ROELAND EGGERMONT

IT USED TO BE A LIGHTBULB …

Back in the old days, whenever someone in a comic had a stroke of genius, a silly lightbulb would pop up as if the idea was held by the glass. Come to think of it, how would that even work? Was it a candle in medieval times? Shouldn’t it be LED nowadays? A bit silly, right?

Well, I dare to differ. Of course, in real life, creative concepts aren’t some magic flying gem you bump your head against. But the harsh truth is that nowadays a good, original idea is quickly getting scarce. Call me old-fashioned, but it’s not because I drink coffee with a name I can actually pronounce that I forgot the importance of having true, well-thought-out ideas. Quite the contrary, in fact, you darn hipsters!

I genuinely think that in the last couple of years the advertising and graphic industry went overboard with so-called experts, overanalysing every single thing of the design process, but forgetting the relevance of good old craftsmanship. I’m convinced that my pragmatic, down-to-earth approach to whatever challenge you might have for me, helps to come up with the most creative solutions. Without the expensive blah-blah-blah you get with some, I strive to deliver a solid, original, well-executed piece of art. That’s right, art!

Whether it’s a simple pack-shot, a high-end campaign with a conceptual approach, a very detailed infographic, some elaborate image retouching or an annual report filled with charts, I will always consider it to be a piece of art. Made with lots of – what the Germans call – fingerspitzengefühl. Finesse, if you like. Without the hassle of a large, expensive company, but with the expertise of a bloke with more experience in his left toe than beard oil in some hipster’s drawer at the strategy department. But more importantly, always starting from some sharp insight, a clever idea, caught in … a lightbulb.