Today we’d like to introduce you to Connor Graf.
Hi Connor, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
After graduating from Iowa State with a BFA in Graphic Design, I moved back home to Minnesota. I landed a position at a clinical trial marketing company. In this position, I design marketing materials for clinical research campaigns. During this time, I was also working as a freelance artist with a number of local and out-of-state organizations on various branding and illustration projects. I began posting my original designs on my social media pages, which lead to numerous requests from people to purchase my work. So, in 2019 I opened an Etsy shop called Grafics Design Co. This shop gave me a creative outlet to keep bettering my design and lettering while still working full time. It has grown so much in the past few years, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When the pandemic hit, my full-time job in clinical research took over my life, and my side work fell into the background. It was a rocky year with 60+ hour weeks and constantly being on call. However, I am so blessed to have been able to keep working full-time and continue freelancing during this difficult time. It was also gratifying to work in the clinical research field when COVID vaccine research was taking the world by storm.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am probably most known for my pencil and Sharpie sketches, which I then turn into digital art pieces. I always like to start off in an analog form of sketching before I move to the digital space to maintain control over the concept. In my designs, I utilize a mixture of hand lettering and whimsical illustrations. I try to keep my compositions as dynamic as possible with engaging visuals and design elements. I make a lot of fandom inspired art based on movies and TV, and those are always a big hit!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As a child, I was actually quiet (something you would never believe if you met me now). I was scared of letting people get to know me and I tried to blend in and mold myself into what was deemed “popular”. It wasn’t until high school that I really started to come out of my shell. There were parts of me that I thought were nerdy or uncool, so it took me a while to own everything that I was afraid people wouldn’t like. However, once I set my creative and free-spirited self free, I was welcomed with open arms.
Pricing:
- Original Magnets & Stickers from $3
- Original Posters & Art Prints from $6
- Original T-shirts from $19
Contact Info:
- Email: graficsdesignco@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GraficsDesignCo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grafics.design/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graficsdesignco
