My name is Matt Needle. Im a Designer, Illustrator, Art Director, Poster Posse Member and Sell Sword.
What inspired you to become a designer?
I was born in the 1987 and for the last 10 years I have resided in Cardiff UK. As a child I was Firmly Enamored by the world of Art, Comic Books, TV shows and Movies. Always sketching all manner of things and redrawing my favorite scenes from films (in wax crayon nonetheless!!!)
FAST FORWARD the boring and awkward years and I graduate top of my class at University with First Class Honors in 2009 and after working freelance already for a year or so i take on a few different jobs at studios/magazines, whilst also setting myself up as a freelancer on a more permanent basis.
Over the years that follow I was fortunate enough to work with great clients of all sizes from all over the globe. Most recently and notably I've worked with/for: 20th Century Fox, Marvel, Time Out New York, Big Chill Festival, Enterprise Car Rental, Chelsea Flower Show, Wired and CNN.
What design software do you use?
I usually start my work of with a layout pad and black fineliner pens and work up various ideas before moving into Illustrator to play around with the vectoring and type. then i finish off projects in photoshop.
What is your ideal work environment?
My work space is a home office, filled with movie posters, sketch books and various things from projects ive worked on (books, magazines, films etc). i have a huge desk filled with an imac, my macbook pro, a scanner, a printer a lightbox, various design books and a general clutter of sketches pens, collected references. this is how love to work. it may be a bit messy compared to most people but it love to have everything at hand.
Where does your design inspiration come from?
Inspiration comes from all over the place. if im working on a film poster the inspiration is likely to come from a combination of the source material and how it influences my creative direction.
As well as all of the design books and magazines I have on the shelf in my studio I have a huge inspiration board on pintrest as well as a research blog on tumblr.
Who is the person you admire most?
I admire the work of Saul Bass, he was one of the designers that first inspired me to get into design with his fantastic Vertigo poster that i saw at a young age. as well as that i am constantly amazing and inspired by the fantastic work of my fellow posterpossse (@posterposse on twitter) members. For those who don't know the Poster Posse are a collective of artists from all over the globe that Unite for projects based upon creating Fan Art for upcoming film releases. (recent examples include Guardians Of The Galaxy, where a bunch of our art got brought by Marvel and used for various promotional events. mine was given away as a free gift at the Marvel Panel at San Diego Comic Con).