An illustration split into two panels. In the top panel, a figure with a strawberry for a head talks on a blue telephone amidst lush green foliage. A red banner between the panels reads “NEW DAY IS CALLING”. Below, a stressed person in a suit holds a green smartphone in a sterile, blue-toned office.

Nike pattern designer Jeremy Pettis' psychedelic illustration side project

Words: Lucy Bourton
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Date: 16 January 2017; Work
Illustration

Jeremy Pettis has two sides to his design personality. Alongside being a designer on the print and pattern team at the Nike world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Jeremy creates vividly bold illustrations in his spare time. His output is like a Jekyll and Hyde character of consistently brilliant illustration.

It is a wonder how Jeremy manages to juggle a full-time job at Nike and regularly upload his illustrations to tumblr. The graphic artist explains he’s able to do this by allocating specific time to his sketchbook. “I have a weekly (Wednesday night!) passion ritual where I draw at least one page in my sketchbook by any means necessary,” Jeremy tells It’s Nice That. “This not only keeps my PMA in check, but is also a nice way to break up my computer saturated week.”

The results are wildly vibrant felt-tip drawings that represent a genuine enjoyment from the illustrator. Jeremy’s work is melodic, outlines merge into one another filled with a psychedelic colour palette. “My artwork,” he explains, “is definitely a result of my father exposing me to his underground comics from the 60s and 70s at a very young age, and his encouragement to emulate them.”

An illustration of a dense, colourful pile of stylised fruits and vegetables. The composition is a crowded mix of shapes including an avocado, a banana, and sliced citrus fruits. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of two hands shaking in the centre of a colourful, psychedelic composition. Above them is a rainbow arch and abstract shapes, while below is a block reading “ONE” surrounded by green stars and interlocking forms. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a muscular green figure with a red, textured head holding a spear aloft. They wear a gold chain with an “H” pendant and a large, pink sneaker as a skirt. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a headless, red-skinned figure wearing a cropped yellow top that reads “ANAL” and green shorts. They hold a gun in one hand and make a peace sign with the other, standing over a severed head. The text “TRUST NO ONE” is written at the bottom. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a pink, wide-eyed character wearing a yellow football helmet. They are surrounded by floating pink shapes, green leaves, and a white daisy. A blue game controller sits at the bottom next to the purple text “CONTROL FREAK”. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a frog and a strawberry playing music together. The frog wears a yellow shirt and tie while playing a violin, and the strawberry plays a saxophone. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a person in an American football kit and helmet, holding a futuristic blue gun and a football. They are emerging through a hole in a red brick wall into a green, pipe-filled landscape. Above them, bold blue lettering reads “PORTALS!”. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a muscular figure with a masked head standing against a yellow brick wall. A hand holds a smartphone in front of them, displaying a pixelated character on the screen. The image is framed by a chain and red droplets, with a red rose at the top. Stylised text reads “PRO-FOUND HUMAN” above and “MISERY” below. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration divided into panels. One shows a red rose entwined in barbed wire, another shows praying hands before a smiling sun, and a third shows a hand holding a smartphone. The words “ANCIENT SAVAGERY” are written in bold, green lettering across the bottom. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of two pink hands holding a blue smartphone against a pale yellow background. The screen shows a person wearing a Nike T-shirt, framed by a jagged orange burst. Bold, colourful text reads “LONELY” at the top and “OBSESSION” at the bottom. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a person wearing a red spotted helmet and a green mechanical mask. A thick tube connects the mask to a device on their chest, set against a yellow sunburst background. A heavy blue chain hangs to the right, and a large red flower with green leaves sits below. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a surreal, colourful character with a red circular head perched atop a green, boxy machine. The machine features a smiling face and a white flower, with a pink Nike sneaker emerging from the bottom. Bold red text at the base reads “Reborn”. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a person wearing a green beanie and sweater, holding a mask of their own face. Their actual face is replaced by a red, polka-dotted surface with a small, smiling blue character in the centre. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration divided into panels with a bright, psychedelic colour palette. The top left shows a smiling sun and a pink cloud emerging from a green magician’s hat, while the top right features a red rose beneath a yin and yang symbol. A rainbow curves across the bottom, alongside the text “Penetrating the Illusion” and three stars. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration featuring a person in a green jacket and a red-spotted helmet holding a blue rifle against a brick wall. Above them, bold colourful letters read “SOCIAL” and below them, red letters read “DEFORMITY”. At the bottom, a pair of handcuffed hands hold a tablet displaying the scene above. Red droplets fall across a green background. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

An illustration of a vintage computer with green plants growing out of the monitor. A hand holds a cigarette, releasing a thick trail of green smoke that curls upwards. — Above
Jeremy Pettis

Further Info

www.jeremypettis.tumblr.com

About the Author

Lucy Bourton

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Lucy (she/her) was part of the It’s Nice That team from 2016–2025, first joining as a staff writer after graduating from Chelsea College of Art with a degree in Graphic Design Communication, eventually becoming a senior editor on our editorial team, and most recently at Insights, a research-driven department with It’s Nice That.

Nike pattern designer Jeremy Pettis' psychedelic illustration side project

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