【Interview】2017 Grand Prize Winner (Design Category):Nigel Müller
We interviewed Mr. Nigel Müller, winner of the Grand Prize in the Design category at the COPIC AWARD 2017.
Many of his works are based on automotive design motifs, and he continues to expand his activities by cooperating in the exhibition of actual cars at international motor shows.
We asked him about his recent activities, and the changes that have happened to him and his environment since winning the COPIC AWARD.
| Nigel Müller 2017 Grand Prize Winner (Design Category) He is a young and aspiring freelance graphic designer/car designer. While attending the University of Pforzheim in this Spring, he plans to continue working on the FENICE 105 Lancia Delta project that was exhibited at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon. official web site / instagram:nigel_design / https://www.drivestylestore.com/ |
COPIC AWARD 2017 Grand Prize Winner (Design Category) "Iconic Duo - Ferrari and Fiat Dino"
Q.Please tell us how you've been doing (latest project, etc.)
Nigel：Apart from applying to University of Pforzheim, I'm also still contributing to the FENICE105 Lancia Delta project that was displayed at Tokyo Auto Salon last year. I'm still in close contact with Masashi Matsumoto and the team. We decided to make a limited number of scale model cars of the real car. I was asked to help with the graphic design for the packaging around the scale model. We are currently still working on it and hope to start production when the corona crisis is over.
A recent project that was part of my application to the university, was making a portfolio. I did a lot of sketching and for most of the sketches I went outside and started drawing the cars that were parked on the street, I will share more of these sketches on my Instagram soon.
He took part in the project for the FENICE 105 Lancia Delta, which was on display at the TOKYO AUTO SALON 2019 (also known as a festival for custom cars and tuning).
Q.You won the Grand Prize of the COPIC AWARD 2017. How did you feel when you heard the news?
Nigel：I can still remember the exact moment I received the email with the great news. I don't think I have ever felt so proud in my life. Being 18 and winning an award was something I thought was unachievable. Plus, the fact that I was invited to come to Japan, was a dream come true.
Q.Has anything in your life changed since you won the prize?
Nigel：Winning the award has opened a whole new world to me. Being at the award ceremony has brought me in contact with many inspiring professionals with the same passion for art and design as me. Without COPIC AWARD, I would not be where I am today.
Besides winning the award itself, being invited to come to Japan was a beautiful experience. Tokyo is a very inspirational place, and if you have a passion for cars like me, it is a place you have to have visited at least once in your life.
Q.Could you give a message to people who haven't decided to participate this year's AWARD yet?
Nigel：My message is aimed towards the younger artists and designers. What I think that restrains some younger artists from participating, is the fact that they think that they don't have a chance of winning. I'm going to be realistic, of course for winning first prize you will really need to impress the judges, but you should not forget that there are many other prizes to win as well! You do not have to be the absolute best of the best. Apart from winning prizes, it will be a good exercise to put all your effort in an artwork because you will see what you are capable of creating.
My personal approach for the COPIC AWARD was to do the absolute best I can and aim to win one of the prizes.
Q.What kind of entry/artwork you would like to see this year?
Nigel：Because my goal is to become a professional car designer, I would like to see some car design marker renders or some very artistic automotive illustrations. Besides that, a lot of my inspiration comes from sci-fi and cyberpunk, I know that there are a lot of cyberpunk artists out there, so I'd love to see there take on the COPIC AWARD as well.
Q.What are you expecting of the COPIC AWARD?
Nigel：I'm sure that the judges of COPIC AWARD take their job very seriously and I have no doubt that they will pick some mind-blowing artworks as winners. Furthermore, I think it's important that the judges look beyond the artwork itself, and also look at the future potential and the vision of the artist/designer. Every artist/designer has a certain vision in the way they create art, this vision can play a big role in deciding whether an artist will leave their mark in the world of art and design or not.
We're very happy and proud that the COPIC AWARD has become a catalyst for this young and talented artist to expand his activities. Thank you Nigel, for your valuable time!
