Jeff Hamada’s designs are taking over the world. He’s made his mark on celebrities and hip hop icons from NYC to LA, and as one of 3Sixteen’s lead designers he’s partially responsible for the soaring popularity of the quality streetwear label. Jeff also does freelance design and consulting work, plus he’s experienced in art direction, corporate logo design, and branding. He specializes in urban, skate and streetwear markets, mainly designing graphics for print and apparel. Jeff is based out of Vancouver, BC, and I caught up with him for an update…

TCB: How did you get into graphic design work?
JH: I really wanted to go to Emily Carr to study communication design but I was rejected, so I ended up in their film program. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, I ended up loving film, and I realised I wanted to pursue it. Before I could finish the film program I was offered a design position at Electronic Arts. After a year at EA, I still wanted my degree. I made a deal with them where I would work there for a year after I graduated if they would pay for the rest of my education. I returned to Emily Carr and spent the next year writing and directing my grad film and EA paid for it all. The icing on the cake was that after I graduated, EA was actually laying-off a lot of artists so they didn’t have a position for me. I had them void the contract and I essentially made off with free schooling and a lot of great contacts. I started seeking out freelance design work in the skate and streetwear markets and managed to get to a point where companies began seeking me out.

TCB: When and how did you get involved with 3Sixteen?
JH: While I was finishing up my fourth year at Emily Carr I was posting my portfolio all over the net just trying to get it out there. I had heard of 3sixteen and ended up finding Andrew [3S's founder] on a Christian hip hop message board. I sent him a message letting him know I had a lot of ideas for t-shirt graphics and included some samples of my work. It was the internet equivalent of a cold call so I didn’t think too much of it, especially since I was hitting up a lot of different people and companies the exact same way. He got back to me pretty quick and mentioned that the brand was kind of on hiatus and that he wanted to re-brand it and take it in a different direction. I came up with a new logo and helped refocus the brand and lay the foundation for an entirely different aesthetic. The first season I designed sold out on Digital Gravel immediately and I stepped in as the lead designer for the brand. This was the spring of 2006.

TCB: What have been your most gratifying moments with 3S?
JH: I remember the first time I met Dj Muggs, I was in Vegas and he came over and shook my hand and said some nice things to me about the work I was doing. This was the guy that, among many other things, produced Cypress Hill’s Black Sunday! Receiving acclaim from someone who has done what he has done, as an artist and a business man, was extremely gratifying. As he turned to walk away I realised he was wearing clothes that I had designed.

TCB: How has your design work grown or changed over the years, and do you find you’re taking it in new directions now?
JH: When I first started at EA it was as a co-op on the concept art team and I was mentored by six other amazing artists. I did my best to learn from each of them and tried to emulate what they did, and the way they worked. I became more of a Xerox machine than an artist, or one of those multi bit screwdrivers that allow you to quickly change from a philips to a robertson. I learned to regurgitate any number of other artists’ styles depending on the project. I really lacked my own identity as an artist but then again the work wasn’t really the kind that even required me to find my own voice. This was still the case even after I took on a full-time design position at EA. It has only been in the last year or so, working on my own, that I’m finally starting to speak with my own voice, finally hitting my stride.

TCB: Can you describe your design process?
JH: I went to Sri Lanka a few months after the tsunami to build houses and we were taught how to build the foundations using all these oddly shaped rocks rather than uniform bricks. It was really difficult because no matter how you laid out the rocks you’d always end up with all these weird little gaps and you’d have to sift through all these piles to find the perfect rock to fit in those spots. It was kind of like a puzzle, but one where if your piece didn’t fit you could shuffle all the surrounding pieces around and suddenly your piece would fit like a key. For me, designing is a lot like this process. Freelance jobs, even my personal projects, are like all those weird little holes and it’s just a matter of coming up with the right rocks.

TCB: Do you have a favourite piece from the 3S Fall/Winter collection we saw at VFW?
JH: Hands down for me, my favourite piece is our hoody based on a men’s blazer jacket. We have a secret weapon named Nancy and she killed it on that one. She allows us to dream up things and has the ability to make them reality no matter how crazy they are.

TCB: So what’s next for you?

JH: I have a series of snowboards coming out with Endeavor as well as an artist series of clothing to accompany the boards. I also designed a shoe for the Converse (Product)Red project and I just finished up a bunch of work for Soul Assassins out in LA. I’m continuing to design for 3sixteen and will be trying to make more time for personal work as well so it’s going to be a busy year.

Some of Jeff’s work is being showcased at this year’s BRAVEart, which opened in Whistler during the Telus Ski and Snowboard Festival. Don’t miss BRAVEart’s visit to Vancouver at Ayden Gallery, opening on May 9. There’s also an additional gallery reception at El Kartel on May 10.