Brandon Laskowski Interview!

SD:Where do you get the inspiration for your shoe designs?
BL:Early on in my customizing it began as solid colors so inspiration was not much more than preferring a certain color. Then the techniques and ideas that myself and other customizers used in the early 2000's took cues from patterns or graphics that Nike had used in the 80s and 90s. But now I would say trying to create a new format of a light up design for a new custom or taking a subject and seeing the best way I could translate that topic into shoe form. I also love looking at graphic design books or magazines or websites.
SD:So when did you begin to decide you really liked art?
BL:I remember just enjoying art Fridays during elementary school. As well a few of my friends would sit around and make drawings of anything from basketball players to monsters. Funny thing is a lot of artists that have created random characters I look at like damn I wish I would have kept drawing stuff like that when I was a kid if they are making a name for themselves now. Not to say anything I ever drew was amazing. The same enjoyment kinda grew in middle school where I started drawing original shoe sketches, nothing fancy...more like doodling. And more in high school I just never took more than one or two basic art classes of which I wish I would have spent more time in.
SD:If you could collab with anybody on any kind of art who and what would it be?
BL:Man tough question. I'm not really in the loop with all the famous artists in the pop, street, or graffiti, etc. genres more than being able to mention some of their names. But I think a project with someone who's passion is photography, or someone really into making videos and filming would be a fun project. As well as a slew of other different customizers...most should know who they are...and eventually we'll all work on something in some way or another.
SD:Final question: What future projects are you working on or would like to work on?
BL:I've got some big plans its just a matter of time. More importantly changing my laziness and improving my time management. Starting over the summer and continuing now I've been creating a few new setups with the light up custom shoe concept. They promise to be much improved upon anything I've done before. I should have a few released on the website within the next month, FINALLY.

For a while I've wanted to create a product that can be easily mass produced and I think I actually have a viable idea right now that I'm working on, yes it is shoe related. Aside from that I also own the blog: www.PaintOrThread.com which is strictly about custom shoes. I've run a few contests this year so in 2010 I plan on improving upon those contests, improving the website, and helping to further the subculture that is custom footwear.