Meet the Designers: Ralph Burkhardt & Samuel Coisne

The final stage of the Design Competition has now ended, and I am so happy to see this many people voting for their own favorites among all of the beautiful designs that were selected by our panel of judges.  
We will announce the winners of this year’s competition shortly together with the winner of the voting competition.  

To conclude this interview series I will here be introducing you to two of our most appreciated and loved designers, Ralph Burkhardt & Samuel Coisne .

Ralph Burkhardt  

Ralph Burkhardt is an award winning graphic designer from Germany with his own design firm, Burkhardthauke , which he started together with his business partner Daniel Hauke. Together they have been working on both big and small projects for many different companies successfully for many years. 
Ralph mostly focuses on prints and is also working on different online projects, so when entering in our Design Competition in 2010 this was a first for him in designing a carpet. 
Participating in the Design Competition is something that has had a big impact on him in the way he looks on design and designing. Check out all of his designs here at CarpetVista, Stepping stones and Flaws are still available to purchase through our website.
Ralph usually works with graphic designs and patterns in black and whites, and when here given a chance decided to bring some color into his designs. As one of the winners he had the privilege to also see the final product, to see how his design translates in real life in regards to color and structure. 
At the moment he is working on a Design manual for print- and typographic design, and this is something that gives him great pleasure and pride. This is a way for him to share his knowledge and to help other designers on their way.

A precise selection process 

Ralph is a hard working and principled man who believes in putting the clients needs first, but for him it is also important to make sure that he works with likeminded people. He screens his clients through a thorough selection process to be able to find the projects that suit his company as well as his person, and of course where he feels he has the biggest chance to make an impact for his customers. He sees himself as precise, open-minded and enthusiastic.

Getting up early every morning is a must for Ralph. He goes up early to be able to have the necessary time of getting up to speed with news, blogs and current events. Ralph uses this input to find inspiration outside his normal work in graphic design, as well as being inspired by everyday life doing the things that he loves; reading a book, going to an art exhibit or travelling. This helps him to get a new perspective on things. 

His home reflect the work that he does and him as a designer, with clear shapes and quite toned down in regards to color and with a large quantity of books to add some personality and color in his home.

picture: Paris 160 x 230 cm

The final stop in this voyage takes us to Belgium via France, where we say hello to Samuel Coisne. 

Samuel is born in France but studied visual arts in Belgium, and has since 2004 been self-employed and living and working in Brussels. 
With a background in art, drawing and sculpturing, Samuel is more of an artist than a designer in the traditional sense. 
He engages himself into different projects and exhibits, sometimes just to sooth his creative desires. With an open mind he tries to always be aware of his surroundings giving him the chance to be inspired in his every day life. 
It can be something simple from a book, movie or music but he has also finds himself searching for ideas in atypical settings, for instance in garbage and states that: 

”everything can be a source of inspiration” 

Samuel is as you may have guessed a very creative person and he does not feel that his work can be compartmentalized. He tries to see himself in a wider perspective over time doing where he is doing what he feels make sense and letting time shaping his characteristics. It is important for him to create something that is understandable and accessible to his followers and clients.Last year he was invited to present a solo exhibit in Beirut, an experience that has greatly influenced him. Spending two intense weeks in Beirut, only concentrating on his art and finding himself affected by the situation in Lebanon and the contrast from his everyday life. 

Believe in yourself 

Entering the Design Competition and being one of the winners in 2007 is something that has had a major impact on Samuels’s life and career. After finishing school in 2004 Samuel almost stopped designing completely and had a serious think through about changing career. For a couple of years he focused on other things but still having at least one foot left in the industry, for instance working at art galleries and creating websites. 
He found himself in somewhat of a breaking point in his life. Having a winning entry in the Design Competition was a reawakening for Samuel and this gave him energy and confidence to continue and pursue his career within Design. Samuel is the creator of the beautiful cityscape designs from Stockholm , London , Tokyo and with the New York / Manhattan landing him a win. The main advice that he wants to share with anyone trying to seek a career within art and design is to really believe in them selves. 

Samuel lives in a cozy loft apartment in one of the older more characteristic buildings in Brussels. A unique building shared by different types of artists since 1874 thanks to Felix Mommen. This is somewhat of a shelter for likeminded, creative and interesting people living in their own community but still making sure that everyone has a life of their own. 
The most important place in his apartment is an enormous window where he spends his time pondering, creating and just admiring the sky. His home is quite sparse with some pictures on the walls from painters that he likes (for instance David Hockney) and drawings from some friends. To quote Samuel and for you to try and get the feeling and vibe of being in his home, there is ”always music and never TV”.