ReThink Clothing

Grant has done quite a few shirts for Rethink and his work is always top notch. The best part though is how things work between me and him in terms of the creative process. I usually shoot an email or IM to Grant with an idea and less than a few hours later he sends me back a full design. The usual caveat there is that he turns down some of my ideas. He just finished the latest shirt for Rethink, which I just sent to the printers and will be in by the end of the month! For a preview of that shirt feel head to the facebook fan page. Enjoy the interview! Also, I am going to pepper this lis with shirts he has designed and you can click them to be taken to the store. Also, leave some comments or questions for either Grant or me and we will see what we can answer for you.

Check out Grant’s company simply complicated!

Grant so how did you get started designing for t-shirts?

Everything actually got started on accident, I had just started to use a computer to design and this guy wanted me to design some shirts for his “clothing line,” this ended up being a huge mistake because the guy was super shady and ended up never paying me for the designs I did and he stole them and turned them into really “hood” designs that looked horrible. After this happened I figured that I would be able to make some decent money off of this and since I was too young to get a job (15) it was really the only means I had to get any money. I started designing immediately and ended up starting Simply Complicated at the beginning of my senior year in High School.

Grant is there any strong influences from your life that you feel influence your art?

I honestly can’t say what influences my art except that I cater to more of a “streetwear” crowd. I can get inspired by the most random things on the planet. There was a random scene in “Law Abiding Citizen” with a liberty scale that ended up inspiring 6 shirts, that weren’t related in any way. I really don’t know how it happens, I basically design something and explain it when I’m done haha.

Has your art changed at all during your time in college?

Not really, I have been working on refining the style of Simply Complicated so much that I’m pretty stuck in my ways, at least right now. I’ve haven’t been in college too long so I don’t really think it will have an effect on my work right away.

Besides your art you also run a T-shirt company of your own right?

Yes, it’s only the greatest line in the world (next to Rethink). Not really, but if Jay-Z wears it so much I have to be doing something right? Hopefully I will be able to expand a lot this year, I am really liking how brands are taking risks these days and getting out of their comfort zone so it’s a great time to experiment.

When we chat about an idea whats the process that follows?

I always start off by doing research to get an idea of the direction I want to go in and then I get to work whether it be in Illustrator or Photoshop.

Speaking of chatting about ideas, you always work ridiculously fast and the result is amazing, how?

I’ve designed for Rethink many times so it’s to the point now that I know exactly what you want without telling me so I don’t have to waste time with unneeded parts of the design.