Rogier De Boeve is a talented designer who has decided to share his work in an interview with our readers. Rogier is currently getting his masters in graphic design from a Belgian University. In our interview Rogier explains why he chose to go to school for design and how it has benefited him so far. On top of that we also discuss his use of geometrical elements in his art, as well as what helped him flourish into the designer he is today. Be sure to check out this interview with Rogier de Boeve.
Q Welcome to Psdtuts+, please introduce yourself. Could you tell us where you’re from and how you got started in the field?
First of all thank you guys for the feature! For those who don’t know me, my name is Rogier de Boevé. I’m 23 year old and I live in Belgium. I currently study Graphic design at the University of Hasselt and I freelance whenever I can. I started about 5 years ago making signatures. I quickly got the hang of Photoshop and started experimenting on a larger canvas. Being part of art groups gave me the confidence to start a career as graphic designer so I though it maybe best to attend art school for my development as a designer.
Q What was your first experience with Photoshop? And tell us how you have evolved as an artist since then, what lessons have you learned that stuck with you all these years?
I have to say that Photoshop was very hard to understand it at first. When I saw other artists who where also using Photoshop, they all seemed virtuosos to me. The first time I opened Photoshop I was completely clueless. So I searched the Internet for tutorials. They really helped me figure out on how the program worked. I think it’s really important that you know a lot about these tools. It’s trough this knowledge that you can stand out from the rest with an original approach. Take layer masking for instance, a very simple tool if its applied the right way it can lead to spectacular effects. But you just got to take the time to learn it first.
Q The three “Altered” illustrations are very interesting abstract pieces that you created for the latest SlashTHREE exhibition. Please walk us through the creative process behind them.
The idea was to start from a basic geometric shape like a circle or a triangle and from that I tried to alter it into different forms. For me these pieces where pure experimental but I obviously put in some elements I regularly use. The artworks where primarily created in Photoshop in combination Illustrator and Cinema 4D. The sand texture that I used in these images were from a picture I took at trip to the beach. I used this texture because I really liked the crispness of it. When I started to cut the image in pieces along with some vibrant colors it started to look like some kind of glitch if you know what I mean. So I went with that, and added some small digital elements that enhanced the futuristic look.
Q Many designers now decide to skip school and go straight into looking for freelance work, but you have done the opposite and are pursuing a masters degree. Why did you make this specific decision instead of trying to find work without a degree?
To be honest I didn’t feel confident enough to start as a freelance designer a few years ago. I did not have any insight on what was going on in the graphic design business. Another factor in my choice to attend art school was simply the fact that I had the opportunity. So I thought why not take it? I mean, the life of a student is pretty cool. Being a student grants a lot of time to learn and experiment. So it’s actually an ideal environment to develop as a designer.
Q What are the benefits of enrolling in an art related program in a University?
I think the most important benefit of being in a University is the ability to work along people who have the same interests. Those people can provide you an honest critique that will eventually help you discover new things that you can’t learn on your own. Also watching other students develop over the years gave me a better view on what’s important for being a successful designer.
Q You seem to use a lot of simple geometric shapes in your illustrations that you then blend with intricate imagery, what exactly draws you to this specific style?
To me it doesn’t feel like it is a specific style that I should stick with or take into account. It just comes naturally. It’s not exact science. I see it as a summary of images that inspired me through my life. I think the thing that interests me about futuristic images is that it doesn’t imitate reality but it gives the opportunity to create a world from scratch. That’s what Art it is all about. It’s my interpretation on what kind of design the world is evolving to.
Q Throughout your experiences in graphic design, and other studies, what is the most important lesson you have learned? Why do you find it so important? And how do you apply it now to your art?
The most important lesson I’ve learned so far is that you have to get over the fact that not everybody likes what you like and failure is always a possibility. It’s more important how you deal with failure. If you do nothing then nothing will change but if you work it then success might be there for you one day. If you read the story behind most successful people, you will find out that they all are maniacs at what they do. So don’t just plan on working more but try to actually do it.
Q Thanks again for providing Psdtuts+ with this opportunity to interview you. Any final thoughts for our readers?
My advice to the readers is, try to keep searching for new ways to improve your art. And don’t panic when an artist block is holding you down. It’s good to struggle sometimes. Struggle keeps you sharp and can lead to the next level. Just keep observing the thing around you closely and inspiration will come eventually.
