Meet the Artist @davidleutert
David Leutert is a freelance illustrator and lettering artist based in Berlin. Since graduating from the School of Visual Arts in New York with an MFA in 2017, David has worked with clients like Disney, MTV, The New York Times, and Pepsi. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, the ADC, TDC, and American Illustration. Outside of his commercial work, he explores the fading craft of sign painting and co-hosts an illustration podcast called Paid 2 Draw.
A glimpse into the creative world of David Leutert.
StickerApp: How would you define your style?
David: My style is a combination of bold lines, dynamic letterforms and limited color palettes—with a bit of a retro vibe.
StickerApp: What's your favorite technique?
David: I mostly work digitally with either a mobile setup (iPad & Procreate) or at my desk (Cintiq Pro & Photoshop). But almost every project starts with a pencil on paper. My most precious tool is my sketchbook. It’s where I explore ideas and try out new techniques.
StickerApp: Who or what's your biggest inspiration?
David: My biggest source of inspiration is Mother Nature with its endless variations of shapes and colors. I love drawing all kinds of plants, flowers and birds. I also really enjoy walking around the city, looking at old buildings and signage, going to flea markets or antiquing, and collecting old ephemera like tins, pins, pennants and stickers. But in terms of other artists, I get most of my inspiration from other designers (Louise Fili & Paula Scher), illustrators (Seymour Chwast & Milton Glaser), cartoonists (Roz Chast, Mœbius & Will Eisner), low-brow artists (Jim Phillips & Ray Pettibon) and typographers (Herb Lubalin & Michael Doret).
StickerApp: How did it all start?
David: Some of my earliest encounters with illustration were through comics, cartoons, skateboard graphics, album art and gig posters. They’re the reason I got into this profession in the first place and the aesthetic still plays a significant role in the type of work I create today. I started out as a design apprentice at an ad agency before going to design school in my hometown of Nuremberg. Upon graduating I spent a summer working at Adidas as a t-shirt designer and then moved to New York to pursue a Master’s in Illustration from SVA. Once I was done I worked at MTV for a hot minute and ultimately went freelance to work for various clients in editorial, advertising, music and fashion for the past 7 years.
StickerApp: Do you have a tip for those who are starting out?
David: Never underestimate the power of personal pieces. Don’t look to your left or right to find your style. Embrace your own unique voice, vision and experience, and create stuff you’d like to see out in the world. Make the type of work you want to get hired for and eventually people will start to take notice.
StickerApp: What's your favorite app or program?
David: Procreate
StickerApp: Why do you use StickerApp?
David: I love the quality and materials. Back in the day it was hard to find good die-cut stickers in Germany, so my friends and I would get our band logos printed on squares and then cut out the contour shape by hand. It was D.I.Y.—sure—but so incredibly tedious! Half of us had blisters on our hands by the time we were done. StickerApp makes this process so much more convenient. Once you have a design you can just upload it to their editor and get it printed as sticker sheets, die-cuts or even entire sticker packs. I also like that you can customize the weight of your cut line or get rounded corners. And you can even print on the back paper! What’s not to love?
StickerApp: What's your favorite material?
David: I don’t have just one. For me the variety is what makes it fun, so I like to try everything. Holographic, Prismatic and Glitter are usually my go-to effects, though. They’re so shiny! I also want to try out those heavy-duty vinyl stickers some time. And I’m really excited to see how the new Pixie Dust finish turns out on this card you’re currently holding in your hand. (Would love to hear your thoughts via DM: @DavidLeutert)
StickerApp: How do you use stickers for your own business/personal brand?
David: Stickers are the better business card. Whenever I see old friends, meet new people or go to design conferences, I hand out a sticker or two. They’re always well received, because they serve a decorative purpose beside just sharing your contact information. So people tend to keep them. Everyone loves a good sticker!
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us!
Want to see more? Please visit @davidleutert Instagram.
