Interview With

Ivan Venkov

Hi Ivan and welcome to TWTP. I would like to thank you for doing this interview, let’s start by telling us a little about your background and how you got started in the industry?

Thank you. Core of my background is artistic, I grew up in the sculpture studio of my father who is a well known sculptor in the region. Growing up surrounded by art leaves quite an impact on a young life. I started sculpting myself at the age of thirteen and advanced training in both realistic and abstract sculptures. While realistic sculpture is quite easy to grasp if you are attentive enough, abstract systems are something completely different and it took me long years to create something that makes "sense".

In school, I took interest in commercial fields of creativity - graphic design in high school and product design at university, which I left after a three year attendance to pursue my own interests in design.

Your style is fascinating to look at. Can you please walk us through your process when working on a piece?

Thank you. As for my workflow, it depends on the concrete task. I might do very simple line sketches of what I am intending to create, but usually, I start right away modelling the work in 3D. Nice, well defined and colored sketches can be pleasant to look at, but they rarely meet the design in realism, 3D on the other hand leaves no room for error as every shape and every edge has to be defined precisely and must adhere to object's functionality in correct proportions. Working in 3D right away saves a lot of time. Naturally, I would only recommend this to skilled modellers.

What should designers consider when working on sculpture design?

If we are talking about product design - one has to be careful not to forget about functionality and its utmost priority in creation of any design. Aesthetics - no matter how beautiful - should revolve and be created around constraints of functionality. Definition of aesthetics should also adhere to logic, creation of shapes and their continuation should be logical and there should be no visual "loose" ends or redundantly ornamental areas.

How do you describe your daily routine?

Very simple and quite repetetive I guess, it consists mostly of work, either client work or personal projects, free time goes to gym or relaxation.

Thanks for joining us, do you have any final words for our readers?

I would part with an absurd wish that all designers take sculpting classes:) It might sound strange, but there is no other "craft" training that would come close to gaining knowledge of how to define shape, curve or surface than sculpting. Sculpt a bust or any other "natural" object - and sculpt it until it's perfect - and see how it shifts your visual perception and understanding of how to "create".

To check out more of Ivan's work head over to his website at www.ivanvenkov.net