Every Morning Last Year You Woke up and Illustrated a New Number. Every. Day. Which Sounds Easy Until You See Each Day’s Finished Product. What Did You Get out of That Besides 365 Sweet Digits?

Thanks. I guess I’ll never really know…ha, but my goal was really simple: do something creative everyday for a whole year. The idea came out of talking to my sister who is an accountant which half joking suggested doing numbers. The thought stuck with me and was a good match since I really didn’t want to have to concept subject matter each day – it was set: 0 – 365. Coming from the agency side of creative I always kind of discounted briefs for the most part but in doing a project like this you really see the benefit of setting guidelines for creativity.

I truly feel my consciousness changed – I learned to look at numbers less as type and more as form. Good or bad my brain more effectively honed in on positive and negative spaces which has really changed the way I evaluate and consume creative. I’ve been designing for about 15 years and over time, as silly as it sounds, blame it on deadlines or starting as a web guy, but I had essentially stopped sketching. I re-learned to trust my sketchbook and sketching abilities as a way to move through ideas and pick a road and end where it did. Sometimes I wound up on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere at a creepy old house. Sometimes I didn’t.

I’m Sure You’re Enjoying Your Mornings More This Year. Would You Take on a Side Project Like That Again?

I wish I could say I was. Right now not sure where the extra time has gone since the year is almost over. Would I do it again? Who knows? I might. My wife might kill me. But maybe it becomes my Sagmeister 7 year sabbatical, minus closing the studio.

I couldn’t do a daily project every year and really I don’t think one should. The purpose for me was to throw a wrench in my daily routine, create a new one then break it again. I learned so much about dedication, how ideas surface within imposed restrictions and really how to look at shapes and characters against all the basic design principles like when I first fell in love with design.

How Do Most Contraband Clients Find Their Way to You?

I wish I knew. Mostly word of mouth or past relationships where friends have started projects, which is good. I’m not the designer that’s going to talk you into working with me. If we are a good match it will happen eventually. Good client relationships are really important to me.

What’s More Important to You at the Moment: Focusing on Action Sports, a Particular Medium, or Building Relationships?

Man, that makes me think. All are important for sure but most important is my family’s support. Its really the only way I could do this. Hopefully some of my design stuff is rubbing off on them a little. I talk through ideas with my family all the time. I’m sure they have no idea what I’m talking about but sometimes any response is good.

What Is Your Latest Epiphany?

Not sure if I wrote this or read it somewhere but I like the thought of “When you are the most scared, the most unsure, it’s there that confidence presents itself.” This applies to sport, creative or life in general to push you to where you need to be.