- What is your name / organization / title?
Matthew J. Luxich / Mattcandraw / Designer, Director, Illustrator
- What motivated you to become a maker?
I always was doodling from an early age. Whether it was with crayon on household walls (parental authorities were not amused) to pencil sketches on any piece of scrap paper I came across, I just did. When it came to deciding to go college or go get a job art school seemed like the way to go. Been hustling ever since in some form of design and/or illustration related field.
- Looking back on the early stages of your journey, what advice would you give yourself now?
Take it all in. Do not be narrow minded. Remember you don't know everything out of the gate. Make allies, not enemies but also it's ok to burn some bridges when they need to be set on fire. Don't look back.
- What is your favorite thing you’ve ever made? Why?
Oh wow, this is a hard question. Every illustration/product I work on at the time is my favorite thing till I walk away from it to work on something else. I guess if I had to be pick I would go with the design and illustration work I did on the boardgame, Quelf. Its not my best piece of work but at the time it changed everything. The original company, Wiggity Bang games that owned it made a deal with me where they would give me less of a payment up front but i would get additional income if it hit certain goals. The game winded up making it on the shelves of major retailers across the country and all goals were hit and then some. Financially it was the gift that kept on giving changing my life for my family and I.
- What’s the next evolution for you (or your industry) going to look like?
For design, focusing more an equal balance between aesthetics and functionality. For illustration, just having fun and making as many silly, kitschy things I can.
- Who would you partner with (living or dead) for your dream collaboration? And what would you work on together?
I always wanted to do a children's book. A friend came to me awhile ago with an idea to do a visual version of Jerry Lewis's version of "The Announcer's Test". The more we talked about it the more of an insane undertaking it would visually become and we scrapped the idea. It would have been cool to get Jerry's blessing and tie it the Muscular Dystrophy Association so the proceeds would have gone to a good cause.
- You're on death row and it's time for your final meal. What'll ya have?
Pizza, light sauce, extra cheese. 6 pack of Yard's Pale Ale. I'm simple.
- In a world where you have two hands, all of your pets and loved ones are safe, and your studio is on fire, what do you try to save?
Kenner 1979 Alien Doll, 1977 Godzilla Shogun Warrior, worn out Polaroid of my wife in a bathing suit tailed to my bulletin board.
- What is one piece of pop culture (movie, tv, artwork, song, etc.) that no matter how many times you return to it you still draw excitement, movement, or inspiration?
The original trilogy
- I love useless facts. Impress me with a seriously useless fact!
Ringworm gets its name because of its appearance. No actual worm(s) are involved.
- If you could try any profession other than your own, what would you choose to do?
Stockbroker or doing stuff like that hipster big dude on HGTV's "Home Town"
- What is your personal strategy/philosophy when it comes to using social media for your work?
Post fun personable stuff (no politics, or other forced beliefs). Ask questions in the post to get people to interact. If you are trying to use it as a promotion to sell something give Instragram's promotion program a go. It's 5 bucks a day and reaches thousands. So far every time i used it, It payed for itself and I have broken even on that product's production itself in sales and generated sales on other products in the process. I have also gained over 600 new followers combined on the 4 promotions i have done so far. Oh, yeah and post often. Don't let people forget about you.
- Speaking of social media, where can people find you?
@mattcandraw on instagram
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