Where are you from? When did you begin making work?

I used to live on the beach in Pacific Palisades, CA but will be relocating to Seattle in a month. Drastic change. I’ve been making art my whole life but I only started making it with serious intent in 2011. From that point, I only started making money from it in 2013.

Your work is very colorful. Does this mirror the rest of your life? Where does your interest to color come from?

I love color, candy, and chaos in art. I think it is a reflection of myself but also something I try to steer clear of. I love chaotic music, movies, etc but I am a very calm and quiet person. I think my interest for color started when I was little watching The Simpsons and Ren & Stimpy. From there I was interested in video games, surf culture, and horror movies. I think this foundation is very fluid through the themes of my work.

Can you take us through a day in your studio? What does your process look like?

I have a big collection of images that I use to collage. I don’t usually start with a specific idea, I just open a blank document and start creating. I try not to spend too much time with each image because I like it to have an impulsive and energetic feel to it, kind of like a stream of consciousness.

You incorporate collage with illustration. Did you always work this way? How has your style changed over time?

I used to work with traditional paper collage and painted, taped, and glued things together. So in that sense I think it has remained the same but instead I just introduced the digital aspect. I think my style is still evolving. I revisit a lot of the same themes but try to push and tweak them further.

What are some upcoming plans you would like to share with us? Exhibitions, publications, shows? 

I am finishing up a collaboration with a dog leash/harness brand called LEEDS. They donate a lot of sales to shelters. I think its really cool because I have a rescue dog and I was able to create some cool and colorful products for a good cause.

Tyler Spangler is a graphic designer currently based in California, soon to be a Seattle resident. His work shifts between collage, dramatic lines, and a bold color palette. Bybringing together black and white photographs, with striking colors, his work illustrates the old with the new.