping in the tent with me was wrapped up in a space blanket. So when I attempted to wake him up, he startled and sprang up to a sitting position, all the while making a ton of noise. The moose started stomping at the sides of the tent, and we had to back and forth between either end of the tent to avoid getting crushed by his massive hoof. For something that eventually ended after maybe three minutes, it felt like an eternity. Luckily for us, our fellow campers heard the commotion and scared off the moose.

So I don’t know if that was my best camping experience, but it was certainly the best story.

You have included a picture of a wild bear. Most people agree that wild bears are an awesome combination of power and cuddliness. If you were suddenly imbued with the power to speak “bear”, what would your first question be for these forest creatures and why?

If I could speak “bear” I would ask them what expression they use for when they are super hungry. As humans, we often say we are “as hungry as a bear”. What are they as hungry as?

It’s been said to never judge a book by its cover. However, as a graphic designer, what are the elements of your perfect book cover?

I think perfect book covers leave you with a feeling of wanting. They tease you with a glimpse of what might be contained inside, or with a cover so well-executed that you can’t help but think the content inside was created with the same level of quality.

If you decided to take on Camp NaNoWriMo, what would you write?

It would definitely be an adventure novel.

The NaNoWriMo community consists of many aspiring artists. What’s the best piece of advice you received as a budding creative? 

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Get out of your comfort zone and play. And always remember to create with a purpose.

Brad Woodard is a graphic designer and illustrator raised in the Great Northwest, now living in Boston with his wife and little boy. Currently, he works as a designer during the day at Arnold Worldwide, and by night he runs Brave the Woods.