Mike Giesser
Mike has been working with creative organisations and individuals for the last 20 years across Canada, The Netherlands and Australia. Although the studio doesn’t regard its-self to have a particular style, their work is characterised by elegant, minimal typographic solutions, meticulously executed across print & digital.
CLEOPATRAS BLING | JEWELLERY
I like to do a bit of everything. Working primarily in the field of brand identity gives me the opportunity to always be working on a variety of outputs. One day I can be writing a strategic document and the next day designing a small publication. On any given day I could be working on a website, some packaging or a piece of signage, and sometimes all these things in that same one day. Brand identity requires you to wear many hats, which means you need to get good at quickly shifting gears.![]()
What you like to make and how did you get into design? My initial foray into graphic design came in grade 11 when I started my first zine called "Core." I had no desire at this stage to be a designer, I mean, I had no idea what that even was, my interest was in literature and writing.
I guess like most angsty teenagers, I felt I had something to say that was worth listening to. Core contained short stories, album & live gig reviews, interviews, skateboarding pics, political commentary (lol) and heaps of random stuff I’d find in books at the library. It was all put together as zines traditionally were, cut and paste handmade collages that were then black and white photocopied and saddle-stitched. What inspires you?
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Typically it's the project itself. Since my process starts with such an in depth discovery stage about that particular client and whatever it is they do, I really let that steer the project. I tend to work with people whose work I find inspiring and/or the brief. Much of my output is quite typographically-driven so aesthetically I'm always finding inspiration on instagram for different techniques and ideas that help keep what is often a pretty pared-back and classic approach, contemporary. It's always a balance between making sure I don't ignore current trends, while staying true to my modernist roots.
I guess like most angsty teenagers, I felt I had something to say that was worth listening to. Core contained short stories, album & live gig reviews, interviews, skateboarding pics, political commentary (lol) and heaps of random stuff I’d find in books at the library. It was all put together as zines traditionally were, cut and paste handmade collages that were then black and white photocopied and saddle-stitched. What inspires you?
Typically it's the project itself. Since my process starts with such an in depth discovery stage about that particular client and whatever it is they do, I really let that steer the project. I tend to work with people whose work I find inspiring and/or the brief. Much of my output is quite typographically-driven so aesthetically I'm always finding inspiration on instagram for different techniques and ideas that help keep what is often a pretty pared-back and classic approach, contemporary. It's always a balance between making sure I don't ignore current trends, while staying true to my modernist roots.
What are you up to in the times of lockdown? Thankfully the client projects haven't stopped coming in, it's almost been the opposite and I've had more enquiry in the past few weeks than normal for this time of year.
If work had dried up I was planning on photographing some projects since it's something I rarely do because I just never have the time and perhaps rethink my website, which I kinda do think about every year, but always come back to leaving it as is, it seems to be sufficient.
In general things have been very much business as usual. I work from home about 85% of the time anyways and never really crave that much IRL human contact anyways. I'm always doing something with music though, downloading new music every day is generally the first thing I do when I get up at 5:30am, then I usually put at least 1 mix together every month from my favourite tracks that I had downloaded. Cooking also remains as one of my favourite ways to unwind and shake off the day.
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If work had dried up I was planning on photographing some projects since it's something I rarely do because I just never have the time and perhaps rethink my website, which I kinda do think about every year, but always come back to leaving it as is, it seems to be sufficient.
In general things have been very much business as usual. I work from home about 85% of the time anyways and never really crave that much IRL human contact anyways. I'm always doing something with music though, downloading new music every day is generally the first thing I do when I get up at 5:30am, then I usually put at least 1 mix together every month from my favourite tracks that I had downloaded. Cooking also remains as one of my favourite ways to unwind and shake off the day.
Further Info:
www.mgiesser.com @mgiesser
Mike Giesser Recommends:
flackstudio.com.au/artists-and-makers
@flackandfriends
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
public-office.info (comprised of p-m.site + stuart.geddes.work + testen.studio + others) | @u____p | @mildredandduck | @maud_design | @nevernow_ | @rick_milovanovic | @more__studio | @bradleypinkerton | @studiospgd | @studio_round | @studiobrave | @swear_words | @byclear | @paper_stone_scissors | @ymd_studio | @studio.ongarato | @motherbirdstudio | @ortolandesign
CERAMICISTS
My favs @anchorceramics
flackstudio.com.au/artists-and-makers
@flackandfriends
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
public-office.info (comprised of p-m.site + stuart.geddes.work + testen.studio + others) | @u____p | @mildredandduck | @maud_design | @nevernow_ | @rick_milovanovic | @more__studio | @bradleypinkerton | @studiospgd | @studio_round | @studiobrave | @swear_words | @byclear | @paper_stone_scissors | @ymd_studio | @studio.ongarato | @motherbirdstudio | @ortolandesign
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CERAMICISTS
My favs @anchorceramics
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