Artist of the day: Artist of the Day, July 5, 2022: Joshua Noom, an Australian-American graphic designer, illustrator, typographer (#1613)

Joshua Noom is a Florida-based talented graphic designer and illustrator originally from Australia, he’s worked with different brands and freelanced as an artist for almost ten years. Moving to Florida at the age of 17, he finished high school in America and proceeded to explore a career in graphic design.

“Out of high school, I wanted to take a break,” Joshua explains. “I took a year off and worked in a skate shop, still doing art on the side, painting things – and then my mom suggested that I try graphic design. I had never really thought about it. There was a local technical school here that was affordable, so I spent two years there, got my certificate in commercial art, and then got my first job at an auto agency shortly after that.”

Growing up around skate culture and working in a skate shop, Joshua was always surrounded by a plethora of radical designs. Skateboards sport some of the most amazing and unique art styles, and this was something that had an impact on Joshua moving forward.

“I liked [skateboard] deck graphics and all that kind of art that was on the shirts and the shoes and the apparel that I tried to convince my parents to buy for me—and then music I listened to. Back then it was CD covers for me too. I just thought they were cool, and, as I got older, that kind of stuff played a role in shaping the kind of design I’m into.”

Music has played an influential role in Joshua’s designs. As seen on album art, CD covers, and even in video games, high energy rock music and skateboarding are two creative areas continuously intertwined. Crafting content while listening to music, Joshua quickly learned how inseparable music and visual arts are.

“When I first was getting into more of the illustration side of things, I would practice creating things based upon the music I was listening to. I was really inspired by the lyrics, it gave me a lot to draw and practice when you look at that side of music. That’s what also helped me land job opportunities. I focused a lot on bringing music and art together ‘cause I also saw it as a chance to potentially get hired by these bands or other people who saw it.”

With influences clearly drawn from his skateboard-laden history and the intricate font that echoes all of the time he spent working on hand lettering, Joshua Noom’s enVISION lineup takes our mascot in a spooky new direction. The combination of the black cat and the musical elements, such as the synths and headphones and DJ equipment, speaks to the Monstercat that fans are familiar with. The inclusion of the third eye and the particular color scheme he chose results in a chilling quality that’s both foreign to fans and thematically befitting of October.

“I wanted to focus on the music side of it more because I can personally relate to that,” adds Joshua. “That's where the synthesizer and headphones came in and, obviously, the cat ‘cause of the name. I like to make it a little weirder – that's where the third eye came from. I wanted to keep it fun and playful but with an edge, like he’s got a bit of a smirk on. I wanted a combo of a cool looking cat and some music and then I always do some different skulls and put that all in the pot and just kinda came up with all this stuff.”
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