Dilly Manahan | Designer
FM Founder

Dilan Manahan, better known as Dead Dilly in the art world, is a seasoned graphic designer making waves across the Internet with his subversive creations. From sneaker melts to film covers and clothing designs, he looks to challenge the status quo in ways that appeal to his own tastes and interests. As he once said in an interview, “Design is not about being the best at using your tools. You become good at using your tools by doing creatively satisfying projects that may have no external merit.”

Having grown up in small towns his whole life, Dilly has a refreshing perspective on the industry. For instance, although he holds that "ideas are infinitely inherent," he also believes "we see a lot of the same because of the influence of the Internet. When you study someone you can easily take the easy route and create b-grade replicas of their work. The real challenge is to pit yourself against them creatively and see how you can create from the digital landscape they have set."

As for advice to those who do covet his position in the creative sphere: "Just do it. Keep going. I hate most of my old work but I also understand that it was essential in building my repertoire. At the end of the day pure ideas are all that matters. Way too many kids are focused on the final product or becoming some time of design-machine. Being human sells. Focus on ideas, then composition, and only then worry about finessing everything else."