“I think this boy’s cheese slid off his cracker…”
Pete Combes is a Sydney based designer and creative director who has spent the last decade creating artwork and animation for music, events and culture.
After seven years in-house across TMRW Music / Ministry of Sound, Central Station Records and Sweat It Out, Pete went out on his own and now works independently with artists, record labels, festivals, venues and brands across Australia and internationally.
Long before moving to Sydney, Pete grew up on his family’s sheep and cattle station in Lue, country NSW. Most of his younger years were spent riding motorbikes at Louee, his family run motocross complex.
His love of wild graphics, bright colours and anything a little left of centre can probably be traced back to the motocross culture of the 90s and early 2000s. Loud bikes, even louder graphics and plenty of colour.
RÜFÜS DU SOL, Dom Dolla, Lime Cordiale, Genesis Owusu, Royel Otis, Purple Disco Machine, Luude, Partiboi69, Teenage Dads, Spiderbait, Slim Dusty, ONEFOUR, Odd Mob, Amy Shark, Tentendo, Becca Hatch, Go Jo and plenty more.
Universal Music, Sony Music Australia, triple j, Armada Music, Gallery Recordings, Ourness, Future Classic, Central Station Records, Sweat It Out, Chugg Music, Bondi Lines, Second Sunday alongside independent labels, promoters, venues and artists.
Pete likes getting involved early, taking an idea and figuring out what the whole concept could look and feel like. Not just making a poster or a record cover, but building a visual direction that can carry across a release, tour, event or campaign.
There’s no set style or formula. The work changes with the artist, the music and the project. Sometimes it’s clean and considered. Sometimes it’s loud, rough, strange or completely cooked. That’s half the fun.
Based in Sydney, working everywhere.