Get to Know the Man Behind the OIL Uniforms

The 14 franchises in the OIL1 recently unveiled new uniform sets. In some cases, teams released new logos or completely re-branded their franchise. But, whether it was a refresh or a re-brand, one man was behind all the work: Andrew Krause of AndrewKrauseDesign.com. Commissioner Cliburn did a Q&A with Krause so his work could be showcased and the OIL could know him better.

Some of Krause's work displayed at his website.

How long have you done graphic design?

KRAUSE: I’ve been a graphic artist full-time coming up on two years, previously I was an educator in the Boston Public Schools system. While I’ve only been full-time for a short period, I was always drawing logos and the like in notebooks at school or at home with those weirdly scented markers in the early 90’s.

Where do you live?

KRAUSE: I’m originally from Plymouth, Massachusetts but moved to Boston about 8 years ago when I turned 20. I’ve bounced around from neighborhood to neighborhood but have settled in the Allston section of the city, sandwiched between Boston College and Boston University. Neither of which I attended, but I hold BU hockey close to my heart.

What type of clients do you typically serve?

KRAUSE: Hard question to answer, I serve a wide variety of clients. Anywhere from you guys to the NYC Food Bank. My expertise is in sports branding but I have no trouble straying from the course if the job is interesting.

How many designs do you typically do in a month?

KRAUSE: It can vary, summer months are usually the quiet ones – mostly by choice. The work really kicks up between October-May.

What are you favorite types of projects?

KRAUSE: I don’t necessarily have a favorite type of project per se, just ones where the client allows the designer to trust in their vision.

What are your favorite logo/uniform designs?

KRAUSE: My favorite design as of late has to be Joe Boscak’s work with the Hershey Bears. They did a great job capturing the feel of Hershey while also maintaining a classic brand for the Bears. Stunning work. The Dallas Stars come in a close second. They weren’t in need of a brand overhaul, but they sure knocked it out of the park.

Do you play fantasy football?

KRAUSE:  Who doesn’t? I’m in a rather hotly contested league and another with a ragtag group of hometown friends. I’m not the best fantasy player out there, but I did win a championship with Tebow at the helm three years ago – I’m oddly proud of that.

As you should be. Does your team have a logo/uniforms?

KRAUSE:  They do, but I won’t share. It’s essentially Tim Tebow and Mr. Hankey combined. I’ll let your imagination take over from here.

Which OIL franchise did you enjoy designing the most? Why?

KRAUSE: I’m keen on the look of the DARC NARCS. The basis of the design was an 8-bit video game with the not-so-blended gradients. That red uniform is probably my favorite in the OIL. The Roughnecks, of course, get an honorable mention as that being the sole franchise I designed from the ground up.

How can fantasy football owners contact you about designing their franchise?

KRAUSE: A simple e-mail to Andrew@AndrewKrauseDesign.com will suffice. We can continue the discussion there.

What would you recommend owners provide when they request franchise design or re-brand?

KRAUSE: I usually like to have them fill out a four or five question card which includes mostly their thought process on how their name came about. Fantasy football names are pretty egregious and/or have an inside joke connection. It helps to get the owner's viewpoint on the name before beginning work. Colors are pretty helpful, as well.

What work are you most proud of? 

KRAUSE: My work with The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is easily the staple of my portfolio. We started from the ground up with them. When I signed on all that was certain was Frasier Davidson was going to make some killer team logos, which he did. Outside of that work, they left it up to me to design each of the 32 entrant’s uniforms, signage, gear, programs. A lot of work, but it was satisfying to see such a big project come to fruition.

Thanks for all the work you've done for the OIL, Andrew. We'll keep in touch. 


If you want your franchise to look as good as those in the OIL, send Andrew an email and discuss your ideas with him. It will be worth it.