Roman Cieslewicz is a graphic designer and photographer. He was born in Lwow, Poland in 1930. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Cracow in 1955. He has worked as the art director of Vogue, Elle and Mafia and as the artistic creater of Opus International. Roman Cielewicz was first national recognized for his Polish poster series. This series was influenced by political, social and cultural fields.
Cielewicz had created his own technique and language, which he applies to posters, publications, photomontages and illustration. His graphic ideas are expressed in nostalgic and intelligent style. His output is prolific, his approach disturbingly free, with accidental elements permitted to challenge the typographical order.
During an interview, in the summer of 1993, Roman Cieslewicz sat down with Margo Rouard-Snowman. When MRS asked, “What are your favorite design techniques?” Cieslewicz responded, “I use a manner of techniques: photography, painting and watercolour, but not drawing. I have a constant source of inspiration: circular forms…I find the many imperfections of the hand-made version very pleasing…My professional decisions, my responses to commissions, are dominated by impatience; the pencil expresses my ideas more quickly than any mechanical tool could.” MRS responded with, “What about the computer?” Cieslewicz, “You can imagine anything you like and put it on a computer, but it will never have the perfection of the hand-drawn image or the freedom which I value so much…”
Roman Cieslewicz is an important figure in graphic design history. What makes Cieslewciz so memorable is the personal touch that we can identify with in his work. The hand-made element is a strong undercurrent through his graphic design career. As he stated there is a freedom and beauty that comes from the imperfections of hand-made work. This element creates a type of identity for each designer. Each hand-made technique is different and a combination of different mediums such as photography, painting, drawing, ect… Developing an identity as a designer or any artist for that matter can be difficult.
Roman Cieslewciz, among others, value and respect all walks of art, they embrace all of their creative niches and channel that creativity into their career. Every designer would do well to take note of designers like Roman Cieslewciz.
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