Man, myth, legend, and nothing less than a sexual dynamo, Joshua Ariza hails from Costa Mesa, California.

If you haven’t heard of Josh yet, don’t worry—you’ve probably seen his work splashed across everything from surfboards to beer cans to babies’ foreheads, to T-shirts so cool they practically give you abs worthy of Kiehl’s.

A designer, illustrator, and all-around creative "man among men," Ariza has quite literally carved out a name for himself with bold graphics, a wicked sense of humor, and an uncanny ability to make apex predators (animals, not humans) look even cooler than they already are (which is saying something).

Ariza’s artistic origin story starts when he was a mere schoolboy, in a magnet program for art.

(Basically, he was that kid always sketching in the margins of his notebook instead of paying attention to algebra.)

With the help of some teachers, he pursued design into college, where one professor saw his talent and landed him a saucy gig at Billabong.

That job catapulted him into the world of commercial design, where he learned how to make graphics that slap—on anything from wetsuits to Ferraris.

Ariza’s style is all about high-energy graphics, punchy colors, and just the right amount of weirdness.

His biggest inspirations? The legendary Phil Roberts, Jack Davis, Jim Phillips, your mom, and the masterminds at House Industries.

Their influence helped him develop his signature style—equal parts nostalgia, edge, and “Why didn’t I think of that?”

His philosophy?

Clothing optional...

Just kidding. (But not really.)

“Stop thinking of art as just art—think of it as something that belongs on everything.”

So, what’s the secret to Ariza’s success?

It all boils down to one simple question he asks himself after finishing a design:

Do I like looking at this?

Follow-up question:

Do I like looking at this more than I like looking at your mom?

If the answer is no to either, it’s back to the drawing board.

If the answer is yes? Well, chances are, we'll be seeing it on a T-shirt, lesbian seagull, or medieval sword.