Kilian van de Water

What’s your backstory and what are you doing in life right now?

I am an illustrator and designer living in Düsseldorf, Germany. In 2018, I graduated in design from the Niederrhein university of applied sciences. Since then I have been working as a freelance designer with a focus on illustration and animation.

Name one defining moment from your life.

7 months ago my first child was born.

How long have you been writing or doing art?

Since I was a child.

How would you describe your style?

In my illustrations I mix a two-dimensional, reduced aesthetic with absurd narrative elements. The lively, organic forms are always in interaction with the rectilinear aesthetic.

What rituals get you in a creative mood?

My best ritual to get into a creative mood is simply the music (here I often listen to online radios like Callshop Radio or NTS), a sketchbook and a pencil.

What does your creative process look like?

The process often depends on the work that needs to be done. However, I always work with a sketchbook and start making some drawings. Either these drawings then go into a storyboard if an animation is the goal, or I refine the sketch for a poster or other design requirements. After that, the last step is the process on the computer, where I finalize the sketches digitally.

How do you get over a creative block?

For me, when I have a creative block, it’s good to take a little break. I then go for a coffee somewhere outside my office, or do mundane things like cleaning out the dishwasher. Such moments, in which I think about something else and clear my mind, help very well to be able to continue working better afterwards.

What do you struggle with as an artist?

Creative-Cloud updates. Something always goes wrong afterwards.

What do you do when you need a break from art?

Party and cinema are my best friends in everyday life.