Ryden's aesthetic is developed from subtle amalgams of many sources, from Ingres, David and other French classicists to Little Golden Books. Ryden also draws his inspiration from anything that will evoke mystery: old toys, anatomical models, stuffed animals, skeletons and religious ephemera found in flea markets. He designed artwork for prominent musicians including Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator", Michael Jackson's Dangerous (1991) and Red Hot Chili Peppers' One Hot Minute (1995).
Ryden was born in Medford, Oregon on January 20, 1963, to Barbara and Keith Ryden, and was raised in Southern California. His father was a painter who also restored and customized cars. He has two sisters and two brothers: his brother Keyth is also an artist and works under the name KRK. Ryden graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena in 1987.
From 1988 to 1998, Ryden worked as a commercial artist. During this period, he created album covers for prominent musicians, including Danger Danger’s debut album Danger Danger; Warrant's debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich; Michael Jackson's Dangerous; the 4 Non Blondes' Bigger, Better, Faster, More!; the Red Hot Chili Peppers' One Hot Minute; Scarling.’s Sweet Heart Dealer and their alternative vinyl cover of So Long, Scarecrow; Jack Off Jill's Clear Hearts Grey Flowers; the Screaming Trees' Uncle Anesthesia; Marcy Playground's Shapeshifter; and Aerosmith's Love in an Elevator. He also created book covers, including the Stephen King novels Desperation and The Regulators. He continued to do so until his work was taken up by Robert Williams, a former member of the Zap Comix collective, who in 1994 put it on the cover of Juxtapoz, a magazine devoted to "lowbrow art".

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