Mike Strassburger from Modern Dog
Over 30 years in the graphic design industry — skilled in corporate identity, creative direction, packaging, entertainment design, recreation design and typography — all with a high bent toward creativity. During my years as co-founder and vice president of Modern Dog, I traveled extensively, giving talks and presentations on creativity.
Artists Q & A
Listen to music while you work? Anything special in your work space that unleashes your creative juices?
I always listen to music when I work, and I like lots of stuff around, kinda messy-like.
Have any special tricks or insights into how to connect with your audience and make ‘em respond?
Being 100% authentic. Not trying to be something else.
Where do your best ideas come from? (dreams, shower, museum, train?)
Just start brainstorming, and when something strikes my fancy I just keep going to the absurd.
What was your favorite thing to draw as a child? Why did that lodge in your head?
Random logos before I knew what they were — no idea why. I also loved to draw the Pink Panther as Alice Cooper.
"It was always graphic design."
Any activities, exercises or strategies to pull yourself out of the occasional artistic rut?
Well, I LOVE Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but that’s not how I pull myself out of a rut. If I feel stuck, I look at horribly designed things and feel inspired. Not joking!
Did you have a magic moment when you knew you wanted art to be your life?
Yes, when I got a job at a screen-printing shop in high school and realized that “graphic design” is a thing! I didn’t really do strictly art — it was always graphic design.
"It was always graphic design."
Shop Mike Strassburger from Modern Dog designs:
