Me
I studied Fine Arts at what's now called ArtEZ Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Kampen (now Zwolle), The Netherlands. They say an art study makes you an artist. Maybe they're right. I do paint and I design stuff. Does that make me an artist? Much of my inspiration comes from old punkrock flyers, worn paper and fabrics, broken stuff. I like my work to look unfinished, undesigned. Design by accident.
(...)I didn’t study graphic design. I left the design department after six months because the teachers (and students) there were too bound to rules in my opinion. Especially typography rules. As you may know a lot of Dutch designers and therefore design teachers are heavily influenced by the ‘less is more’ principle. Well, that’s not my cup of tea.
From an interview (click here to read the whole thing)
Websites
I create and code websites using web standards. What else should I say? They do what they have to do. I hope...
Inspiration
David Salle, Jasper Johns, Steve Albini, Mark Hollis, Thurston Moore/Sonic Youth, Simeon ten Holt, Gerhard Richter, Francis Bacon, Stanley Donwood, LUL, It Dockumer Lokaeltsje, Charles Peterson, Dr. Tchock!, Wayne Coyne/Flaming Lips, Knut Orvik, The Ex, Robert Smith, The guy who invented beer, Carol van Dijk/Bettie Serveert, Nick Cave, David Yow/The Jesus Lizard, Pete Townshend, Randy Pausch, Kurt Cobain, Eli Content, Glenn Branca, This Heat, Umberto di Bosso é Compadres, Jan Jacob Slauerhhoff, Robert Zandvliet, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Burgess/The Chameleons, The guy who invented the photo copier, George Henze
Contact
You can e-mail me: peterboorsma AT gmail DOT com
Follow me on Twitter (Dutch)
Trends
Most webdesign is boring
I just read this article about so-called 'grunge design' which is trendy again, apparently. The article isn't that informative I think but some of the comments are. Some commenters display their stupidity and shallowness and don't seem to be too embarrased about it.
That's obvious. Most people who comment on these big websites about design stuff have nothing better to do with their time and surf around for inspiration stuff they can steal. Others place a comment just for a link to their own website. And some think it's just cool to see their names on those websites. Like grafitti.
Some excerpts from the comments:
'I myself am a designer, trying to get used to the new styles now.'
'I really dislike Grunge websites, some of them pull it off but for the most part, they are harder to navigate and put design before content.'
I agree with this one:
I think Kurt Cobain would turn in his grave to hear how contrived you make grunge sound. Look, it has a cute fake paperclip - how grunge! The movement was about being raw and not conforming, and died when it became mainstream. Thanks for now providing us with the guidelines to be grunge!
No one is a real original of course. We all are influenced by other people wether we like it or not. Nothing wrong with that. But at least try to do your own thing. But then again, a designer is certainly not an artist. Designers just do what their told but want to let us think that they are so great. Most of them earn their money making boring websites for boring companies. Nothing wrong with that either but please shut your big mouth about design. It's not design, it's just a dayjob where you have to please your client. A true artist (who can be a designer) does not take the safe road by copying and altering designs seen elsewhere. Good artists are rare. But sjees, how can you say this in public without being ashamed of yourself: ''I myself am a designer, trying to get used to the new styles now."?!
And yes, I too make boring websites for boring companies. I'm a prostitute.
