Sagmeister Interview
The Happy Project collaboration with Stefan Sagmeister has been rocking along and we’ve been impressed by the fantastic portraits are being entered. Some of our artists were ridiculously excited about the chance to collaborate with one of the world’s most creative and inspiring designers, so we gave them the opportunity to quiz Stefan on the Happy project and his own attitude to happiness.
Natalie Perkins: Do you consider yourself a designer even when you’re not being paid to solve problems, and if so, how can you separate that from being an “artist” who solves personal/cultural problems?
Stefan: Yes, I consider myself a designer at all times, no matter in what kind of project I’m involved in. I went to design school, run a design office and publish most of our pieces in places and media associated with design.
My favorite quote about the difference between art and design comes from Donald Judd, who says that “design has to work, art does not.” So the difference is one of functionality, if I design a chair and push it so hard until I can’t sit on it anymore, it ceases to be a chair and becomes a sculpture. And then I can look at it and see if it’s a good sculpture.
Soxy Fleming: When you asked for these self portraits did you consider that the act of making them would alter the artists rating of themselves?
Stefan: This is a wonderful question and a good point. No I did not consider this but absolutely should have!
Ayarti: While the act of designing is something that makes me very happy, I think some of my best work has been done in times of sadness. How important a role have your feelings played in the production of quality work?
Stefan: I myself, when I am down, am normally not good at any work, including design work. The very, very few times in my life when I experienced something like depression, I really was no good to nobody, including myself. I was sad in the beginning of this year about the breakup of a very long relationship, and I consequently worked my ass off, but this was less a function of the sadness itself and more one of my regular coping mechanisms.
sjem: Has architecture (or any man made environment) ever played an important role in your own happiness?
Stefan: Yes. Peter Zumthor’s Spa in Vals, Switzerland elevated my mood into A levels, Saarinnen’s Arch in St. Louis captured me completely, I now watch the sun rise every morning over the New York skyline from my roof on 14th Street which turns out to be a exhilarating way to start the day. I also remember being a little high after a small water plane trip starting from Rose Bay over Sydney.
Of course nature plays a role in all these example (the spa would be much weaker if it would not be overlooking a particular rough parts of the Alps, etc), but not one of the examples would have touched me if it would have been for the man made part.
Paul McClintock: Do you intend for the film to make people happy?
Stefan: That would be the ultimate goal. But I am very, very aware how difficult this will be to achieve.
Brettus: I once heard you talk about how important making lists has been in your life. Do you think your lists have helped in bringing you happiness, and what’s the best list you’ve ever made?
Stefan: The best list I’ve ever made was likely the “Things I have learned in my Life” list, not only did it create clarity for myself but it allowed us to create all sorts of projects from it. But I’ve recently met up with Tony Buzan, the inventor of the Mindmaps, and have to agree with him that they are, because they work so much more naturally, in sync with our brain, superior to lists in almost all cases.
There are 12 days left to get your entries in for the Happy Challenge. Stefan will be selecting self portraits from the challenge for inclusion in his up and coming film so please make sure you use the template when preparing your artworks. Good luck!
If you’re on Twitter, please feel free to share this interview.
Colleen Milburn
Wow, all great questions and illuminating answers. Well done to all of you. I admit I’m struggling with how to do my ‘face’ and fear I’m running out of time! I wonder what the number out of 10 would be for feeling ‘harried’? Fantastic and exciting collab, RB and Stefan :)))
AngelArtiste
How much time left?
RedBubble replied
12 days to enter then voting.
Paul McClintock
Whoo! My question got asked! That means I’ve interviewed Stefan Sagmeister. I’ve officially made it.
ayarti
Yes!! Time to brag to my design friends that i have interviewed Sagmeister :)
FlowersEtc
How to I get the template? I don’t see a way to download it in the correct size
Paul McClintock
@FlowersEtc – here
Jules Campbell
The plot thickens….
LTScribble
um, the portraits that are displayed….are they the ones that were chosen?......and the template….does he want it exactly with the head not turned at all and partially cut off at the top?....because whe people are down…they tend to cast their eyes and head down…
Paul McClintock
@LTScribble… the challenge isn’t over yet.
About the template. I hope it’s at least a little flexible, because I’ve tried recropping mine, and it totally ruins it. I’m not sure how they’ll be used in the end, so it’s hard to say how close to the template you need to get. But I’ve got the same concern as you, my head is little smaller than the template, but if it needs to be cropped that can easily be done by them.
