Interview with Sebastian Schwamm  

We asked Sebastian some questions...

Sebastian's interest in art started when he was a kid hanging out with his grandparents. Now, he draws inspiration from cultures such as movies, music, and books. Let's get started, shall we?

• How would you define your style?

Bold, abstract, humorous, colorful, vibrant, cute, and a bit quirky and ideally ambiguous. 

• What’s your favorite technique?

I wouldn't call this a particularly fancy technique now, but very quick sketches of ideas with a somewhat soft pencil on really cheap copy paper (which takes away the inhibitions) – I quite like that! 

• Who or what is your biggest inspiration/s?

I'm generally a big fan of film, music, and literature. Like a sponge, I try to absorb as much as possible. Most recently especially non-fiction books about cultural and political science topics & media criticism. In the areas of film and music, I'm always drawn back to the 80s at the moment. Specifically related to my work on paper or on the computer, I like to work with the technique of (digital) collage, as well as coincidence. This may sound a bit sobering now, but even a purely pragmatic approach can sometimes fire the imagination like starting from the format or simply – and this sounds really sobering now – from the budget. Haha!

• How did it all start?

As a little kid, I used to spend a lot of time with my grandparents – especially my grandpa. When you see photos from that time, you think, this little squirt in his overalls will surely do something handicraft later – all the time I "helped" him to cut wood or to repair something somewhere. My grandparents used to have a farm and the last remnant of it in my childhood was an old tractor. So I have constantly drawn tractors for my grandpa. That's how it started!

• Do you have a tip for those who are starting out?
  

This is perhaps a bit cliché, but I would say that it is generally quite good not to have too much fear (as with very many things in life) – to pay less attention to what others might think or say and also perhaps ask yourself less often how XY would do or would have done this or that but rely more on yourself and your own intuition. But hey – the whole life is a learning process – I also learn constantly and have to make myself aware of the above mentioned again and again. Another helpful insight that has recently proven true in my case was, for example, the following: try less to control everything – that doesn't work anyway – and go more with the flow. Also wait and take a deep breath more often. Maybe you can tell that I started practicing yoga at some point – haha!

• Favorite app/program?

I'd be lying if I said anything other than Adobe Illustrator right now... okay, all right, where's my money, Adobe? :D

• Why do you use StickerApp?

It's the first collaboration with StickerApp – but something tells me not the last... ;)

• What’s your favorite material? why?

In terms of stickers? I like glitter stuff, so I would say hologram stickers. And in general, I really, really like seeing my work on textiles – that's how it gets around!

• How do you monetize your art?

Basically in the form of commissioned work - private, but of course mainly business. The last few years I've worked a lot for numerous magazines, newspapers and agencies. But also for various brands and cultural institutions or bands. In addition, it is always possible to license certain illustrations. And to name a few, my clients include The New York Times, Le Monde, DIE ZEIT, GQ, Converse, Vans, Russel Athletics, Google, Spotify and many more...

• How do you use stickers for your own business/personal brand?

It is a very nice advertisement and gimmick.

Thank you Sebastian for your time, if you want to check out more of Sebastian Schwamm you'll find him on Instagram.