Meet Blake Dumesnil | Senior Art Director & Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Blake Dumesnil and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Blake, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Beaumont, Texas but moved to the Houston area when I was 2 years old. Growing up around NASA, astronauts, and the aerospace industry, I was fascinated with spaceflight but never believed I would ever be a talented enough engineer or scientist to work in the industry. Throughout high school, my interests in art, design, and filmmaking drove me to study cinematography and graphic design as an undergrad at Stephen F. Austin State University from 2002-2006. Upon graduating, I decided it was a bit more practical and stable moving back to Houston and pursuing graphic design as a profession rather than moving to California to pursue filmmaking. It turned out to be the right move as I very unexpectedly landed a job within the aerospace industry at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 2007 doing camera engineering work on the digital still photography cameras that flew aboard the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. In between engineering projects, I began doing a little bit of graphic design work here and there for NASA and participated in a few internal design competitions. One such competition was to design the final patch design commemorating the end of the 30 year Space Shuttle Program in 2010. Mission patches are an iconic staple of NASA’s history and are quite literally badges of honor that define programs, missions, projects, facilities, and more. Many organizations within NASA do not feel “official” until they have a patch design of their own that symbolizes what their missions and objectives are. As my mother worked at NASA when I was a child, she would bring home mission patches the employees were given for each flight and as my interest in art was budding back during elementary and intermediate school, it had me wondering who had that awesome job of designing mission patches for NASA? Could I possibly make a career out of being a graphic designer at NASA?! The competition to design the Space Shuttle Commemorative patch was the key that unlocked the door to that path. The design I submitted was one of 95 designs submitted that were then downselected to 15 for employee voting and for the NASA management to make a final selection from. Of the 15 finalists, I was elated and honored for my design to have not only won the popular vote, but also be selected by NASA management. The patch design became rather iconic across the NASA community as a symbol for the end of the Shuttle program. To be an artist seeing their work in space alongside so many engineering and scientific marvels that make human spaceflight possible was thrill and privilege that is hard to describe. Now, 15 years later, I still find myself creatively excited and challenged working as a Senior Art Director and Graphic Designer at Johnson Space Center (JSC). I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to work with a variety of astronauts on official mission patches for ISS, Soyuz, and SpaceX flights – over 15 mission patches and counting when you combine them all – in addition to creating large scale murals at JSC and Space Center Houston, NASA’s official visitor center in Houston. Had I not grown up having a very personal connection to America’s space program, I don’t know if I ever would have landed in an industry that is driven by some of the smartest people I know; astronauts, engineers, scientists, mathematicians, geologists, and so many more. But my love for art and belief that it can have an impact in any type of industry, combined with my parents believing I could make a good career out of being designer, made me strive to prove that even artists have an important place in the innovative world of human spaceflight.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe that one of my greatest skills as a designer is being able to visualize what a client is looking for; taking a basic concept or written idea and translating that idea into a design that best speaks to who the client is or what their product is. I find that the most effective forms of commercial design are ones that create a vibe or style that evokes an emotion and feels “right” for what the subject matter represents. I am drawn creatively to designs that tie back into pop culture or reference a specific art movement that feels like it accurately captures the essence of the content being advertised. You often hear about having an “artistic eye” for something and I find that to be a very true skill artists have. While art can be completely interpretive, I do find there to be, not necessarily “right” or “wrong” ways of designing something, but rather “good” and “better” ways to create a design that strikes the right chords. I believe that the way I interpret and client’s brand and how I successfully develop the right look and feel around their brand is something I am blessed to excel at.

The role of any artist no matter what their medium is, is that of a storyteller. I have learned that any type of design, no matter how mundane the subject matter might be, can evoke a feeling and a story and I always make sure to approach projects with that goal in mind.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have always felt that Houston is a city of hidden gems and is a wonderful city to explore. Whether its unique restaurants, hangouts, parks etc., Houston offers a great variety of things to do and see. My favorite area of Houston is the Hermann Park/Museum District area and is a place I never hesitate to bring friends or guests to enjoy the zoo, museums, or a walk in the park.

When it comes to hangouts, Houston has a wonderful selection of craft breweries that are fun whether you partake in the drinks or not – Saint Arnold and Saloon Door Breweries are high on my list. The classic arcade scene in Houston is spectacular to visit if you’re up for some interactive gaming fun with friends – Joystix Classic Games & Pinballs and the Game Preserve are true highlights, while the best underground arcade, hands down, is a private pinball speakeasy called The Wormhole.

If I have a guest that has never been to Houston, then I always insist on showing them Space Center Houston and NASA’s Johnson Space Center for a look at a very rich, unique part of Houston’s history.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am grateful to my parents who had faith in my decision to strive for a career as an Art Director and Graphic Designer which has allowed me to work creatively within a professional environment. When it comes to a profession related to the arts, a lot of times there can be concerns over job stability therefore I am so appreciative that my friends and family saw the potential I had in working towards being a professional designer.

I would also like to thank some longtime coworkers of mine on the Johnson Space Center Engineering, Technology, and Science contract at NASA that believed in and supported my ability to apply a fresh creative perspective to how our work is marketed which has led to my 18 year career as a designer.

In addition, I would also like to recognize and extend my sincere gratitude to the NASA astronauts who have given me an opportunity to collaborate with them on developing the official mission patches I have created since 2010 – Chris Cassidy, Kjell Lindgren, Reid Wiseman, Tom Marshburn, Nick Hague, Zena Cardman, Nichole Ayers, and cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. Their trust in me enabled me to build upon the over 60 year history of NASA mission patch design and show that there were still plenty of fresh techniques and approaches to explore.

Lastly, I would like to thank the incredible pinball & arcade collector community in Houston for their tremendous support of both my aerospace design work and entrusting me to let my imagination run wild on designs for the amazing variety of classic arcade and pinball businesses in the Houston area – major thanks goes to Joystix Classic Games & Pinballs, The Game Preserve, Barrels of Fun Pinball, the Houston Arcade Expo, Wormhole Pinball, and the Texas Pinball Festival.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlakeDumesnilDesigns

Image Credits
Blake Dumesnil