Interview with Martin Hoffmann

I have been interested in design since my youth. My ability to draw formed the basis. Drawing and photography were fun and challenged my imagination. Early on, I developed an affinity for logos and fonts, for creative experiments.
After finishing school and other courses of study, I decided to study communication design at university.

Priorities: The first step is to learn as much as possible about the topic. Only when I understand and internalise what it is about, what I am designing for, can I develop new ideas and create a design that is exactly right. (1st aspect)
It is important to me to design freely, without scissors in my head, to go further and to cross boundaries. To be the toughest critic myself and to always scrutinise the designs. (2nd aspect)
The technique: For free designs, the first scribbles with pen and paper. Then, depending on the design object, the designs with the appropriate programmes.
The style: Clear forms, clear design according to the principle "less is more". Pay attention to the details. I often remove elements to see whether it is better or worse afterwards. (3rd aspect) The result is a clearly designed style that is nevertheless customised to the theme and conveys the right amount of emotion.

Rousseau, reluctance, curiosity, obsession, frustration, elation, criticism of one's own designs, questioning one's own abilities, motivation, flow, lightness, enthusiasm, perfectionism, satisfaction.
The whole journey is exciting, the development, the struggle, the beginning solution, the sudden rush of work, the emerging results, the satisfaction of the final work.

Discipline and organisation at work: Creative work requires a lot of discipline. Especially when developing ideas, they often don't just come to you but have to be worked out step by step. It makes sense to optimise your own work with appropriate organisation.

Analytical thinking and scientific research of background information: In order to develop the right design, it is essential to familiarise yourself with and understand the context.

Economic thinking and acting as a self-employed person: Design is a creative process, but it must also be calculated accordingly in order to earn money successfully.

Growth also based on continuous training and learning new design technologies. My future plans include expanding the client structure, e.g. working with design studios and participating in international design competitions.
My dream design project in the field of design would be to work for large, renowned clients. Developing the visual identity and brand strategy in collaboration with specialised departments.

Be free in your thoughts. Don't allow any scissors in your head (they will come anyway). Go further than you think you have to/can go. Be your toughest critic. Be an expert in your field, if you don't know something get information. Be open to other impressions, other approaches. Pay attention to the details and don't forget the big picture. Be authentic.

Believe in yourself and don't let your work be criticised, but be your harshest critic. Always question yourself and your work. Think through your work completely and you can explain it everywhere. Get to the bottom of things before you make a design. Recognise your value and don't let yourself be paid less than you're worth.
Put your heart into it.

Cappuccino, check emails, check the day's to-do list and rush into work, realising that the hours have flown by and it's already lunchtime again. Or the project is so exciting that lunchtime is also postponed. In between, you check and answer emails and make phone calls. If there is not so much deadline pressure, switch to another project to clear your head. Oh, it's closing time again?

When it comes to design or software websites, I constantly follow the information on trends. Basically, I keep my style, but I'm always optimising it with the latest design elements or typography.
I also experiment with new styles in illustration and now also draw with very reduced, two-dimensional elements.
In photography, I use or develop presets that give my pictures a contemporary look, but without changing my style as such.

Formal perfection, coherence of content and the ability to create a feeling.
Is it aesthetically coherent, functional and does it appeal to me?

A design is finished when nothing needs to be changed, adapted or corrected for me. When every detail is right, when nothing has been forgotten. When the visuals work, when the content is conveyed appropriately and understood. When it fits even after some time and when I look at it again.

It is a medical illustration of the musculature using the female body as an example. A novelty. The illustration shows all the muscles in a spatial, realistic style. The poster is almost 130 cm high. However, I have kept the entire illustration in a very pleasant aesthetic that radiates a beauty of its own. The face in particular shows graceful features; the mouth, nose and eyes radiate a feminine delicacy. The interesting thing about it is that this delicacy neither covers nor disturbs the anatomical details, but pleasantly overlays them and makes the picture a pleasure to look at. This picture won a bronze award, but cannot be published.

Otl Aicher, David Carson, Neville Brody, Ansel Adams, Peter Lindbergh, Annie Leibovitz

I run my office as a solo freelancer. I get support when needed. We also work as a creative team on client projects. It's important for me to be able to rely on others. On quality, reliability, team spirit, respect and honesty. The same applies to business partners. The challenge is to be a creative designer on the one hand and a planning businessman on the other.

1. taking part in the competition gives you the opportunity to look at your own work again from different perspectives, including in theory. Writing down and formulating ideas, thoughts and feelings allows you to experience the design process once again in a very intense way. Describing details, procedures and intentions and writing them down in an understandable way is very intensive work and a deeper identification with the work.
2. winning a prize is a wonderful confirmation of the quality of your own work. It acts as an energy boost for creativity and leaves a very positive feeling.
3) I see the prize as the perfect support for the customer's reputation and appreciation. The customer is satisfied and feels more than ever that they are in good hands and will continue to be looked after by an award winner. For your own reputation and presentation on the website or in corresponding media channels, the award gives you an invaluable reputation.

