#39 THUMBS: Building a Pop Culture Brand & Designing for Blink 182

The VFX Process Podcast #39

Jamie chats with THUMBS about building his brand focused on pop culture and how he was commissioned by Mark Hoppus of Blink 182.

Nick Thompson, also known as THUMBS, is a West London-based artist who has built his brand through a love for 80's and 90's pop culture. His work includes paintings, prints, apparel, and collectible toys, filled with an incredibly nostalgic feel by breathing new life into his favourite pop culture icons, including The Simpsons, Marvel, DC, Disney and many others.

THUMBS also integrates a significant musical presence into some of his designs, combining pop culture characters with artists such as MF Doom, Beastie Boys, Biggie Smalls, and Blink 182.

We delve into how Nick built THUMBS Art & Design from stickers in a skate shop to the globally recognised brand and family business it is today. THUMBS has showcased his art in exhibitions around the world and has been fortunate to collaborate with brands such as Virgin Galactic, Xbox, Hello Kitty, Deadmau5, Looney Tunes and even the Chicago Bulls.

We discuss how Nick utilises social media as an artist/brand, how he has perfected pop culture characters in his art, and how he navigates copyright issues with his designs, which prominently feature multiple intellectual properties (IPs).

As a huge fan of Blink 182, Nick designed a limited edition poster combining The Simpsons with the cover of Blink's legendary live album 'The Mark, Tom & Travis Show'. This led to the bass player, Mark Hoppus, becoming a fan of THUMBS, purchasing a print, and later commissioning Nick to design a bass guitar for their 2023 world tour.

The VFX Process... Getting Intimate With Your Industry!

Accompanying media:

Discover THUMBS click here

For the video podcast click here