How Book Covers Shape Culture | Dominique Jones | Art School Graduate Podcast

How Book Covers Shape Culture | Dominique Jones | Art School Graduate Podcast

Every book begins with a story—but readers see the cover first. In this episode of the Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with Dominique Jones, Senior Designer at Penguin Random House and founder of Blk + Brwn Book Designers, to explore the hidden craft behind book cover design. Dominique shares how she entered publishing, what goes into creating covers that connect emotionally, working with bestselling authors, balancing creativity with client feedback, and why increasing diversity in publishing design matters more than ever. Whether you’re a designer, illustrator, creative professional, student, or simply someone who loves books, this conversation offers an inside look at one of the most overlooked creative careers. Topics include: * Book cover design process * Graphic design careers * Penguin Random House * Publishing industry * Typography and visual storytelling * Creativity and design thinking * Blk + Brwn Book Designers * Diversity in publishing * Graphic design education * Building a creative career Subscribe for more conversations with the artists and designers shaping culture.

Design Is Just the Vehicle | Shawn Williams (Vans Footwear Designer)

How does someone go from social work to designing footwear at Vans? In this episode of the Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with Shawn Williams, a footwear designer at Vans whose journey into the design industry was anything but traditional. After spending years helping people find employment as an employment specialist, Shawn rediscovered his passion for drawing during COVID, leading him to the Pensole Design Academy, a VF Corporation apprenticeship, and ultimately a career designing footwear for one of the most iconic sneaker brands in the world. Shawn shares his experience overcoming imposter syndrome, entering the design industry without a formal design degree, learning footwear design, building confidence in creative spaces, and using design as a tool for community impact. The conversation explores mentorship, representation in design, Black creatives in the footwear industry, and why exposure matters for the next generation of designers. Topics Covered: • How Shawn Williams became a footwear designer at Vans • Career changes and transitioning into design • Pensole Design Academy experience • Sneaker and footwear design process • Overcoming imposter syndrome in creative careers • Representation and diversity in design • Mentorship and creative leadership • Building a career in product design • Using design to create community impact Subscribe for more conversations with artists, designers, creative leaders, and innovators shaping culture through their work. #FootwearDesign #Vans #CreativeCareers #CareerPivot #PensoleAcademy

Why Great Designers Leave Success Behind | Gus Granger on Creativity, Branding & AI

What happens when you build a successful 50-person design agency, sell it, become a Chief Creative Officer, and then decide to start over from scratch? In this episode of The Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with designer, strategist, entrepreneur, and creative leader Gus Granger to discuss the realities of building a creative career that stays aligned with who you are. Gus shares his journey from founding and growing 70KFT into a nationally recognized agency, navigating leadership roles, and ultimately returning to the hands-on creative work that first made him fall in love with design. Along the way, he breaks down the importance of typography, brand strategy, storytelling, entrepreneurship, creative identity, and how designers can remain relevant in the age of AI. This conversation explores what it means to create work with significance, why authenticity matters more than ever, and how creative professionals can navigate career pivots without losing themselves in the process. Whether you’re a graphic designer, creative entrepreneur, design student, brand strategist, agency owner, or someone trying to build a meaningful creative career, this episode is packed with practical insights and hard-earned wisdom.   * Building a design agency from a spare bedroom * Growing and selling a 50-person creative firm * The difference between success and fulfillment * Why typography remains a designer’s superpower * Brand strategy and meaningful storytelling * Creating work that has cultural impact * Black designers and representation in design * Entrepreneurship and creative leadership * The future of AI in graphic design * Why designers should master fundamentals before tools If you enjoy conversations about creativity, design, branding, entrepreneurship, and the future of creative work, be sure to subscribe and join us for future episodes. #GraphicDesign #BrandStrategy #Typography #CreativeLeadership #DesignPodcast #AIForDesigners #Entrepreneurship #CreativeCareer #Branding #DesignThinking #AgencyLife #DesignEducation #ArtSchoolGraduatePodcast #GusGranger #JustinRobinson

How a UX Designer Became a Stand-Up Comedian | O’mar Finley

What do stand-up comedy, product design, and artificial intelligence have in common? In this episode of The Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with product designer, UX strategist, and comedian O’mar Finley to explore the unexpected overlap between creativity, technology, and human connection.   O’mar shares his journey from growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, to building a career in product design while simultaneously developing a reputation as a stand-up comedian and creator of the Group Therapy Comedy Show. Together they discuss: • How UX design and comedy both rely on understanding people • Why simplicity is one of the hardest goals in design • The future of AI in product design and creative work • What comedians can teach designers about empathy and communication • Navigating feedback, criticism, and creative risk • Building digital products that people actually want to use • The realities of pursuing multiple creative careers at once • Why audience psychology matters in both design and entertainment Whether you’re a designer, creative entrepreneur, comedian, student, or someone interested in the future of creativity, this conversation offers practical insights and honest reflections on building a meaningful creative life. Subscribe for more conversations with artists, designers, educators, and creative leaders shaping culture through their work. #design #uxdesign #productdesign #standupcomedy #artschoolgraduatepodcast #creativity #artificialintelligence #designthinking #userexperience #creativecareers

The Design World Ignored This Visual Culture for Decades | Shantanu Suman

What happens when a designer leaves a successful advertising career to explore the deeper meaning of design? In this episode of The Art School Graduate Podcast, Justin Robinson sits down with graphic designer, educator, filmmaker, and creative director Shantanu Suman for a powerful conversation about design, culture, identity, and visual storytelling. Born and raised in India, Shantanu worked at some of the world’s leading advertising agencies before moving to the United States to pursue his MFA at the University of Florida. His journey transformed the way he thought about design—from simply creating visual solutions to asking deeper questions about culture, communication, and human experience. Together, Justin and Shantanu discuss: • Growing up as a creative in India• The differences between Indian and American design culture • Why design is more than problem solving • The importance of documenting overlooked visual cultures • His award-winning documentary Horn Please and Indian truck art • Hindi typography and cultural identity in design • Building Studio 165+, a student-run design studio at Ball State University • Mentorship, collaboration, and preparing the next generation of designers • The responsibility designers carry when their work enters the world This conversation is packed with insights for graphic designers, creative directors, design students, educators, and anyone interested in the intersection of culture and creativity. If you’ve ever wondered how design shapes the way we see ourselves and the world around us, this episode is for you. Based on the interview transcript. 🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with artists, designers, educators, and creative leaders from around the world. #GraphicDesign #DesignPodcast #DesignEducation #VisualCommunication #CreativeCareers #Typography #DesignThinking #CreativeLeadership #ArtSchoolGraduatePodcast #ShantanuSuman