About Me

You might wonder why I'm called Sutton. It's simple—I prefer to go by my last name, which has become my go-to name in the professional world, to alleviate any confusion about what Michael people refer to.

I was an active participant in BMX and skateboarding for 10 years. What drew me to BMX and skateboarding was that they were physical activities that weren't the norm, a departure from what a typical teenage boy does for fun. My memorable moments were the summers spent together in our niche little group, challenging ourselves to improve and learning new tricks. We spent hours moving dirt with shovels to create new dirt ramps. It's an interesting mind game to commit to bunny-hopping a bike at a moderate speed over a set of stairs made for walking down.

The action sports aesthetics have significantly influenced my design style. At that time, the internet was in its infancy, so we devoured various skate and BMX magazines as a communication platform every month. The look and feel of the magazines were loud and had a maximal graphical impact. Furthermore, influences came in the form of album art and posters for the music I listened to then. For instance, I thought the 'Black Flag' logo was ingenious. Locally created content came in the form of zines that often took bits and pieces of typography, handwritten text, typewritten text, and images and made a collage of it to produce a mini-magazine known as a zine.

This type of inspiration led me to conceive ways of branding products that are disruptive and opposite of the norm. For instance, the visual identity system for Motto and all the collateral produced for the brand/product reflect this influence.

My experience in action sports has shaped my approach to problem-solving and creativity in design. No fear and failure are part of the process. Becoming an expert in action sports or design takes dedication and acceptance; both are easy to start but challenging to master. Never expect immediate success. My approach to problem-solving has been influenced by action sports because, like problem-solving a design problem, action sports challenge you to think critically about a situation and involve using logic and reasoning to interpret and analyze information and make a thoughtful decision.

Although my body has taken a beating, leading me to retire from action sports, I remain an avid biker and go to the gym religiously. However, I feel that I've aged out of that community.

Tony Hawk is an athlete I look up to. He was able to transform skateboarding into its modern existence. Designers who inspire my work include David Carson, Saul Bass, Milton Glaser, and Paul Rand. David Carson, in particular, resonates with me because, like my choice to partake in action sports, he questions cultural norms and challenges the viewer to ask what is considered 'good design.'

Recent projects like "Straighten Smarter" and "Motto Patient Education" showcase my ability to create strategic, visually engaging, and user-friendly designs. Let's collaborate to elevate your brand and craft memorable digital experiences.

~Michael Sutton // hello@callmesutton.com