Hail Reaper: A Red Rising Podcast Official Red Rising Artist: Joel Daniel Phillips
Sep 6, 2021
In this lively discussion, Joel Daniel Phillips, the mastermind behind the original art for the Red Rising series and co-owner of Shit Escalates, shares his creative journey. He dives into the artistic process behind the series' iconic sigils and maps, revealing the influences of Roman and Soviet design. Listeners will love his anecdotes about nurturing community engagement through exciting merchandise drops and a global sticker competition. The joy of artistic collaboration and the thrill of surprise releases make this conversation a must-listen!
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How Joel Met Pierce
- Joel met Pierce when he was 18–19 through Joel's brother and initially disliked him for 25 minutes. They bonded over art and writing and became immediate collaborators and friends.
Kickstarter Sparked Shit Escalates
- A Kickstarter for Joel's Red Rising maps started as a small print project with a $5k goal and unexpectedly raised about $54k. That success convinced Joel and Pierce there was real demand and seeded what became Shit Escalates.
Small Team, Big Impact
- Shit Escalates is a very small, mostly part-time operation run by Joel with three helpers rather than a large company. The brand's rapid growth surprised them but remains a lean creative team.
