Interview: Lena Hermann
2019-07-15
Interview: Elizma Stoltz
2019-08-28
Getting to Know Leigh Le Roux
1. Tell DFO a little bit more about yourself
I am a Graphic Design and artist and I work at the top digital agency in South Africa VMLY&R.
I spend all of my spare time drawing and creating. I love what I do because I get to express myself in a creative way every day and I have so much I can still learn. I started drawing at the age of 11 and I have been drawing now for 16 years. I am a very introverted person but with time I do become more extroverted with people as I get to know them. I started drawing because of how shy I was as a kid and having dyslexia, drawing allowed me to get comfortable with myself and taught me to enjoy my own company. My work focus is on people and how they make me feel.
2. From an art perspective: What are your biggest weaknesses?
The biggest weakness I have at the moment is hands, I am still not 100% comfortable drawing hands but I will keep practicing it. I am also excited to see myself master hands someday.
3. Be bold – tell us: "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
In five years is see myself being a full-time artist in both the digital and traditional art world. I would love to work with brands that are trying to really make a difference in people’s lives.
4. Out of thousands of artists in SA, why should people appreciate your art?
My art is very different from what has been taught in school. My work is not like the rest of the work I have seen and I am proud to have created the style I currently use. I am also a designer so that means I am used to simplifying what I see and they come through in my work.
5. "What do you like about being in the creative industry? / What do you enjoy about using your creative talent?"
What I like about being in the South African creative industry is that I don’t know what the end product of a project is. I taught English for a year in Japan and that inspired me to share and use what I know to help others get better at what they do.
6. What do you consider to be your biggest creative achievement??
At the moment my biggest achievement is being the winner of the Fak’ugesi Digital Innovation Poster Illustration competition. My design is being used on all the branding for the event.
7. Tell us about the last time a client, family or friend questioned your art or creativity. Elaborate on what happened.
The last person that questioned my work is designer Friends I currently work with at my digital agency, there are times when you need fresh eyes as you have just been sitting to0 close to it.
8. When working on art "describe your definition of done."
Done is when I don’t want to push it any further because of the fear of overdoing it. Also, it is finally in a space where I have nothing left to add
9. When creating, what kind of work environment do you like best?
I love working in a team with creative people. The more talented the team the more I want to push myself to that level and I want to push them up with me.
10. Define your creative/drawing style?
My drawing style is a mix of traditional cross-hatching and design principals so it’s very simple and the details that I put in the eyes are the reason why people recognize my style.
11. What can we expect from you in the near future?
The future I would say is merchandising and also having my work displayed in as many places as I can so many different project can fund my passion.
12. What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Don’t be afraid to share your work as letting people see your work in time will be how people see you grow as an artist. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes that are a part of the process.
