LEIF PODHAJSKY INTERVIEW

I was a bit disappointed I did not actually get to communicate with Leif himself. It was either his receptionist or someone who handles his mail. Which is unfortunate, the whole thing did not feel organic I much preferred my interview with Sonny because it was a face to face video chat which was much more engaging and I felt I learnt a lot more. This could also be due to the questions from that interview being more beneficial to myself as an individual.  

Leif Podhajsky is fast becoming one of the most prolific graphic designers in the industry. You may recognize his artwork on any number of Pitchfork-approved album covers, including both LPs by Tame Impala, as well as releases from Grimes, Shabazz Palaces, Lykki Li and Foals. He’s known for his modern take on classic psychedelic art, employing repetitive geometric imagery and swirled-out nature tropes. Podhajsky’s website rightfully boasts that his work...

Where did you see your career going before you got the Tame Impala cover?

I wasn’t really thinking that far ahead to be honest. I had just finished college and was just looking for any paid design jobs I could find as I tried to work on my own style in the industry. I ended up getting really lucky.

Who are your inspirations?

A very broad question, have a look at my visual melt site it has a lot of my inspirations on there. 

What form of production do you prefer, handcrafted or digital?

I wouldn’t say I prefer one to the other as I think they really rely on each other. But I would always start with designs done by hand then scan those designs in and then  mess around with it. When you combine both it brings a digitalised rawness to the design.

Does your style convey the music on the records you make?

Even if my piece weren’t for music purposes I would still say it plays an important role in my creative process. Yeah I try and listen to the music and create something that harnesses its essence whilst still keeping my own sense of style. 

How influential is travelling to your work?

I think it’s so important to my work. As my careers progressed my schedulee has become way too hectic, so I haven’t been able to travel as much as I would like. But I try to get out any time I can as it does serve as a big inspiration to my work. Not only that but being able to take a break and switch off every now again is important in this industry. I am planning on taking a few weeks out this summer to go South America which I am quite pumped for.

The Mount Kimbie video was interesting, is animation something you want to pursue further?

Definitely man. There are quite a few creative outlets I wanna experiment. I like the idea of creating big-scale animation pieces. I’ve just done a recent piece in an exhibition in London, which was good to get involved with, even doing more music videos but it would really depend on the music artist for me, if I can find a way to relate to the material. 

Are you looking to build your brand? If so how?

Eventually. I can’t say it is a massive focus right now, I have so much going on at the moment. From moving the studio to Shore-ditch, London and currently trying to get my website up and running again. Also working with some young creatives coming into the industry.

Do you experiment with a lot of marble ink or acrylics?

Yeah I have a genuine passion for it, the textures and colour combinations you can get out of them are pretty cool. I have quite an unconventional style but it works well once you move onto the editing process. 

What advice would you give to a graphic design student trying to break out in the industry?

I would say to try focus on you and your specific style, with so much inspiration available in today’s digital age it can be hard to step off the path and create something unique and brand new. Try to create work that excites you, it can be easy in this industry to lose why you got into it in the first place.

Your style would go perfectly with clothing design; such as printed t-shirts is this something you would be interested in?

A lot of people have said this. I have released a line of scarves with my prints, and also a few tees. But as for a whole clothing range, I have definitely considered it, but it’s not something I am planning to do right now but some where down the line for sure. For now I am really just focusing on expanding on new creative approaches, just as many as I possibly can, and some interesting stuff coming soon from my collab with Nike.