Artist / Designer Interview 4 – Krzysztof Domaradzki

1. How long have you been a graphic artist?
It’s been almost 5 years since I started doing graphics. Before that I had had no experience with computers. I studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan / Poland, where I majored in Drawing and Metal Techniques. But frankly speaking, ever since I was a small child, I have always devoted most of my time and energy to this particular area: even as a small boy, I just couldn’t stop drawing and always carried a crayon or a pencil in my hand…
2. What inspires your work?
In the beginning, it was man as such that was in the center of my interests: my diploma, entitled ‘mild deliria’, was all about being engrossed in man and the issue of what he really is – it was very dark, painful, gloomy, but in the end I guess I just wanted to see human body in my own way, that is, to lean towards its mortality and learn something from it.
At present, I can easily say that almost everything inspires me! There are so many things around, all those movies, books and music – way to many to mention. And there’s the internet – you can just reach for something, whatever it is that you want, and take it, experiment with it, get influenced by it or just smash it into pieces. Let’s take ffffound for example – that’s total freedom right there! It’s huge.
3. What media do you work in and why?
I mostly use pencil and pen, but I cannot imagine my life without some computer tablet and the computer itself. Treating it as just another tool, I re-master the sketches and drawings by adding some type and other stuff, putting it all together with some fine textures and additional re-mastered photos.
In the end, I hope I can create my works through different approaches trying not to linger over the same lane for too long. As it is for the future, I would definitely love to learn type one day and do some motion for a change, but time will show…
4. How would you describe your style of artwork?
Ever since, I finished my studies it has always been about mixing the traditional with the digital, experimenting with various techniques and styles. I don’t think I can describe it any other way than ‘freestyle’. Though one may say that hardly anybody knows what that term really means…
5. Do you do any initial sketching or planning before starting a new piece?
Yes, I got that from the Academy. But these preliminary sketches are usually very brief and more of a sample, intended rather to give me a certain feel of what’s to come. I simply can’t wait to finally start drawing or working on the Mac – that’s the real deal for me and that’s where true experiments are born…

6. Which artist most inspires you?
Francis Bacon, Anselm Kiefer, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Max Klinger – these were my idols when I studied at the Academy. Now, there are also Non-format, Build, Grand People, Von, James Jean, Mario Hugo and many, many others. They are all – so to say – my dearest friends, even if they don’t realize that, since they all make me want to push harder forward. Thanx guys.
7. How do you reconcile business with being an artist?
I think I’m still learning the business side of my profession, plus my wife is very helpful, when it comes to all this client talk and all that. Surely, it would be best not to think about selling any of the works, but life isn’t it like that. I guess that the most important thing is to have the ability to say ‘no’ from time to time and be able to create something personal or just to relax and take a break for a second. It clears your perception and in the long run enables you to go on.
8. What words of advice would you give to any aspiring artists out there?
Nietzsche once said: ‘a Yes, a No, a Straight Line and the Goal’ – I entirely embrace this credo! What else? Be yourself. Work hard. Stay inspired. And don’t forget your beloved ones!
9. I’d also like to detail any forthcoming exhibitions/work that you may have?
No exhibitions in the nearest future for me, but I am working on a few quite cool projects, such as the new VW Scirocco website or a series of animal illustrations one of which was featured in the KDU’s Solstice Book. Right now, I’m also in the middle of a personal project for a PS3’s Burnout Paradise – a game that blows my head away each time I turn it on … I want it to be a sort of tribute to games in general and we’ll see how it turns out…
More of Krzysztof’s work can be seen at www.studiokxx.com