Lucas Grassmay
A spotlight on Lucas with 8 questions and our favourite pieces.
Lucas Grassmay is a freelance graphic designer from Germany. After finishing his apprenticeship as a ship mechanic he turned to what has always been his actual passion: sketching, illustration, design and all things creative. A lot of his work is an enthusiastic tribute to aesthetics of the 70’s and 80’s, which he greatly admires.
Do you remember the moment you knew you wanted to become a designer?
Yes, I once visited an exhibition in the MKG, a museum located in Hamburg, showing the work of graphic design legend Willy Fleckhaus. Encountering his work, it touched me to a point, where I had goosebumps on my skin from looking at and absorbing his designs and layouts. I decided to try and create this feeling for others. This is still my approach today when I design.
Did you go to design school? Do you think it was necessary to get to where you are today?
I started school with the intent to become an illustrator. I finished design school, though, as you know, not as an illustrator. My tutor Carsten Reitemeyer triggered my enthusiasm for typography and contrast, for the love of graphic design. It has been in my heart ever since. And I am grateful for that.
Who is your favorite designer right now?
If I am forced to name just one, it is Willy Fleckhaus. Other designers I admire are Wim Crouwel, Herb Lubalin, Saul Bass, Gail Bichler, Marina Willer, Astrid Stavro, Michael Bierut, Vince Frost, Matt Willey and Mirko Borsche.
What is your all time favorite font?
Schmalfette CP by CounterPoint Type Studio. There are so so many other great fonts and studios I love, such as Felicianotype, A2-Type and the incredible fonts by Matt Willey, just to name a few.
What is your method of getting out of a designers block?
I think there is no such thing as a designers block, really. It’s similar with motivation: Don’t wait for it to appear, just start working and it’ll kick in (or dissappear, in the case of an apparent block).
Can you describe your ideal working environment?
Haha, my desk has to be completely tidy, same with my desktop. I love a well organized and clean workspace. Other than that, I can work pretty much everywhere.
Some of our Favorites
What advice would you have given yourself 3 years ago?
Don’t compare yourself to others! Before I became a graphic designer, I worked all types of jobs. My first training was as a mechanic on a ship yard, where I repaired ships. At roughly age 25 I sat in front of a computer (for work) for the very first time. I wanted to keep up with the younger crowd and worked insanely to catch up, but I realized pretty quickly that I slowed myself down by comparing myself to others.
What is the greatest challenge you have faced in your career so far? How did you overcome it?
Becoming a full-time freelancer was a challenge for me. It still is. I worked with agencies in the past but got frustrated with their processes quite often. I need frutifull exchange and mutual trust with people around me to effectively work. Micro-managers who give me orders don’t fall into this trusting category of people, obviously, but are easy to stumble upon in agencies. Now that I have the freedom and the opportunity to work with divers individuals and super interesting clients I slowly rid myself of the feeling of being just a replacable employee. I can slowly hear my inner voice again.
Want more info on Lucas?
His website is currently going through a change, but you can check out his Instagram or even buy some prints.
