Creatively programmed
In 1985, a computer graphics illustrator from Lucerne did pioneering work. Ludek Martschini was the first Swiss to launch programmed creativity.
30 years ago, Ludek Martschini rented the premises of a former coffee bar on Lucerne's lake shore, a few kilometers outside the city center. It was there that he took his first steps into self-employment as a graphic designer, having just returned from San Francisco. He had completed a one-year course in computer graphic illustration at the Academy of Art Collage in San Francisco. He was the first to do so in Switzerland. Obtaining equipment for this proved to be difficult. The computers on offer were not only needed for a relatively unknown activity, they were also very expensive. "They were really huge machines from California, from the Spielberg film industry," Martschini explains. The students literally had to dress warmly to work with them, as the rooms were cooled down to 14-15 degrees because of the computers. "We always had a cold nose," he comments impassively. Illustration was done with tablet and pen. Commands were also given via the tablet. Eventually, Ludek Martschini found a way to obtain such a device and set it up in his studio in Lucerne. He was sure to attract media attention. He received invitations to demonstrate the functionality of the device from major companies such as Calida and Globus to the Swiss Graphic Designers Association. When he presented the whole thing at the Lucerne School of Arts and Crafts, he was laughed at. "A graphic designer will never work on a computer," he quotes their reaction 30 years ago. However, he was sure that the computer was just a tool and that it would be indispensable in the future. "Even today, you can't just press a button and the creative ideas come," says Martschini. You don't have to think you're creative "just because you have a box like this". With this conviction in his backpack, he began working as a computer graphic illustrator in 1985 and founded the Ideart Design & Advertising agency.
Intimate ambience on Lake Lucerne
The premises of the Ideart agency are located a few minutes' drive from the center of Lucerne, directly on Lake Lucerne, with its own lakeside location and a view of the Alps. Before founding Ideart Design & Advertising, Ludek Martschini worked for an agency in Zurich for some time. Despite working on major projects as a junior art director for Toblerone, Air France and Citroën, he did not particularly enjoy this work. "I mainly had to adapt, but I preferred to design myself," he explains. Since he preferred to carry out a project from scratch for smaller companies 30 years ago, he set up his own business in the fall of 1985.
A year later, he and a partner founded the Ideart agency at a young age. "I started from nothing," he says, proudly and enthusiastically looking back on his start. He began working for colleagues in the music business on record/CD covers, but this was not particularly lucrative financially. Over time, however, more and more jobs came his way. "But we were never huge," says Martschini. He employed a maximum of six people. His brother, Peter Martschini, has been on board for 25 years, taking care of production and administration. Today they still work in pairs, Ludek as illustrator and graphic designer, Peter takes care of production and all administrative matters - for all other tasks they like to work with freelancers. These are usually copywriters/conceptual designers that they call in. But marketing strategists or other specialists are also brought in depending on the project. "This promotes exchange," says Martschini. When the agency was at its largest, Ludek Martschini mainly took care of the organization of new orders and customer care, while the graphic designers did his work in the studio. He then asked himself, "What am I actually doing there?" He quickly missed designing. So he decided, together with his brother and a management consultant, to downsize the agency again. The studio consists of a small two-room office with a coffee corner that serves as a meeting room. "Clients who visit us here appreciate the intimate atmosphere," says Martschini.
Broadly specialized - a balancing act
Ludek Martschini has used his creative ideas in many areas of design without concentrating on one direction. Today, he mainly works as an illustrator for publishing houses and advertising agencies, but design in general suits him. Martschini does everything that has to do with design, illustration and graphic design - but he doesn't want to specialize. "That doesn't make my work any less professional," he emphasizes. Because what he does, he does properly and with passion. His absolute favorite client is Perosa. The lingerie company has been relying on his creativity for over 13 years. In all these years, Ludek Martschini has traveled to Perosa photo shoots all over the world: Thailand, Malaysia, Bali, Borneo and the Seychelles were the most beautiful locations. Martschi-ni uses the resulting photos to design the Perosa lingerie and fashion brochures every year. He would actually be very open to other directions, as he emphasizes: "I would also be very happy about commissions in the sports or cultural sector." He has also enjoyed designing packaging. Most recently, for example, a packaging line for the newly developed popcorn pralines from the company Maya Popcorn. This packaging design is even still in the display case. Today, Martschini would like to focus more on larger projects again. However, he does not have the right clients for this. Ideart used to implement various projects for major clients such as BMW, Swatch, Emmi and Migros. He really enjoyed this, says Martschini, as he often had a wider range of design and ideas at his disposal for such projects. Today, as a two-man business, Ideart is not set up for such commissions. "It's a shame, but that's the way it is," Martschini concludes with a laugh. However, this balancing act is still possible for him. He is now looking for a partnership, preferably with a larger agency.
Ursina mason
