Qs & As with Monika Rohner

What is your name?

Mone (Monika Rohner)

Where do you live?

I’ve just moved from London to Zurich, Switzerland

Where/ What did you study, if you studied?

I studied Interaction Design at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), in Zurich, Switzerland

What do you do day to day?

I work as a freelance motion designer, illustrator and art director in London, Munich and Switzerland and try to keep a good balance between jobs and private projects.

How would you describe your work?

Well, my private work is a bit different from the commissioned work, which usually depends on the brief. In my private projects I explore more, do a lot of mixed media things, play with colours, shapes, different material and media. But in the end both types of work are well structured, thoroughly planed and detailed - so they do reflect me and my way of thinking. My work is about life, things, objects and situations. It's a world of imagination but built of what really exist. I like to use diamonds, rainbows, trees, little buildings, shoes and much more stuff. And I love the idea that things could hang from the sky :).

Do you pretty much live in a world a bit like Gabriel Garcia Bernez in The Science of Sleep then?

Wow. I would love to, though. I like the magic of any kind of parallel world that is part of everyday life and I probably look at some things in a different way than other people. There's always a huge string of association going on when I look around me. But I am quite down to earth and usually not lost in daydreams at all!

Where do you get your inspiration from?

From basically everywhere: a simple candy-wrapping to the saatchi gallery - everything can be equally inspiring! I do a lot of research, collect stuff from candy wrapping to parts I cut out of magazines, read books, newspapers and magazines and I like to sit in public transport and see what happens around me.

What are your tools/ what medium do you work in?

I love working with paper, cutter, glue and pencils as much as composing artworks and animations on my computer.

Will you always stick to motion design? What other mediums would you like to work in?

Yes, I do love motion design. And I usually imagine things in motion, as time gives you one more dimension. But I definitely don't want to determine myself to one medium only. Sometimes it's quite interesting to show one moment only and leave it to itself. I really love to set up little scenes, and will explore this direction more in future. I'm quite tempted to use threads and fabric as well at some point.

What do you think about the competition we ran and why did you submit?

As a big pattern-fan myself, I loved the wrapping paper idea from beginning. I already wanted to submit a pattern last year, but was too busy then, but this year it worked out. As a motion designer you hardly see your designs in print, therefore this is a really great thing for me.

What are you working on at the moment?

I'm juggling several projects at the moment. I help the guys at Proud Creative in Shoreditch to pitch for the redesign of a youth channel and I work on a double page for Faesthetic Magazine.

On what or with who would you most like to work?

Well, I kind of take things as they come in and never really plan in which direction it goes. But yes, I would really love to work on movie titles at some point. Or a crazy shop window would be challenging. And then I still keep interactive storytelling in the back of my mind (a theme I worked on for at uni years ago). And sometimes I feel like "who needs design at all, I would better help to save the world ... "

Where can we see more of your work?

Best check out www.monikarohner.com to see more, especially the moving image stuff.