LTScribble
i did crop mine….and changed it to fit…and i have to say it’s not as good….but i’m willing to draw me straight on and try again….if i need to…that pic of me took less then 4 hours to do….but getting up the gumption to draw me…was very hard…..(for me)....i hope they reply soon about the specs…I would hate not to have a chance because the perimeters weren’t met….
RedBubble replied
I think that is the whole point of the project. We look at our selves and show others what we see. It is a bit scary but I think worthwhile.
Paul McClintock
It looks to me like you stretched yours horizontally. Have you tried just cropping it without changing the proportions?
LTScribble
i dont know how….i used paint shop to meet the requirements….no idea how to get the proportions back and still make the requirements…..
Paul McClintock
It’s difficult to say how to go about it. I’m not familiar with Paint Shop, although – in general, I would use the crop tool (I’m assuming it’s the same as Photoshop) to cut off part of the top and bottom in order to get the 16×9 ratio that they want… rather than stretching it horizontally to fit.
LTScribble
they just had a resize tool…..that i saw…u enter in percentage…and i kept doing it until the perimeters were the same….but the percentages change with each time u change it..it resets back to 100% ht..and 100% wd….
Karin Taylor
great work everyone, interesting questions and fun interview! I hope mine gets in too, my head fits within the template, but my shoulders are too high,...nothing i can do about it, i’ve tried to resize…fingers crossed :) x
Matt Mawson
I came across this YouTube talk … Stefan Sagmeister: Yes, design can make you happy
RedBubble replied
I (Pilgrim) saw him speak at Oxford which is how this all came about. He is a lovely and quite compelling designer and just a very nice and humble man.
This is one of his earlier TED talks here
Karin Taylor
Well, I’ve changed my portrait now, and put up a completely different one, according to my mood today…because it’s a 10..... this one fits within the template yay!
RedBubble replied
Karin
Well done and I love the spiritual aspect of it. I am going to do one on the weekend.
aglaia b
nothing has excited me so much since i’ve been on redbubble, like this project.
i think it’s mainly because i love the human face and portraiture.
i love the fact that it’s one big communal collaboration.
i love how it’s making us stop a little to think about things like happiness and humanity.
thanks for putting this together redbubble, i can’t wait to see how it all pans out. ;
) xox)btw, i can feel another HP layout update coming up same time next week. hehe ;
RedBubble replied
I agree. I wasnt sure how it would go (and have to police the entries like a bouncer at the hippiest joint in the city) but as I see the different faces and perspectives it is so wonderfully human and connecting.
Karin Taylor
I can’t wait to see yours!!
Cyeclops
Ohh cool … 12 days left you say??? Im only new on here ,,, yesterday lol ….. right .. I am on it, hope to have mine done in day or so … never done a self portrait .. and always saying im thinking about it ….............. no time like the present. Yup – thanx redbubble – awesome
RedBubble replied
Welcome to RedBubble. Looking forward to seeing your portrait!
aglaia b
(and have to police the entries like a bouncer at the hippiest joint in the city)
LOL
that’s a way cool job, hehe
;-) xox
robpixaday
Fascinating!!!!!! Thank you for sharing this!!!!!!!!
But…......now I feel like I should start over, make another, re-happy myself!
Soxy Fleming
If Paul has made it by interviewing Stefan…then so have I!
Welcome to RB Mr Sagmeister!
red addiction
I’m very excited to see where this project goes. Good luck to everyone! Happy creating! BTW, I’m a little sad that my image wasn’t used as an example. Booo hooo!
RedBubble replied
Yes it is a really interesting project – most interesting we have done and I also am looking to the final thing.
aglaia b
btw, looking at your layout, i just noticed how the faces start from a lower scale rating of happiness and go up as they move along the horizontal.
very clever, it works a treat. hehe ;-) xox
mrscarlotta
Good luck to all who have entered, may the best happy face win, love this challenge, xxxxxxx
JANET SUMMERS
What are the submission sizes: in centimeters? Pixels? it is confusing as the download says 1920×1080 what is this cm??
16:9 16:9 is the ratio of what? Thanks, as my portrait is finished and am waiting to send right size!!!! Janet
RedBubble replied
Janet
The image just needs to be in the ratio of 16:9 with the face centred as per the template and as high a resolution as you can make it. It will be compressed to the right size. Looking forward to seeing what you have!
nhungmanga
good , i think you can do it
JANET SUMMERS
OK uploaded image..if there is a size problem..I made lots of sizes(by trial & error) and I could change it if necessary it seems stretched horizontally but it isn’t it’s a strange size very oblong!
Guess it makes it look strange or it just might be me!! so many hours looking at it changing it..my 9/10 has become a 10 just because I managed to create it!