Beautiful shapes, good designs, intelligently developed logos, using reduction to depict the essentials.
My ability to draw formed the basis. To depict something with pictures, true to the motto that a picture is worth a thousand words.

It was my own decision.

I work in three areas: graphic design, illustration and photography.
In the field of graphic design, it is the wide range of visual communication from logos, corporate design, brochures and posters to websites and animations.
In illustration, it is medically complex representations, spatial representations, cartoon figures, visualisation of complex processes.
In photography, it's reportage, racing, landscape and product photography.
I enjoy the mix and it provides creative input for other areas.

Believe in yourself and don't let your work be maligned, but be your harshest critic. Always question yourself and your work. Think through your work completely and you can explain it everywhere. Recognise your value.

Get to the bottom of things before you make a design. Put your heart into your work. Have the backbone to represent your design.

In my opinion, a really good design must combine two things. It must be formally coherent and at the same time fulfil its task perfectly. What use is the most beautiful design if you don't understand it or it's awkward to use?
That's exactly how I would judge it: does it fulfil the aesthetic requirements and does it fulfil its purpose.

For example, well-designed communication can make information easier to understand.
If a sign has the effect of avoiding errors or mistakes, for example, a life may have been saved.
Good design also appeals to the sense of aesthetics, creates a pleasant environment and promotes well-being.

A motorbike for a well-known manufacturer.

Don't settle for your first best design, but don't forget it either if you're at a creative dead end.

Otl Aicher, David Carson, Neville Brody, Ansel Adams, Peter Lindbergh, Annie Leibovitz

Not an easy question, many possible answers. For example, the Porsche 911, an iconic shape, timeless and recognisable for many decades, at least for the first 30 years. Or a Leica M, clearly functional, well thought-out and minimalist with highest quality. Max Miedinger's Helvetica font, clearly reduced, legible, versatile and again almost timeless. David Carson, who broke the rules with his creations and created a new perspective for me as a student. Milton Glaser with his simple yet ingenious idea of the New York logo.

There are a couple of favourites from different jobs and areas of work that still make me smile. But prioritising one work is not easy.
These designs are special to me because when I look at them, I can still see details and solutions, the way they were created is still very clear to me and I am really happy with the result.

Be free in your thoughts. Don't allow any scissors in your head (they will come anyway). Go further than you think you have to/can go. Be your toughest critic. Be an expert in your field, if you don't know something get information. Be open to other impressions, other approaches. Pay attention to the details and don't forget the big picture. Be authentic.

Instead of communication design, maybe industrial design (vehicles) or architecture.

Design is the aesthetic and functional organisation of different parts of everyday life with the aim of creating an effect.

I want to remain modest and not talk about heights here. But the support of my partner/family is a very, very important driver.

The openness to look at things from a completely different perspective. To always question your own work as a critical observer.

Design and creation are not an end in themselves, but should convey the client's wishes in such a way that the desired success is achieved. The challenge is always to combine both sides in such a way that good design is maintained and the customer's objectives are fulfilled or exceeded.

You should stand behind your work completely and represent it authentically.

I can't say at the moment, I'm working on it and then something new will come.

Gold or Platiunum

Perhaps inspiration?

To do this, we need appropriate content. I see design (graphic design) as a medium to convey the content.

A new series of pictures. Will the result again be such that I enter a competition with it?

The two Bronze Award wins in 2024 and 2023 mean, in addition to satisfied customers, additional recognition of the design quality of my work by an expert jury at international level.

A corresponding feedback to the software industry that good design cannot be created in the blink of an eye, easily and in seconds by any layperson, if you only have the right programme on your smartphone.

Design and creation will always exist, but are constantly changing. Now with AI. AI can and will take over many tasks in design.
The important thing is that creativity, responding to the customer, to the content, empathising in order to develop better ideas, still needs people to develop the human touch.

That depends on the object form hours to days or even longer.

For me, it is essential to know exactly what the project is about, to get to know the details, to find out the characteristics. To familiarise myself with the new topic, I research as much information as possible which I analyse. In this process, I may make notes or scribbles on a piece of paper, which are then used to create further developments.

Less is more. Only when you can't take anything away is it good.

Very good design, new design stands out and sets new trends.

Technology is a very good tool. However, it is no substitute for your own creativity to develop something new.

Macbook pro, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, Indesign, Character Animator, After Effects, Firefly, Chat Gpt, Behance, design books, typo books, paper and pencil

Colour is an important element. With the right colour, you can create the desired effects.

I welcome new designs, new ideas and the skilful realisation.

Yearbooks on award-winning design, books on typography, photo books

Don't stop learning. The better is the enemy of the good.

The awards bring a certain smile to my face. Famous? No, I'm not and I don't attach any importance to it.

When a new order arrives, it's the perfect motivation.

No, but I wasn't bad at drawing back then.

How would the Romans have imagined the year 2025? Let's hope we're not tripping ourselves up.

That was already a lot. Don't let anyone else start snoring here

My design office creative solutions in design, photography and illustration. Thoughtful design, expressive photography and precise illustration make connections understandable, build trust, and communicate ideas clearly.

