How did you come up with the idea for your design?

Well, the specs of the design challenge were to create a retro gaming related t-shirt. The winning design was actually the last one I came up with so it almost didn't make it into the competition. I did a few quick ideas first and then took a break from it to work on other things. This is when I get most of my better ideas - when I am supposed to be doing something else.

The 'joystick' device has changed a lot over the years and people tend to associate gaming with joypads these days, so an old fashioned style joystick seemed like a good choice. I am a big fan of retro games and created this design by trying to remember an old joystick I used to use on the Commodore 64. I didn't bother looking up what the actual one looked like until I had finished as I wanted to be careful not to use an existing design.

What do you like about designing?

Its a wonderful creative outlet, whether its designing t-shirts, adverts, Web sites or anything else. Its a great feeling to see an idea become real and actually get used. Drawing has been a hobby of mine since childhood and its fantastic to see all the practice and hard work over the years pay off. I am just waiting to see someone walking down the street in this t-shirt now!

What are you working on at the moment?

I am lucky enough to always have freelance Web work on the go although most of it these days is more to do with Web programming or Flash than graphic design. I am also desperately trying to find time to update a game I created some time ago. An American games producer approached me about it recently and has offered to publish a commercial version, if I ever get it finished. There just isn't enough time in the day!

If you had to be stranded on a desert island which three books would you take with you?

I am embarrassed to say I don't read much fiction anymore. I seem to only get to read software manuals these days, but I was bought a collection of Quentin Tarantino scripts recently which are very good. I always liked 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' (Philip K. Dick) too which was the basis for the film 'Blade Runner'. I've always wanted to read 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' (Douglas Adams) but never got around to it, so I would take that too.

What was the last great album you listened to?

Sadly, there aren't many modern artists I would buy albums from. I tend to go for older rock like Led Zepplin, Fleetwood Mac and Van Halen. The most recent album I listened to all the way through is only few years old; 'The Fat of the Land' by the Prodigy. Its a great album for pushing your subwoofer to the limit and a favourite of mine.

Zappo has worked on the following designs: