Artist Spotlight: Brendan Lyons

He shot his shot and now he’s a winning NASCAR Cup Series paint scheme designer and becoming a vital asset for Spire Motorsports’ digital and marketing efforts in more ways than one — all at age 23.

1️⃣ How did you get your start designing?

I started drawing cars when I was really little, but my first real attempts at designing came in NASCAR ‘14/15 and Forza Motorsport 7. Both games gave me a lot of leeway to do whatever designs I wanted. The only problem was I didn’t know how to take actual screenshots, so I would take photos of my TV to post them instead. It looked so bad.

Eventually, I realized I could use a drawing app on my phone to make concept schemes instead — which felt easier and gave me more freedom — so I did that for a year or two. Then, in 2021, I finally got my own computer and began doing schemes for NR2003 [NASCAR Racing 2003 Season], rendering them, and making proper graphics with them.

2️⃣ Where do you turn for inspiration?

I play video games a lot in my free time, mainly stuff from Nintendo and racing games like NR2003. If I need a bold creative idea or even something small like a graphic bug, I tend to look there. Interesting game mechanics, locations, and UI elements are things that I typically keep an eye out for.

I tend to take a lot from my own experiences and memories of growing up as a fan as well, like old paint schemes I thought were cool, and iconic moments that I can make fun references to.

3️⃣ What project of yours personally are you most proud of and why?

Michael McDowell’s Tide paint scheme from last year.

I have a huge die-cast collection, and my very first one I had as a little kid was a Ricky Craven Tide 1:64, so the opportunity to do an official scheme for them meant a lot to me personally. I even brought that same die-cast to the shop with me one day and got a photo of it next to the real thing.

4️⃣ What's your ‘trademark’ style that helps you stand out from other designers?

It’s still so early in my career that I still feel like I’m figuring it out, especially with how varied a lot of our sponsors are, but I like using bold lines and movement that can direct a viewer’s eyes across the composition.

I pretty much exclusively worked on paint schemes when I first started designing, so the abstract shapes and flowing designs you’d see on a car influenced me a lot more than traditional graphics did. I also really like using vibrant colors whenever I can. I’m obsessed with the ‘90s/‘00s era of paint schemes with deep metallic paint and bright Day-Glo colors that can stick out in a pack of cars.

5️⃣ How did you end up landing at Spire Motorsports for your first full-time professional job in NASCAR? 

I was just shooting my shot, really. Spire happened to have an opening at the same time I was graduating college, and they were willing to take a chance on me. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t be ready for something like this so quickly, but it’s been an incredible experience so far.

6️⃣ Now being full time with a race team, what were some of the initial challenges or learning experiences you faced when you joined Spire one year ago?

The attention to detail that’s required took a little bit to get used to. When I was doing concept designs, it didn’t matter if I forgot a logo or if the colors were wrong. Now, when I’m rendering a scheme, I have to make sure every individual decal is right. At first, I would get frustrated with myself for missing simple things, but as time went on, I started getting better at catching those things.

Designing with limitations was also an adjustment. I spent so long designing for myself basically, but now I have to find the sweet spot for something creative that also matches our brand and appeals to our sponsors’ needs.

I have a lot of creative freedom at Spire, but when I first started, I was still feeling things out and worried a lot about overstepping. I played it safe more often than not, and looking back, I think there are a few projects I could’ve done more with had I felt more confident in myself.

7️⃣ Spire’s social-media design style has brought a disruptive but cohesive look. Can you give readers a peek behind the curtain for the process, and how it goes from idea to reveal?

The unique look we have on social media is definitely something that our marketing team is proud of. Over the offseason, I built out a few templates that include a lot of the design elements we use regularly, which has definitely made the process easier and helped keep things consistent.

There’s so much going on each week that everything typically needs to get done pretty quickly. Usually, a lot of my process for making graphics involves finding nice photos or render angles to start with and mixing in abstract design elements that match our brand. The rounded rectangle in our badge logo has been a constant element in Spire’s graphics package since the rebrand last year, and it’s become a tool I use to create interesting patterns and add movement to the design. I’m currently the only full-time graphic designer on our team, so I have somewhat of a “jack of all trades” type role. This year alone I’ve worked on paint schemes, stat graphics, race posters, multiple graphics packages and templates, 3D renderings, logo designs, firesuit mockups, sponsorship sales assets, merch, and there’s probably more that I can't remember. There are times where it can feel like a lot but it’s also helped broaden my horizons as a designer and make me more versatile.

8️⃣ How did it feel to see Daniel Suárez win the Coca-Cola 600 in a car that you designed?

It’s something that I’ll cherish forever. Just to have paint schemes that I designed on track was something that I spent so long working towards, and I knew there was a good chance that someday one could win. I just never would have pictured it happening like that, and in a crown jewel race too!

A year ago I was hoping that one day I might maybe have an opportunity to work in racing full-time, and now it feels like I’ve had a front-row seat to some of the biggest stories of this season.

My mom was at the race with me too, and it meant a lot to share that experience with her. I got to show her the car on the grid pre-race and take her to victory lane after the win. We watched the end of the race from atop the No. 7 pit box too, which was really cool.

9️⃣ With one year under your belt at Spire and a ‘Designer Dub’ already, what’s another goal on your list to achieve there?

A design sweep — where I design every Spire scheme for a single race — is definitely next on my list. Hopefully, as I continue to grow my presence at the team, those opportunities to do paint schemes will come up more often and make it possible. Someday, I also really want to see one of my paint schemes race at my home track, WWT Raceway, where I attended so many races as a fan and was an intern before landing my position at Spire.

🔟 Share a design tip for people just getting started.

Find an outlet to express yourself and just keep creating. So much of my growth as a designer came from taking advantage of any tool I had at my disposal to get my ideas out there, even if I didn’t have any professional software at my fingertips.

For more, follow Brendan on Instagram or follow Spire Motorsports on Trading Paints.