We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Pat Jamieson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Pat, appreciate you joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I started my design work out of necessity. I was a recording artist who was running out of money from tour and my deal and needed to fund my life so my artist friends started paying me on the side to help them creative visuals. I hid the fact I did these designs for years because for some reason I was embarassed that as a rapper that got paid professionally I know needed to do this to make ends meet. I took a few graphic designer roles at some food and fashion companies that used me up and paid me nothing and one day I had a moment that I couldn’t take it anymore and just grabbed my stuff mid day and walked out. I walked to the train and told myself that was the last time I would ever not work for myself. That was 6 years ago. I slowly went from a few clients to consulting gigs with record labels through my music relationships and it’s turned into quite a profitable business. I realized the modern artist needs tons of visuals to market their music in the new generation of streaming and YouTube so I filled a need. I know marketing firms charge tens of thousands of dollars when someone like me is far cheaper and easier to deal with. Ive embraced my design side and told myself there was more then one road to your dreams and it’s not always the route you imagined but it can still be a blessing in the end. It’s allowed me to pursue my other passion which is film and acting. Owning your own company allows you to hit auditions in a moments notice and also a steady income to pay your bills and life when your not getting acting gigs. I hope to add to that side of my resume in 2023 and become more well rounded in in front of camera stuff with tons of behind the camera experience.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am not always the most organized creator but when it comes to dedication to a vision I think there are few that have the patience, skill, and work ethic to complete the stuff I do. I’m definitely not the most talent artist out there. I’m not the most original either. But what I am is incredibly versatile. I have the ability to mimic others work as well as generate original content. This allows me to hear a clients vision and almost always be able to complete the job. I learned early on people who have one style can one have clients that likes that style. I don’t like to limit myself like that. I work late late nights and early mornings and 7 days a week. I take breaks like anyone but they are quick and I’m back at it again double time.

I’d say I’m most proud of the covers I’ve designed for some of my heroes like Lil Wayne, T Pain, B.O.B. Or NBA ALLSTAR Brad Beal. Anytime you can design for someone who inspired you when you were young is something you remember long after your done.

I began using Adobe Suites in 2008 and in 2020 I became an Official Paid Sponsored Partner of Adobe. That was an incredible full circle moment for me using that program has been my livelihood and to be then hired by them to represent their brand was awesome.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Instead of just banging out a cover art for my closer clients I really like to get an understanding of who they are and what they envision and that in turn helps me create something that is visual pleasing and something they are connected to. It’s a great feeling when an artist or client sees their work and is blown away by their own idea being see in real life. You can keep your clients by being up front and honest with them about scheduling and workload and your opinion on the work. A lot of guys don’t care about how it does and just take the money and do the necessary work and finish. I do sometimes get emotionally invested in stuff I do which can be rewarding and frustrating at times. I try to send monthly deals to regular clients and email them specifically when I have good stuff going on giving first dibs to my most loyal clients.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think for a long time people told me don’t be too confident or cocky when u experienced some success early in my career. They said it’ll go to your head and they were right. But at the time I didn’t know why. Then I humbled myself through and through and became just about the work. But in doing that I noticed something a lot of people don’t notice about being completely humble all time. You get passed over. A lot. And sometimes it takes going in a room and letting people know in a polite and communicative manner that you are the person for the job. The moment I started doing that people started respecting my work, me as an artist, and I got even bigger clientele. If you don’t ask you don’t receive so I think my reputation has always been a confident hardworking creative guy who wants nothing more then to just create something lasting and that effects people in a positive way. I think people keep coming back because they know I put a little bit of myself in each piece.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thisisjamieson

Image Credits
All images were created by myself or content owned by myself.