ARTS AND CRAFTS ARE THE THERAPY WE NEED

WHO ARE YOU, AND WHAT DO YOU DO IN ONE SENTENCE?

My name is Idris van Heffen, I’m a visual artist and business owner, creating visions of a better future.

HOW DID YOU START IN THIS INDUSTRY?

After graduating from the Willem de Kooning Art Academy in Rotterdam, I slowly rolled into the creative industry as a freelance illustrator, doing all sorts of odd jobs. At the same time, I also founded Makii, a toy design studio, with a classmate and have been illustrating and selling children’s products ever since.

HOW DOES A TYPICAL WEEK LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

After over 15 years of illustration work, about a year ago, I decided to pursue fine art and painting professionally. Due to this transition, I’m dividing my time between painting, freelance work and running Makii. No typical weeks for me.

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

One I recently received and has stuck with me - ‘Think less’.

WHO IS ONE PERSON YOU LOOK UP TO CAREER-WISE?

Good friend, entrepreneur and activist Ariën van de Kolk is making waves in the Dutch outdoor industry. Setting up businesses and foundations as he goes, he is someone I can learn from a lot.

WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND IVH STUDIO?

I rebranded my studio, previously known as Studio IEDMAN, into Studio IVH about a year ago to devote my work to what I truly love: Re-imagining our future for the better with like-minded people, institutions, and companies.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF BUILDING YOUR OWN DESIGN STUDIO?

Finding myself at the intersection of design and art, it has been difficult to choose how to develop my work, as there are many ways to approach this. And of course, getting my work out there. Thinking less and doing more has been great advice in that regard.

HOW DID YOU LAND YOUR FIRST CLIENT, AND WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU?

I landed my first big client since my rebranding, unexpectedly, through a close friend. It taught me not to underestimate my own network and that I don’t need big campaigns and audiences to land jobs. Keeping it simple and starting close to home is what works for me at the moment.

WHAT VALUES OR THEMES DO YOU TRY TO CARRY THROUGH YOUR WORK?

A theme I try to incorporate whenever I can is something I dubbed ‘A Newtype Future’, where I envision humankind in a near future that has moved beyond fear and lives harmoniously.

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE?

Most of the time, I start brainstorming and associating via sketching, developing ideas into concepts. These can be concepts for illustrations, paintings or even collaborations. From there, I research the requirements, to then get into a tug of war. Going back and forth on different ways of execution to eventually land on a form I like. It can be messy.

WHICH OF YOUR PROJECTS TO DATE DO YOU FEEL BEST REPRESENTS YOUR DESIGN VISION, AND WHY?

A few months ago, I had the honour of making a live painting during a talk by astronaut André Kuipers. It felt as if everything from design to concept to audience came together, cementing that it’s possible to combine a niche topic like utopian futures with art… while getting paid.

ARE THERE COLLABORATORS OR TYPES OF WORK YOU HAVEN’T DONE YET BUT ARE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING?

Currently, I’m looking into combining my interest in model building and utopian futures by learning to sculpt digitally and 3D print to bring my drawings and concepts to life.

WHAT TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY CURRENTLY EXCITE YOU THE MOST?

I’m not really a trend person, but I’m excited to see a counter culture is developing where people are spending less time online, ‘raw dogging reality’, and refocusing on making tangible things. I believe arts and crafts are the therapy we all need.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE LINE BETWEEN GRAPHIC DESIGN, ILLUSTRATION, AND ANIMATION SHIFTING?

Technology, like animation software for example, is becoming more accessible and easier to use. The lines between the visual arts are blurring, elevating what designers can do by themselves. Because of that, knowing who you are and what you stand for is becoming increasingly important. What do you want to use all these tools and skills for?

HOW DO YOU THINK ILLUSTRATION WILL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE WITH THE RISE OF AI?

There definitely is and will be a decline in the amount of work available for illustrators because of AI. In a counter movement to the weirdly polished visuals AI is creating, we see illustrators and designers moving towards more naïve styles and designs.

Personally, I hope that the AI bubble will burst and that people and companies will realise there is more to life than being productive and making money… one can dream.

WHAT IS A FUTURE-PROOF SKILL FOR ILLUSTRATORS?

Bet on yourself, your ideas and dreams that make you, you. And invest in people.

WHAT ARE THREE KEY THINGS TO KNOW FOR ASPIRING ILLUSTRATORS?

Keep developing your creativity, technical skills and as mentioned before, your network. You should be able to have a successful career using these three skills.

If you want to know more about Idris, give him a follow on Instagram