We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Erik Besteman ("EB").
Erik is a versatile 3D-designer and inspired illustrator. He is also a professional, positive, wonderfully creative and quite personal. Erik likes to make beautiful work, thinks much about the things that matter and is passionate about images. For him no high-flown theories, but prompting by empathy. Erik doesn't take life to serious. A sense of humor and self-knowledge keep him on track.
Erik Besteman Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Erik Besteman.
Designer Interview of Erik Besteman:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
EB : I've always drawn pictures when I was young. After many different crafts, I came into contact with computer art. Then I knew that was what I wanted to do. I'm basically self-taught but have attended classes at a design school in Rotterdam. I experience the profession in diverse studios over the years. Started in a small studio and taught the subject independently. May and may now recognise me as a professional considering my work and the duration of my work. Do still this work as loving and motivated as 20 years ago.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
EB : A small 2D & 3D Design studio with an eye for detail and a passion for beautiful image.
DI: What is "design" for you?
EB : A shape that stays with you. It's something easy to remember and you're happy to confirm.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
EB : Detailed, technical and spatial work I like the most.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
EB : A Leolux bank (model Wizard) because of the organic forms. Gispen office chairs because of the industrial nature.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
EB : 2D formatting of newspaper advertisements.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
EB : 3D technology in all its shapes and expressions I find very interesting.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
EB : I feel the most creative when I make an assignment asking for my creativity and technical background. And early in the morning, I'm at my best after a good cup of coffee.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
EB : What message do I want to tell or what should be told or communicated.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
EB : The emotions range from frustration if something is technically difficult to solve to euphoria when you have come up with a solution. The most beautiful emotion is when you get into the flow. Then everything goes on its own and time is no longer relevant.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
EB : If a design/illustration is ready and I can let it go, it's done, I feel calm and good.
DI: What makes a design successful?
EB : If the image or shape remains a reminder. A nice or just good memory.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
EB : Does the design communicate the right message. Is it performed correctly for the right audience?
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
EB : The responsibility of a designer he or she has for society and the environment is that design adds something that adds value to society and the environment.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
EB : What I think and what I see now are two different developments. Not all designs are based on an addition for man and environment.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
EB : My inspiration comes from lyrics from songs, music is a wonderful source. Inspiration from books, I like reading and much inspiration from movies.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
EB : I love technology and many details. Art Deco and Art Nouveau (Art Nouveau) have both a technical and a detailed form of design. Art Nouveau is very detailed. Art Deco is more technical. Both shapes are beautiful.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
EB : I live in the Netherlands and is thus influenced by DutchDesign. DutchDesign is very broad in her expressions and has an interesting history that goes beyond the borders of the Netherlands. Today, we live in a fairly transparent world where design is no longer so easy to redirect to country or culture. I think that's nice too.
DI: How do you work with companies?
EB : The best way to describe this is that I try to listen carefully. If you want to work together you must listen carefully to no the communication went well. listening is vital.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
EB : Respect the designer in who he or she is and see a designer as an addition to your ultimate product. A good designer is someone with knowledge and experience. So accept positive criticism of a good designer. It will benefit your product.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
EB : Listen carefully to the client's question. Then I do some sketch work so that everyone knows where the design goes and that I understood the assignment correctly. I then work out the assignment in a number of stages.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
EB : Take risks and define yourself as an extraordinary designer at you’re one level. Don’t be special. Just be yourself.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
EB : Positive; My hobby is my work. Negative; A lot of people seems to think that the no more about colours and form than you ;-)
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
EB : Create your own style and work it out for the rest of your life.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
EB : The most important ones are those you can teach yourself. Perseverance and faith in yourself.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
EB : I work a lot with Cinema 4D and plugins, the Adobe packages and Vue Infinity.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
EB : I'm using a calendar ;-) It is sometimes very useful to realise that a design costs a lot of time and that is what it is. Stress arises when we think time is missing.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
EB : Depends strongly on the question asked about the design. Sometimes you also need to make a semi-finished product (3D print), and then you are working on the technical aspect of the design. And that takes also some time.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
EB : Oh, you're making also technical illustrations? I tell everyone that I'm doing illustrative work with a technical background. When I introduce myself as an Illustrator most people believe that I make book covers with a pencil. And it is just more than that.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
EB : Making lenticular panels. This was a new technique for me and asked for a new approach. There are a number of rules that give you a brilliant lenticular quality when you apply them. A second important experience is the discovery tour with the software plug-in for Cinema 4D; VRay. Not very simple but a very educational process.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
EB : 2012, PublicDomain Architects, 3D animation, Sailing into the future. 2013, Myboodle, 2D and 3D design of SocialMedia website. 2013, Formatz, 2D designing Naughtycons app. 2013-2016, Alklima (Mitsubishi Electric) 2D and 3D climate concepts. 2013-2017, Akoestiekfabriek, 2D-3D illustrations, acoustics artwork. 2015, Communication agency The Line, Bizon, hydraulic press. 2016, Communication agency Conquest, 3D water treatment. 2016, Communication agency Van Hulzen, BMT, Mercury plant.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
EB : Technically in a very broad sense of the word. Since I like to work in detail, building a landscape is as energetic as illustrating a machine component. Both expressions are technical because, for both expressions, some technical and sometimes even physical knowledge is needed. Certainly, if the illustration has to be displayed in a photo-realistic manner.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
EB : Constantly developing my skills. This is a process that I greatly appreciate. I certainly want to join the next "A Design & Award & Competition" next year. This was my first league and I learned a lot of it.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
EB : I work alone. And sometimes I work with several other people who apply their specialism in a joint assignment. And that works also for me.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
EB : Well, right now I ‘am building castles in 3D as an exercise for my modelling and animation skills.
DI: How can people contact you?
EB : Via my website by the contact page. http://www.bestontwerp.nl/contact?lang=nl Or you can give me a call. That’s on the same web page.