Thomas von Kummant

Specialized in Graphic Design.

Thomas von Kummant

About Thomas von Kummant

Thomas von Kummant is a freelance illustrator, concept artist, character designer, art director and comic artist from Munich. He works together with other concept artists, film producers and a professor at the Munich Film Academy in the collaborative studio Reaktor in Munich. The award-winning comic series Gung Ho, which he developed and realized together with Benjamin von Eckartsberg, was published by the Swiss publisher Edition Paquet and translated into several languages. His clients include film productions such as studio Laika, Pixar studios, Disney, Blur Studio and many more.

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Graphic Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Graphic
Gung Ho Illustration

Gung Ho Illustration

Graphic Design

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Interview with Thomas von Kummant

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?
After graduating from "Design School Munich" in Munich, I started my professional career as a freelance illustrator in 1998 in the community studio "Die Artillerie" together with 8 other freelance illustrators and graphic designers. I started working for advertising agencies, publishers and film productions and found my love for visual storytelling. In 2012, together with Benjamin von Eckartsberg, I started to develop our own story GUNG HO as a comic series for the Swiss publisher Edition Paquet for the French market. The A'Design Award winning image shows a cover illustration of our series.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
I currently work in the collaborative studio REAKTOR, which I co-founded in 2019, together with Peter Popken, Luis Guggenberger - both concept artists - and Prof. Michael Coldewey - producer, director and professor for VFX and animation at the HFF Filmhochschule München.
What is "design" for you?
For me, as a visual storyteller, design underscores a story. The synergy of narrative and aesthetics can create a piece of art in the process.
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
My favorite things to work on are well-told stories with excitingly unique characters and extraordinary locations. The story doesn't necessarily have to be fictional.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
One of my first designs were two animated characters guiding through the Junior Programme of the BMW Welt in Munich.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
All technology which helps telling a story. I still prefer to draw with pencil and brush for rough ideas. Later I mostly work on Photoshop, or use Sketchup.
When do you feel the most creative?
For me it is always important that body and mind are in harmony and that my family and my environment are well. I am most creative when I have a well-told story and the research work brings the greatest possible input.
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
In the beginning I focus on the general form and colors. Later details become important and in the end everything needs to Coe together.
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
While working on a Design for a great story I feel excitement, anticipation and inner peace.
What makes a design successful?
For me, as a visual storyteller, design must always match and support the tone of the story. The synergy of narrative storytelling and design aesthetics can elevate a project to a work of art. The design of a story is successful when you see an image from the work and immediately recognise that it can only be from that story.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
The charisma of the design and the tone of the story have to fit together. It often happens that a design doesn't appeal to me at first, but I think it's brilliant when I've finished reading or watching the story.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
A designer on a story has to create a feeling and convey content, make it easy for the viewer to immerse himself in a world.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
I think artificial intelligence will play a role, life will happen more and more on the net. Virtual reality will replace the old football pitch. That's why I like more and more to just look at the world with pencil and brush and capture designs on paper.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
2021, "Gung Ho - Sehnsuchtsort Postapokalypse", Comicfest - Alte Messe, München 2022, "Gung Ho - Sehnsuchtsort Postapokalypse", Comic Haus, Köln 2022, "Gung Ho - Sehnsuchtsort Postapokalypse", Comic Salon, Erlangen 2022, "nAcKT - Form durch Farbe und Fläche", kleine Altstadt Gallerie Dachau 2022, "NACKT - Form durch Fläche 2" Kleine Altstadt Galerie, Dachau
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
Like probably most designers, my inspiration is observation, reflection and the desire to create something new.
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?
The Norwegian saying "Only those who wander find a new path" describes it quite well. I always try to find a new design that fits the tone of a story.
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?
I´m living in Dachau, close to munich. In our town we have the concentration camp from WW2. Of course that had a deep impact as a young adult - I like melancholy. Also Munichs artist community "Der blaue Reiter" was somehow an influence - I like colors and abstraction. But I think that doesn´t effect my Designs.
How do you work with companies?
On a daily or weekly rate basis payment wise. Communication works mostly over Skype, Zoom or some similar communication system.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
There are different steps. In the beginning, I always try to approach the design very roughly and like to reflect on it and try to get feedback. Then it's a matter of working out the spontaneous lines in detail without losing the feeling of the sketch.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
desk lamp from Artemide Tolomeo electric pencil sharpener from Dahle speaker from Sonos desk chair from James Eames BMW R 100
Can you describe a day in your life?
Fortunately, I don't have a set daily routine and can adjust my days.
Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
Observe and reflect life every day, even on weekends and on holidays, don't stop processing your skills, don't eat in front of the computer and take good care of your body and soul.
What skills are most important for a designer?
Understanding of form and function, perspective, anatomy, the core of a story and its characters and a sense of creating something unique with these elements.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
My tools mostly are Pencil, Brush, Aquarell, Acrylic, Oil and Photoshop, sometimes blender and sketchup. I have a huge library in my house and my studio with novels, biographies, art books, books on photography and architecture, comics etc. Internet is also a big source, same goes for nature.
Who are some of your clients?
Pixar animation studios, Laika studios, Blur Studio, Atomic Cartoon, Maybe Movies, BMW Stern, Focus
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
Both, it depends on the project. Working alone gives you a big freedom, but working in a team brings out the best of you and the exchange with like-minded people is a valuable resource.

