John T. Flowers II is a graphic designer and illustrator at Tattoo Projects. He has been an AIGA Member for three years.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

If I could choose any job outside the realm of graphic design, it would have to be either body painting or videography.  I’m passionate about both of these crafts and work hard to create margin in my life to devote time to pursuing these two elements of art.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I’ve ever received was from my Advanced Drawing teacher in college, Tim Ford. He said, “Don’t ever let your creations become too precious or personal; once something becomes precious you are less likely to take risks and take constructive feedback. A work is never finished and can always be refined.”

If you could be any superhero (existing or new), who would you be and why?

As much as I think flying would be amazing, instead of Superman I would have to say Charles Xavier. Having the ability to read minds would afford me the luxury of pinpointing the exact designs my clients were looking for. This would ultimately cut down on production because I would know precisely what they wanted and their vision and mine would match from the start. If a client happened to dislike my original interpretation of their vision I could always turn things around and compel them to love it!

What’s one goal (professional or personal) you have for the future?

The moment I started down my path as a designer, one goal I set for myself was to bridge the gap between fine art and graphic design. I relentlessly strive to do this in my work and find the combination both challenging and exciting. I want my designs to be clear-cut and informative, yet still maintain an air of conceptual thought.

What sound or noise do you love?

As eccentric as this thought is, nothing compares to the sound of a buzzing tattoo machine. The familiarity of the rhythm is therapeutic and puts my mind at ease.