Rob Fitzpatrick (US)

Rob Fitzpatrick (US)

If you are looking for a genuine rockposterist as they were back in the 60s 70s, do not go further, he is just there ! Rob Fitzpatrick is one of the guy who is developping the more the inheritage of this period, by the choice of its subjects and the typography he is using on its posters, but just have a look and you will understand immediately what I mean.

Hello, of course as every Crewk interview, first question: what are we listening to when we come to visit you?


I'm listening to Shapes Have Fangs - Dinner in The Dark. You can stream it here: https://www.facebook.com/austinpsychfest?sk=app_205521576149308

We're working on a live release from the festival and I'm comparing the live recorded tracks from the festival to these studio recorded versions, this album is from our little record label, check it out! Rad music from Austin and beyond.

Can you tell us more about yourself, who are you, where are you from, what do you do?

My name is Rob Fitzpatrick, I'm from Austin, Texas, currently living in Puerto Rico. I'm an illustrator, designer and web developer.

When did you start drawing?

Ever since I can remember I have been drawing.

Did you follow any course or did you improve by drawing in the margins of your schoolbooks?

Both. I went to school for Communication Design at Texas State University, but I'd give more credit to the projects I've done on my own time to the development of my art and style.

Today are you living from your art, or do you do something else for a living ?

I make a living from a combination of art, design and web development. I'm only recently being commissioned for projects that have the potential to pay any bills in regards to illustration, but web design and development really is my primary focus b/c it pays the bills for my wife and I.

Are you collaborating with magazines/fanzines, regularly?

None. Something to aspire to!

Where does your influence come from? Is there any artists/graphists you particularly like, what are your influences?

60s psych posters, and a lot of modern poster artists. C.M Ruiz, Alan Forbes, Witch Ghetto, Zach Hobbs (Young Monster) all come to mind... My friend Christian Bland has been a consistent inspiration through his music and visual art. I'm always inspired by Tyler Stout's work, so epic! In addition to that, op art, new and old, is a huge influence on my work. I have reinterpreted the work of Japanese illusion artist Akitaoka Kitaoka in many of my posters, there is nothing more mind blowing than still or printed art that moves before your eyes, his work is maybe the ultimate op art. You should interview CM Ruiz, his work is bad ass, really hip stuff.

What are the principal steps in your work ?

1. concept, 2. sketches, 3. computer draft, 4. refine by hand, 5. finalize on the computer. I use Photoshop and Illustrator.

Do you do everything by hand or on computer?

Sometimes I don't add any hand drawn elements to my posters, and I always regret it - it just feels better, and looks better having some hand drawn lettering, line work, etc.

How long does it take you to do a poster?

I'd say minimum of 5 hours. Sometimes much, much longer.

You have a very distinctive style, are you doing only what you feel like or if tomorrow somebody asks you an oil painting with horses running out of water with a sunset backdrop, is it a problem or are you up for it ?

In regards to poster art, I only do what I like, and work with bands I like etc., but I do commercial work to pay the bills also - this is totally separate from what I might consider my 'art'. I'm trying to get away from that, and I'm very lucky to be able to. I bet I could take that concept and make something pretty cool, so if they wanted that image in the style that I work in, sure. I could do a tripped out four horsemen poster for a metal band. Slayer.

For which band have you already worked for?

I'm one of the producers of Austin Psych Fest, so I've worked with a few bands in that scene. I've been very lucky to work with bands like The Black Angels, The Wooden Shjips and many others.

For which band would you love to work?

Bigger bands through which my work can reach a wider audience would be cool, so maybe Radiohead, TV on The Radio, Animal Collective, My Morning Jacket, Jesus and Mary Chain when they start touring again.... I'd love to do a poster for Tame Impala, Caribou, Warpaint, Black Lips, Dum Dum Girls, Oh Sees, Deerhunter, Panda Bear, Dead Meadow, Black Mountain, Pink Mountaintops, Spiritualized... to name a few favorites I guess. I'd love to do more Black Angels posters, they're my friends and partners in the festival but they're also truly are one of my favorite bands. There are so many rad bands out there, thousands... I really would like to just do more posters in general, and get away from the web development side of what I do which keeps me so busy, there are so many bands that I'd love to work with - it's overwhelming, but exciting to think about.

Do you choose the artists yourself?

Usually I ask to do the posters. Sometimes I'm asked or commissioned to do the work, but the majority of the posters I've done I've asked to do.

What is the most difficult part in designing a poster ?

The most difficult part for me, is that once you have it pretty far along, with multitude of variations available to a modern designer (changing the scale of elements, colors, type styles etc. etc.) it can be really difficult to just settle on the final design and know that it's the right decision. That results in a lot of time wasted for me. I'll spend 10 hours tweaking something, and once the final decision has been made, the work to get there really only took a few minutes - I become very indecisive.

Do you think you are part of a "Graphic Scene", if so who else ?

I guess I'm part of the psych poster scene perhaps.

A bit of self-promotion, take advantage of it, it's free, where can we see your work , on the web or in real life?

On my gigposters page, this is maybe 1/2 of my work, I need to get the rest up but I want to get my website up first so I can sell the prints, but that's been taking forever to get done due to my workload. A lot of my work can be seen on austinpsychfest.com. We have a new site launching on November 1st, but check out the current one, that was a big accomplishment for me a few years ago, I designed and developed that website. I've attached a handful of posters that aren't on gigposters

The best praise you received lately?

Hmm... how about being asked to do an interview by you?

What can we wish you for the future?

Send good vibes my way in regards to getting further into poster art and finding a way to make it sustainable - I'd really like to be doing more of this and less commercial work and web design that I'm only doing to pay the bills.... That and to spend more time surfing and less time working :)

Thanks for answering my questions and see you soon on the website !!