Good design is self-explanatory. Good design works. Good design does not need a description of what - how - where - why.

These are not easy jobs. Work that challenges you, that you have to put yourself in, internalise and understand. Then you have to develop something new and different from it, something that has to fit perfectly. In doing so, you have to observe design and formal principles and perhaps even break them. Whether it's logos or complex diagrams, illustrations from unusual perspectives or the soul in a photo.

I don't have a special one when you ask me about my creations. They are the designs that you can't get enough of. The ones you like to look at again and again, with a smile and a good feeling. There are illustrations, logos and websites that I like to look at again and again.
One of my favourite designs is the BMW R90S from the early 70s. A shape that is timelessly beautiful for me and that I have loved since I was a child. Or the Porsche 911 from the late 60s.

These were packaging labels for my first employer and the layout for a folder.

My Leica Q3 and my Canon R5 and the right lens.. The Mac with Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator and other programs

When I've already put some thought into something and I notice how a good feeling builds up. When things are going well, one thing leads to another.

To test whether it is understandable. To look at it again and again from a different angle. To go a little further than planned. To remove elements to see whether it is better or worse afterwards.

Disinterest, curiosity, obsession, frustration, elation, questioning one's own abilities, satisfaction, perfectionism

Contentment

Formal perfection, coherence of content and the ability to create a feeling.

Is it aesthetically coherent and does it appeal to me?

How can I contribute with my ideas and my design to do my part for a future worth living?

Design and creation will always exist. But the job profile is constantly changing. From print to digital, now with AI. AI has come to stay. AI can and will take on many tasks in design. The important thing is that creativity, responding to the customer, to the content, empathising in order to develop better ideas, still needs people to develop the human touch. Unfortunately, many people are led to believe that design is as simple as a few clicks. Especially from software manufacturers who have earned their money with professionals for decades. It hasn't got any easier in the creative industry.

There has not yet been an exhibition. Should a suitable exhibition arise, I could well imagine taking part.

Keep your eyes open.

Clean, cleanly designed, with soul and heart
I am an advocate of good design based on the principle that less is more. Make it easy for the viewer and offer them a visual feel-good atmosphere to bring them closer to the theme. And yet there is that little bit of contrast in the design to make it more interesting and give it a special character.

In Germany, more precisely in Bavaria. Our culture and our history are a part of us. Much is based on it, consciously or unconsciously, in acceptance or rejection. I found the style of the Blaue Reiter artists inspiring. Bauhaus and HfG played a role in my studies and were also partly reflected in my design. But also as a further development.
The disadvantages are certainly the economic circumstances, which no longer make a calculation realistic if a customer obtains more favourable offers for some work in other EU countries.

For me, personal contact and respectful, professional interaction are essential. The customer is king, he gets my full commitment. But he works with me to hear my professional opinion, my assessment. He won't get a yes or a nod from me, but he will get an honest, well-founded opinion. I defend my work if I am convinced that it is the better solution.

Good communication is the be-all and end-all. Wishes, briefings and ideas should be formulated precisely and ambiguities should be discussed carefully in order to minimise difficulties in advance. A good design needs time, just as a good whisky needs time to mature.
A good designer listens, asks questions when things are unclear and should take an interest in the topic they are working on beyond the design horizon.

Design: information, research, considerations, brainstorming, scribbles, preliminary layouts, refinements, alternatives, optimisations, considerations, optimisations, considerations, optimisations, finalisation. Always in contact with the customer for questions.
Illustration: Information, research, considerations, brainstorming, scribbles, preliminary drawings, finalisation. Always in contact with the customer for questions.
Photography: Information, research, considerations on the topic in advance. On location: seeing, observing, capturing light, weather, moods, situations, ideas, moments.

Leica M4P, Rolf Benz sofa, Macbook, my A' Design trophy, a simple print by Picasso

I organise a normal working day according to the motto: discipline at work and don't forget to have fun.

Believe in yourself and don't let your work be maligned, but be your harshest critic. Always question yourself and your work. Think through your work completely and you can explain it everywhere. Get to the bottom of things before you make a design. Recognise your value and don't let yourself be paid less than you're worth.
Put your heart into it.

You're always creative. It sucks you dry sometimes.

Reduce to the max

Being able to see things differently, imagination, discipline, perseverance, thinking and feeling, being sensitive and at the same time having a thick skin. Drawing skills.

Macbook pro, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, Indesign, Character Animator, After Effects, Firefly, Chat Gpt, Behance, design books, typo books, paper and pencil

Discipline and planing

That depends on the object form hours to days.

How much will it cost.

When one door closes, another opens.

My customers want a certain amount of discretion in this area.

Besides photography, my favourite thing to work with is typography. With skilful typography, information can be designed, clarified, directed and influenced. Setting focal points, working with contrasts and sizes - an inexhaustible field.

We launched an Instagram channel for a customer. This needs to be constantly updated with material.

Depending on the job, I work alone or together with other professionals in a team.

For reasons of confidentiality, I cannot comment on any work that is still in progress for my clients.

mail@mhoffmann-design.de