Amsterdam Illustrator Simon Flöter Is Enjoying the Spoils from the Best Trade He’s Ever Made
Interview by Mike O'Donnell / Editor
Working Not Working Member Simon Flöter doesn’t have any regrets leaving his full-time graphic design job to become a freelance illustrator. “Trading financial security for independence, flexibility and being able to choose what I work on was the best trade I have ever made.” And what does the Amsterdam-based artist choose to work on? Provocative, intelligent, and darkly humorous pieces for a range of clients, including musicians, brands, and editorial publications (like this one).
In our conversation below, Simon discusses dream projects, what scares him most about a creative career, why it’s good to stay inside your comfort zone (as long as you’re expanding what fits inside it), and why at this point he might be addicted to the feedback loop.
Tell me a bit about your creative background. Who is Simon and how did he get here?
I was of course drawing as a kid, but not exceptionally talented in any way I think. I was reading comics and graphic novels like Asterix & Obelix and Tintin but didn’t really see that as anything more than entertainment. One day my mom took me to a comic book fair in Munich and there was an exhibition of artists’ sketches and original inks, and maybe seeing these artworks in a more raw state made me realize that this is something people do that maybe I could do as well. So I started tracing and copying my favorite covers and panels. From then on, I was obsessed and drawing all the time.
Then when (the German equivalent of) high school was coming to an end, I applied to a few universities for art and design but my portfolios were all rejected. I guess a couple of copied Batman covers and traced Playboy nudes don’t exactly scream “creative potential.” So I started a colloquial education as a “media designer,” working in a small graphic design agency learning on the job. I didn’t have many artsy peers and my parents were constantly worried about my future (for various reasons.) So I learned to believe that financial security was one of the most important things in life. I never really thought that I could ever make real money with original drawings and that graphic design is probably the “closest” I could get creatively while still getting a good salary. In every job I had, one common thing was that there was always a huge pile of obscure, mostly work-unrelated sketches next to my computer screen though. Sometimes a manager would rush to my desk and ask me to hide them before clients came to visit.
“I guess a couple of copied Batman covers and traced Playboy nudes don’t exactly scream ‘creative potential.’”
Almost three years ago, a lot of encouragement from my girlfriend and frustration with where my career was going finally prompted me to go freelance and give this illustration thing a shot. The rest is history. A tragical, unsuccessful, soul-crushing chapter of history. Haha, no actually I’m happy. A lot less financially secure or successful, but very, almost immoderately, happy that I get the opportunity to do what I really love doing.
How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognize a signature style that links your projects?
In my time working as a graphic designer I think I have become a style chameleon. Of course in commercial design jobs you need to create the work in the style the client wants, or, in a more ideal project, in the style that most effectively communicates the message. So now even with personal illustration projects, I often tend to adapt the style a lot depending on the subject. This is sometimes a problem, as I heard from agents that they couldn’t really figure out how they would ‘sell’ my work to anyone because of the varying styles. Having a very distinct style for them is very important because their clients often just ask for “exactly like this, but with our product/logo/message on it”.
But all in all, I guess you could summarize that I draw a lot of pigs, reptiles, clouds and screaming faces. Most drawings have a strong black ink outline and flat colors, like in many of my favorite graphic novels by, for example, Moebius or Hergé.
“The rest is history. A tragical, unsuccessful, soul-crushing chapter of history. Haha, no actually I’m happy. A lot less financially secure or successful, but very, almost immoderately, happy that I get the opportunity to do what I really love doing. ”
What do you see as the turning point in your creative development and career so far?
That’s easy. Going freelance 3 years ago. Trading financial security for independence, flexibility and being able to choose what I work on was the best trade I have ever made.
Why do you create things?
I think it is very selfish, if I’m being honest. The process is meditative for me; while I’m drawing, I feel like I’m in the right place, where the worries of the world are absent. The feeling I get from receiving admiration, thankfulness, or any kind of positive recognition for something I drew is also a massive motivator. I often struggle with imposter syndrome, so I annoyingly depend on positive feedback to stay motivated and not fall into a hole. Drawing is kind of like an addiction with an unhealthy feedback loop by now I think.
“I often struggle with imposter syndrome, so I annoyingly depend on positive feedback to stay motivated and not fall into a hole. Drawing is kind of like an addiction with an unhealthy feedback loop.”
Which of your projects are you proudest of and why?
