Sebastian König

Illustrator

Pictograms for a smile

Sebastian was a graphic designer before turning to illustration as his profession
Art school is where he discovered his love for drawing
His work is characterised by a reduced aesthetic

Before Sebastian König consciously chose a career as an illustrator, he worked as a graphic designer. Even though he has always been creative, it was his drawing teacher at the School of Visual Arts in Alsterdamm who instilled in him the love of drawing. "As a result of Michael Mau's instruction, I was able to look at any object until I recognised what its unique quality was." Otl Aicher's work for the 1972 Olympics was also a great source of inspiration for Sebastian. Pictograms are an essential part and strength of Sebastian's artwork. With just a few shapes and a limited colour palette, he is able to convey complex stories. His illustrations remain lively despite their minimalism. He achieves this not only by using stylistic devices such as colouring the surface with coloured pencil and adding hand-drawn lines, but more importantly by expressing his quiet sense of humour through his work.

Interview

How do you balance commissioned and freelance work?: Commissions often present me with challenges I could never have imagined. Having said this, I always strive to challenge myself with my freelance work. Keeping a routine and discipline helps me stay active and in the flow. In the morning, for example, I draw freely for at least half an hour.
How did you shift your career from graphic design to illustration?: Around 2015 I decided to only take on illustration projects. However, I still enjoyed working with typography and continued to use it for my free projects or as part of an illustration. Using type in this context allows me to be much more creative and experimental than if I only illustrated.
Do you feel that your commercial training helps you today?: My commercial training was in a publishing house where I gained experience in all areas of publishing, from marketing to accounting. This has helped me publicise and market my freelance work, as well as handle accounts and numbers properly.
In your career, how do you think you have grown or developed?: Through all the challenges I have overcome and the tasks I have set myself, I feel like I have accumulated a wealth of experience that no one can take away from me. I am concentrating very strongly on free drawing. In my opinion, something made by a person's own hand and body has a distinct character that will distinguish it from artificially generated work.

Sebastian König is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2015