Extended Interview with Thomas von Kummant

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
After graduating from "Design School Munich" in Munich, I started my professional career as a freelance illustrator in 1998 in the community studio "Die Artillerie" together with 8 other freelance illustrators and graphic designers. I started working for advertising agencies, publishers and film productions and found my love for visual storytelling. In 2012, together with Benjamin von Eckartsberg, I started to develop our own story GUNG HO as a comic series for the Swiss publisher Edition Paquet for the French market. The A'Design Award winning image shows a cover illustration of our series.
How did you become a designer?
I love the synergy of narrative and aesthetics. This passion took me rather late, but with great force.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
So I decided to become a visual storyteller and create the Design for the stories on my own.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
I´m working on designs for stories told in movies, animation movies, magazines, books, or comic books.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
As a young designer, you have to accept that frustrations are the most precious moments, as they are a sign of your progress.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
A good designer can create great design. A great designer creates great design with ease.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
As a visual storyteller, I would say a good design becomes a really good design when it not only supports a story, but gives it a very unique meaning.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
Good design supports the tone of the story and can add many layers to it visually. If a story has a good design, you only need to see any image out of it and you know immediately that it can only be an image from that very story.
What is your day to day look like?
It's not a question of time, but whether a story fascinates me, the framework and the environment fit.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
I am constantly trying to evolve and reinvent myself so that I always find fresh approaches in my designs.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
Carter Goodrich, Peter de Seve, Eyvind Earle, Alberto Mielgo, Kazuo Oga, Hans Bacher, Bastien Vives, Mike Mignola, David Prudhomme.... amazing Designers for storytelling, just to name a few.
Who is your favourite designer?
I think the design for our story GUNG HO is my most successful so far. It supports the story visually on many levels and when you see a picture from it, you know it must be from GUNG HO. Allerdings arbeite ich gerade an einer neuen Geschichte und denke das Design wird besser.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
They must feel a deep love for design, constantly move and reinvent, but still stop and listen, be open to technology, do their homework on research and never stop learning.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
For me, design is an art form that gives a story its own visual meaning.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
As far as storytelling in comics is concerned, there are early role models like Regis Loisel, Miguelanxo Prado, David Prudhomme, Mike Mignola, to name a few. Interacting with colleagues in my community studio or directors on film projects was an invaluable pool of inspiration and creative-constructive feedback. But my biggest supporters, besides my wife, were my colleague Benjamin von Eckartsberg and my publisher Pierre Paquet.

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