Oh boy, well I’m still relatively new to the industry and haven’t actually had that much success yet to be honest… But I recently created some single cover illustrations for the Singer/Songwriter Aaron Semer. He’s not famous or anything but just knowing a musician wanted to have my art associated with their music and then seeing my work come up in Spotify when you play these songs was huge for me. Through that I got another job creating a gig-poster for a performance of the band Son Volt, and now I have high hopes that more music-related projects will come through, which would be amazing. I love music. It’s like illustrations for the ears.
Another thing I am proud of even though it didn’t get much traction yet is an illustrated micro website I created about the blackface tradition in the Netherlands, where I live. It’s a weird experience seeing people argue about that kind of stuff in 2019, but a big part of the dutch population is ignorant to the fact that it is actually racist(!) and they go to (sometimes violent) extremes to defend their “tradition”. I’m still building and improving the site and am trying to find a home for it so it will actually help an organisation or a movement and reach a bigger audience, but it feels good to use your craft for a cause you believe in. I want to do more stuff like that (once I make enough money so that I can afford to spend more time on non-profit projects)
What would be your dream project or job, or is it already on your resume?
I always loved comic book covers for basically telling an often exaggerated and ultra-condensed version of the story inside the book in one picture. As a good example, just Google ‘Tales of the Unexpected Covers’ and you’ll see what I mean. I would love to do a series of covers like that.
Who are your biggest creative influences?
An attempt at a (poorly sorted and very incomplete) list: Moebius, Toulouse-Lautrec, Hergé, Andy Kubert, Saul Bass, Olaf Gulbransson, Tomi Ungerer, Ralph Steadman, Geoff Darrow, Genndy Tartakovsky
What scares you most about making creativity your career?
I’m just full of anxieties, financial sorrows, fear of irrelevance, being too old, not being good enough. I guess the biggest one is that after a global catastrophe or nuclear war, the skill set that I have spent so much time building would be completely useless.
Which products or tools do you need to create? What’s something you don’t own that would help you elevate your craft?
I thought about this and it made me a little sad: it’s actually a Computer and an iPadPro at this stage. I do still draw with pencils and sketchbooks but I’m pretty dependent on the speed and productivity of digital tools by now when it comes to meeting a deadline and making a financially worthwhile illustration.
I guess in that regard maybe a draw-on-the-screen Wacom (Cintiq range I think?) could be even better than the iPad, but I haven’t tried them out in a long time so I’m not sure.
Having my own Risograph printer would be sweet too. I love experimenting with prints but it costs time and money.
“You should do everything you can to stay INSIDE your comfort zone. Expand the comfort zone to incorporate more things instead. What people are talking about when they say comfort zone is a different zone. It is the rut zone. Get out of the rut zone...Why would I do things outside my comfort zone? I can’t draw while sitting on a cactus. It’s rubbish advice.”
One book, one album, one movie, one show. Go.
Oryx & Crake (Margaret Atwood), We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic (Foxygen), Playtime (Jaques Tati), Rick and Morty
What do you do when Not Working?
My girlfriend and I are renovating our apartment in Amsterdam, which seems to take up all our spare time at the moment. But usually I indulge in the usual entertainment, culinary and cultural offerings a city like Amsterdam has to offer. Me and my friends call it “just privving.”
What’s something you’ve learned on your creative journey that other creatives should hear?
You should do everything you can to stay INSIDE your comfort zone. Expand the comfort zone to incorporate more things instead. What people are talking about when they say comfort zone is a different zone. It is the rut zone. Get out of the rut zone.
Why would I do things outside my comfort zone? I can’t draw while sitting on a cactus. It’s rubbish advice.
Who are some other WNW members whose work you admire and why?
I met Justin Gignac himself here in Amsterdam when he was promoting WNW with a Drinking Not Drinking event and he’s a very inspiring dude. A man who can literally sell trash from the street. He also paid for the drinks.
“I met Justin Gignac himself here in Amsterdam when he was promoting WNW with a Drinking Not Drinking event and he’s a very inspiring dude. A man who can literally sell trash from the street. He also paid for the drinks.”
What’s next for you? What are you working on now?
I’m constantly looking for new projects and clients in illustration. Currently I’m paying bills with working on the design of a webstore project, but I’m open for more illustration commissions right now!
What do you want to see more of in 2020?
It would be really cool to see more influential people more prominently showcase work they did for a good cause and the impact that work had. I feel that the main goal of most people in the creative industry is still to work with big international brands that have big budgets and a huge media presence, so that this success will reflect back on them. It’s up to the leaders in the field to inspire other creatives to not exclusively use their skills to make a mountain of money. I think the public image of the creative industry is that it’s a club full of tattooed people with tall stories using their skills to fill their own pockets. It would be awesome to see that image change a bit.