Ik Willem #1 Feb. 2016 | Page 16

What would you like to accomplish in your career? Well I would definitely like to work abroad some time in the future. Tokyo for example has always inspired me. Things are so different and innovative there. I think a different country could inspire you to create things you might have never created if you stuck to familiar surroundings all the time. Going back in time, what was your Whenever you can I recommend you first music album? literally cross borders to get inspired. Haha, the first album I ever bought? Well that was Deff Rhymez – de “Good work is subjective, but allergoeiste! No joke. That was the first album I bought as a kid with my dad to give a “pc” answer I would in the free record shop! Bless the free say that good work is effective record shop, forever in my mind. work, it needs to reach you on their arm! And a really, fucking big version of it as well. This was such a strange and surreal feeling that someone would want my creation on their arm forever. Of course the main motivation is because of their affection for Yellow Claw. But it still felt like an honour, it’s really quite an intense feeling. Can you give me an example in the way you cross your boundaries? Well it might sound cliché, but I honestly don’t like a comfort zone. In the industry I work in you’re constantly confronted with deadlines, this means that you need to deliver good quality work in a short amount of time. Because of this time pressure, there is not a lot room for research. You basically learn, while working, to challenge yourself. Obviously the biggest growth comes from working freely. The kind of work you make on a laid back Sunday, that’s the moment to try new things. Although it’s easy to stick to what you know, because you’re certain you’ll deliver, its better to not stick to one thing. Unless you found your signature style, then believe in it, really commit, and stick to it long enough so people will notice. emotionally, in any way possible, and communicate with you” Do you have any recommendations to inspire your fellow creatives ? If I can give you any sort of advice; watch John Cleese on creativity! Before there were Ted Talks there was this man. It takes about ten minutes and you can find it on Youtube. He explains everything about the creative thinking process. There are some interesting pointers about how to use your creativity when solving a problem, but no more spoilers. They helped me improve my creative process and I still use these elements every day. Any more inspiring words ? Don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t compare yourself too much to others. I know this is hard when constantly being confronted with talent on social What do you think you learned most media but if you believe in yourself, do something that fulfils you and work from Willem de Kooning? If I look at what I learnt most from my hard enough, success will come on its academic studies I must say its putting own. your ego aside and learning to deal with critique. Another thing I definitely “Don’t compare your beginnings learnt in school is that sometimes to someone else’s middle” you have to make something, work on a project or create a concept about something that you might not like or feel passionate about, this definitely taught me about how things can go working for clients sometimes. Now and then you need to struggle to grow. 15