In conversation with Aron Leah - Fried Cactus Studio
A little Q&A with our good friend Aron Leah from Fried Cactus Studio who did all the branding for Rune and the graphics for the Rufus Stone.
We have worked together quite a bit on other projects with Relic but how did your approach differ when it came to starting the branding for Rune. I know we talked about it a good amount beforehand but where did you draw your inspiration from for the branding and first frame graphics?
I guess the biggest difference was actually branding your new venture as apposed to creating something for an existing brand. It was great to be able to ask questions and talk about your vision for Rune, your ethos, influences and your audience.
Your idea of using places local to Dorset (where we live) to name the frames really interests me. Each place has its own history so the challenge was to use the right parts of that history and combine it with everything else we’d spoken about, to create something that resonates.
You have created your own unique style now and I know I have drove you a little crazy in the past trying to get you to do things that don't line up that well with your style. You told me to let you take the reins on this project which I was totally open to and you nailed it. Was it hard for you to steer Runes direction down a different path to what we have usually done together?
Haha, listen we’re friends so it’s all good! I started as a graphic artist working in a variety of style, we worked together a lot during a time when I was developing and trying to push my own illustration style.
There’s always a few doubts here and there on any project but it was really fun interpreting an unfamiliar subject matter. It’s not just what an object looks like in my illustration style, but what an idea or story looks like in that style and will it look good. Plus as it’s branding and being used on a product it needs to function as a piece of design.
After we spoke about the overall vision and direction for Rune, it was clear that it needed to be something a little different to Relic, which has a darker aesthetic. It was always going to come out in a way I interpreted it, but I think we also left room for your input which gave it a connection to Relic and BMX.
The head tube badge was a big focus for us both and I know you were super excited about that part. Did it take you a long time to get to the place it ended up?
This was kind of a big deal for me. I grew riding BMX so it was a great opportunity to design a head tube badge. It’s pride of place, it’s like the finishing touch!
They’re smaller than you think and as they’re machined, so there are certain size and detail limitations.
The final illustration was part of a process where we combined parts of the Rufus Stone story, put our own spin on it and have influences from both of us.
Distilling all of that into a simple illustration took the exact right amount of time haha!
We have ridden bikes together for a long time now. Was it exciting for you to be able to design graphics for a bike? Also which bike brands that you are a fan of could have inspired you?
Yeah I’m stoked! I’ve wanted to see my work on a bike frame of this quality for ages. I’m proud of the outcome.
I looked back to brands that aesthetically impacted me the most when we were younger. Brands like Terrible one, FBM and Bicycle Union. Heavy use of illustration and fun.
I used to buy bike parts based on the artwork a lot of the time. I just tried to keep that thought in my head the whole time and somehow pay homage to what those brands did with their artwork so well.
What keeps you motivated from project to project? What daily things are you doing to get your mind outside of work so that you can have space for new ideas to come?
My family mostly. I’m aware of how blessed I am to do this for a living so it’s not hard to come into work as I love it! But my family is what drives me.
Allowing new ideas to come is mostly trust in your ideas and confidence in yourself. At least for me, so I try to leave room for the things I like and take my mind off the pressure that can often build up.
I kind of walk around sometimes looking for distractions justifying that procrastination is part of my process haha. It definitely works (for now).
I find if I’m stuck on something the best thing to do is just leave it and come back to it. Do something so completely different to the problem and just watch how a solution will appear.
As always working on this new project with you was a treat. Looking forward to more in the future, cheers mate.
Really appreciate it man was an absolute pleasure as always!
You can find more of Aron’s great work on his website
https://www.friedcactusdc.com/