By Cristal Steuer

“I was big into comic books as a kid, a big Incredible Hulk fan, and constantly trying to emulate them,” explains Kyle Mitchell, a twenty six year-old graphic designer, on what inspired him to get into art.

Mitchell attended the New England Institute of Art & Communications and Fitchburg State College. But it was a bit earlier, when he was in high school, that he realized his true calling: “I was completely obsessed with the internet and I was interested in art,” recalls Mitchell. “I was completely captivated by mixing the two.”

In 2005, the Grafton native, who recently moved to Worcester, started his own freelance graphic design business, Jaggedlines. He designs everything from logos and stationary to websites and blogs. “I love to design for the Web. It’s what I’ve focused most of my energies towards,” explains Mitchell. “I like the idea that it has a lot of rules you can break.”

But it’s not all computers: “When I start out a project, I usually start on paper, no details just working out layout. I have for a while been perfecting a font that I’ll eventually create, for now it’s just a doodle on paper.”

One thing he wants to get more into is concert posters: “It’s the idea of just doing something a little bit more ‘artsy’ but still something that is a lot of fun.”

Where does he get all his ideas? “It’s actually a trade secret, but I’ll let you in on it, I’ve got this huge book I bought on Amazon with 1001 ideas,” he shares. “I usually go from there. In reality, I’m like a sponge; I look at a million things, and pick and choose. Sometimes its road signs, sometimes it’s the latest internet viral video. There’s no repository for ideas, they just come, and they usually come at the worst times, so I just stay prepared.”

Even with 1001 ideas, Mitchell still gets artist’s block; he says he tends to just try to get away from whatever he is doing when he reaches that point. “Then I try to pick out a new solution to a similar problem and let it take me in a new direction.”
Mitchell has to keep up with all the social media trends, especially in the graphic design world. “I keep myself up to date with the latest stuff,” he says. “It’s really a good way for me to find out what’s going on, I’ve got a huge network of industry friends, so it keeps me in the thick of it.”

He is also a bit of a blogger himself and offers up some of his professional advice. “Trick is, talk about things you’re interested in. People can see through unconvincing content, if your passionate it will pour out of you.”

If Mitchell weren’t a graphic designer? He would be a chef! “When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of Julia Child; I totally wanted to be a chef. I always enjoyed cooking,” he professes. “I’ve since grown up, but peanut butter and fluffernutter is still a dietary staple.”

Inspired by electronic graphic design artist David Carson, Mitchell is already inspiring others. His advice: “Learn on your own. School will not make you a designer. If you want it, make it happen,” he explains. “Do what you’re passionate about, eventually, it will all fall into place.”

For more information or to check out some of Mitchell’s work, visit: www.jaggedlines.com.