Thanks for taking some time to chat with us, David. We’re huge fans of your work!  Tell us a little about you and where you call home.

Thank you guys! I have been a long time fan of your products, so Loon Outdoors has been a dream client of mine for some time now.

I am 27 years old, and I live in St. Paul MN with my wife Morna and my dog named Trout. I like to spend my time fly fishing, surfing, rock climbing, skateboarding, snowboarding and riding my 86 honda XL250R. All of which is possible in Minnesota, but we also like to spend a couple of months on the road in our camper van traveling out west to do all the same activities. All that is possible as a freelance illustrator/graphic designer.

We love your simplified illustration style. How did you develop and refine that style over time?

I have been doodling ever since I was a little kid, always wishing I was able to draw in a more realistic style. Every time I tried to draw something, it ended up looking cartoony and simple. So somewhere down the road I decided to just go with it, and refine it. I tend to see the world in simple lines, so every time there is a new subject for me to draw, I draw it over and over again until it is simplified down to its most minimal form. That way my art has an overall harmony in it’s look.

Other than the great outdoors, what are some things that you draw inspiration from? 

Inspiration for my work always comes from my experiences in the outdoors. Having a van that allows me to get on the road and spend time in all sorts of beautiful places helps guide my creativity. Other than that, architecture, cars, 8-bit video games, boredom; the list goes on… Any time I see good design, things brought down to their most simple practical form that either works well or conveys a message, I am inspired.

It looks like you’ve done some work for some amazing companies, but I’m sure your ambitions are always growing. What’s a dream client project you’d love to work on?

Hmmm… That is a great question. I would have to say at the moment Jones Snowboards. They make awesome snowboards and have a cool art direction.


Streamers or dry flies?

Dry or Die! Nothing beats the visuals of a trout sipping a fly, then the splash after you set the hook!

Thanks again, David! Where can folks see what you’re creating next?

Thank you guys! You can see a lot of my work on my instagram, @david_rollyn, or on my website www.davidrollyn.co!