Interview: Jesar One

For the first time, there's an interview with a german designer. Heiko Klug, better known as Jesar One, is an awesome 25-year old german graphic designer. Like a lot of artists he also started with doing graffiti and the changed to the digital medium of art. Very successful as you can see. Visit his personal portfolio at Jesar-one.com First of all we would like to thank you for taking the time to provide Abduzeedo.com with this interview. Please tell us more about your art and design background and what made you become an artist and designer? I would self-title me as an artist, not an designer. I don't know why but maybe it got something to to with the "designer" hype. everyone titles himself/herself as a designer. I don't want at be part of it. i think every started at the age of 14, I painted graffitis. I really get late to the digital artwork. I work with photoshop since 2003. a friend of mine told me about the 2d program and I start to trace my sketches in photoshop and add some images and textures to it. it was just a question of time till I got deeper into photo-manipulation and 3D. I always loved to paint with pencil and paper, I'm not a great painter but since I was a child I painted a lot. the times just chances, pencil and paper become a computer and a wacom tablet. its hard for me to define my work. I think its a mix of photo-manipulation with 3d elements in surreal way. I love to work in tiny details and its not easy for me to define a pictures as "finished" Your work is pretty unique and full of creativity. Where does your inspiration come from? Tough questions. I think inspiration comes from everywhere, you just need to look closer. motion pictures and music is a big inspiration for me but also traditional artwork. I can get my inspiration really from everywhere. Could you describe for us your typical 'start to finish' workflow when working on a design? At first I started often with a sketch in my sketchbook and it stay there for a while. I got a little a5 black book with me when I'm not home and if got an idea or see an interesting shape or something like that I sketch it into my book. as I said the ideas stay there a while till I move on and work on them. the need to grow a bit. sometimes a great idea doesn't interested me anymore a week later. I only start the project when I still love that sketch, the idea weeks later. I often work further on the sketches and refine them. when I got an exact idea what it should look like I start the work on the computer. when I need 3d elements I shape out those first and then move on to photoshop and do the composition. I often also use the time before working to search for stocks or do them on my own. I often work like the most artist I think. in photoshop I do a rough composition and than I work on the details. color correction, clean up and light comes last. when I got my work finished its the same with the sketches. I keep them a while for my self before I publish them. only when I like it a week after finishing I publish it. What are your tools of the trade, both hardware and software? At the agency I work with a mac but at home I got a quad core pc with 8 gigs of ram and 1,5 terabyte storage. I also use a intous a4 wacom tablet. as software I use photoshop cs3 mostly and 3dsmax6. What, for you personally are the pros and cons of being a designer? How does your job as an artist and designer influence your life? Do you feel that you see things around you differently for example? Its nice for the ladies... I'm just kiding hehe. well, its nice to bring your ideas your feelings in a form, printed, or just on the screen..what ever. its great that you can share this with others. in germany you also can live very good from being an artist/designer. the bad thing on that is really terrible: its hard for me to define something as "good" you know what I mean? when somebody shows me some photos of their vacation, simple vacation photos, I cant look neutral on this, I analyze everything, composition, lightning and so on..its hard to keep it for my self, ask me friends they often roll eyes when they ask me about a photo hehe. what I mean is, I cant look netral as normal person to advertising, paintings, films...almost everything art related. I always analyze the stuff I see, if I want to do it or not. What are your coming projects? Im very busy at my full time job at the moment. I'm working as digital media designer in a design agency in cologne. I don't got much free time last time. at the moment I'm doing more photography. you know its summer here and if I got some free time I don't want to spend my free time in front of the computer like I do in my job. I need a bit distance so I only do my personal client stuff at the moment, like an illustration for a polish mineral water concern. i also got my last cubic series piece in the making but it will take a while till I finish it. its the most detailed picture of this series yet. ...hm and yeah like I said, I did a few shootings in the last days. I think I will extend my portfolio with a photography section so you all can have a look. also a blog for my portfolio will come, where I will post work in progress pictures of my work, some photography..and so on. but I think it will also take some till the blog is online. What are your favourite 5 websites, and why? Uhh..you got me. its like the question "tell me your top five songs". well okay. lets start: cgsociety.org massive of inspiration, tips and cg news I visit this site every morning when I come to work. cpluv.com also a good news center for the design culture fubiz.net a french design blog, also with some nice news you don't find on every blog microbot.ch the personal portfolio of my friend david, I love this website, its so nice animated and full of little details. google.com surprised? well I honestly visit this site most, if you need anything you will find it, its free its fast its good hehe. Once again , thank you very much for the interview. As a final word, do you have any tips for upcoming artists and designers? I also thank you for the interview. final words are not easy. I'm asked often for tips for upcoming artist or designer, well I only can say, do you thing, your own thing. don't follow any trends and be patient thats maybe the most useful tip. it will take time till you can produce your work exactly the way you wanted. never stop training be open for new technics and don't forget to read the some good art specific books.