Phish, Primus, Dave Matthews Band, The Black Keys, “Django Unchained,” “Breaking Bad” ... illustrator Rich Kelly has created posters for them all. And in 2015, he’s working with four more fan favorites: Aprihop, Festina Peche, Punkin Ale and Piercing Pils!

Rich, who lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, is creating fresh artwork for each of our seasonals, and once again, you'll see the work on labels, T-shirts, posters and more. 

Get to know Rich in the interview below, and check out his killer portfolio here! (You'll have to wait 'til next year to see his work for Dogfish, so stay tuned!)

How long have you been an illustrator?
I have been an officially licensed illustrator since 2007. Even though those first couple years were pretty lean, they still count right?

Why did you choose to become an illustrator?
The combination of storytelling and imagery has always been alluring to me. As a child I would fill up pages and pages with narrative drawings, making picture books held together with Elmer's glue. I devoured "Where's Waldo?" and "Calvin and Hobbes" and drew comic book characters in my notebooks at school. My parents always encouraged me to follow these creative pursuits, but it wasn't until college that I realized that there was a name for all of these great visuals: illustration. At first I tried to focus on editorial work for magazines and newspapers, but when I started to get into the poster world I knew I discovered something really quite special.

We have a saying we use a lot to talk about our beer – "Analog beer for the digital age." – could you tell us a little bit about how you use analog and digital techniques to create your work?
My first love is the simple act of drawing with a pencil. The dark grey of the graphite across the coarse texture of paper, allowing your hand to act almost independently of your brain, it's invigorating. That drawing remains at the foundation of everything I create. Digital techniques then come into play when I start to work on the color of a piece. I can easily try out several different palettes and shift values until something clicks.

Poster for Dave Matthews Band

How is approaching posters based on beer brands different than, say, a movie, a band or a specific personality? Does your process change at all?
The process is remarkably similar across the board. Before I start drawing I take plenty of time to research. With a band poster I'm listening to their music and reading interviews. With this project I studied the brewing process, the elements that go into each specific beer as well as the aesthetic and culture of Dogfish Head. Only after taking in all of that information do I feel like I can begin to craft an image that will complement the client's needs.

How much input do your clients give on content?
Every job is different but as a rule I'm always happy to receive as much input as the client is willing to give. If I have a clear understanding of their needs I can do my job better. I'm fortunate to have worked with a lot of folks who are primarily fans of my work so there's a trust right from the start. As with this project, when a client says, "We really are just excited to see what you come with," I know that the experience will be enjoyable.

You’ve worked with a lot of big names, and at some point must have worked with bands or actors or directors that you really love. Do you ever step back, pinch yourself, and think, “Wow, it’s really cool to be a part of this creative world”?
Every day! When I started getting into this poster work I essentially started emailing bands whose music I loved. When you hear back from the manager of The Black Keys that they have some work for you it's a pretty surreal feeling. Similarly, every time Phish goes out on tour I'll hear from their creative director with any number of projects ranging from posters to T-shirts to the art that is printed on their tickets. When I entered the professional world seven years ago I had no idea any of this was even possible and I'm extremely grateful for the opportunities that I've been given.

Poster for Phish

What do you like to play with when you’re drawing something? Composition, size, color … all of the above?
The creative sandbox for me is in the initial sketches and the proportions of all of the different elements. I like to play with the shapes of different components, seeing how they overlap and how those intersections can inform the composition. For example, what shape should this apricot tree be so that it complements the statuesque yet brawny pose of our Paul Bunyan character? Or how curvy can I draw our tattooed lady while still making her proportions believable? I try to walk the line between realism and caricature.

Who do you admire in illustration, past or present, and why?
It's a constantly evolving list, going back to the Brandywine Valley school with Howard Pyle and N.C. Wyeth all the way to my peers in the current poster scene. People like Jes and Dan of Landland, Drew Millward, Sonny and Biddy of We Buy Your Kids, and last year's seasonal artist, Jermaine Rogers. With the latter group the admiration comes both from the art that they create but also from how they are making a living doing what they love. It's truly inspiring.

At Dogfish, we’ve learned to embrace the intersection of art (in liquid form) and business. Was that ever tough for you?
It wasn't so much tough as it was just a method of trial and error. As a one-man shop I've had to figure it all out as I go. Fortunately we live in a time where there are so many resources available to guide us, not to mention the countless others who have gone before us and can offer nuggets of wisdom and advice. It also helps that my wife is not only more creative than me but she's a marketing pro. She has been invaluable to my growth as an artist, a businessman and a human being.

Check out more of Rich's work here.