Why good design isn’t serious: a conversation with Lukas Diemling

Lukas Diemling didn’t plan to be a designer—he wanted to be a painter. Then typography got under his skin, and everything changed. Now, he blends branding, photography, and a sharp eye for detail into work that feels effortless but runs deep. From rebranding DJ Marten Hørger to shooting his own mockups, Lukas thrives on pushing boundaries. In this interview, he talks about creative freedom, the power of good typography, and why design should never be too serious.

What initially drew you to graphic design? Was there a specific moment or project that made you realize this was your path?

I actually started Art School at 14 years old to become a painter/artist, something I had dreamed of since I was a kid. Besides painting, drawing, and art history we also had Graphic Design and typography classes. I first quite struggled with these as I had zero knowledge of computers but something about graphic design and type in general got me and it somehow made klick after 2 years in Art School. I think the very specific moment you asked for was when I made my first poster for a DNB Event for some friends and everybody loved it and I even got a crate of beer. I still do these posters for more than 10 years now.

Your portfolio spans branding, typography, and photography. Did you always envision such a multidisciplinary approach, or did it evolve over time?

For me good branding isn’t something that works without good typography, I don’t need to be a custom font all the time but a deep understanding of typography is the mandatory base for good brands and good graphic design in general. My interest in photography just came over time as it is a very valuable asset for building brands and as my first clients couldn’t afford a photographer I simply did it by myself. A few years later it became a big passion for me and it became somehow the artist language of my younger self who wanted to become a painter/artist.

Project to Marten Hørger

When you start a new project, such as the rebranding for Marten Hørger, what’s the first thing you focus on? Do you have a specific process or routine? The Marten Hørger rebranding revolves around the unique 'Ø' symbol, reflecting the dynamic movement of a turntable. Can you walk us through the inspiration and creative decisions behind it?

As I do have my own clients and do freelance work for agencies there are multiple ways I approach projects. For my clients, I always start with a meeting where we just talk a lot, it doesn't need to be about the project, it's more about learning about the people, their vision, and their point of view on life in general. In the case of Marten, it was kinda special as I already was a fan of his music before he approached me. We had a great first call, Marten is such a humble, authentic, and lovely person, I instantly got the vibe his brand needed to head. The only brief I got from Marten was that he wanted a somehow special Ø Symbol, that he loves orange, and that he loves my work. Marten already had built some brand recognition with a brush painted Ø Symbol and he wanted to keep it at first. So I dug deep and tried to find a way to make the Ø Symbol a bit more than just a nice-looking device which in the end convinced him to do everything new (some fans already had tattoos with the old one, not sure how they feel about it). Based on the new symbol we created a whole visual language that was flexible enough to fit the needs of an evolving artist.

Your work often features bold, minimalist compositions. How do you find the balance between simplicity and impact?

All my work has some deeper, underlying concept and meaning. A minimalistic approach most of the time works the best in transporting the concept and meaning. Besides that, it's simply what I personally like and enjoy. I recognized that I recently got way more colorful than I was at the beginning of my path and I dig that.

How do you know when a project is truly finished? Is it an intuitive decision, or do you follow a structured process?

Tough Question. It really depends, most of the time I know when I have the right idea, the right direction to follow. After that, it's a lot of adjusting the typefaces and trying out colors and such. If I have the time I prefer to let the work rest for a week or even more, if I still like it then it's done. I am quite a perfectionist, but I try to do so as I know that you can’t really reach 100% anytime. The simple »Done is better than perfect« is kinda true in my eyes.

Project to The Grazer Impro Fest

For the Grazer Impro Fest, you used a vibrant typographic language to reflect the festival's diversity. What was your process for developing such a dynamic visual identity?

The more experimental Work in my Portfolio always includes a lot of playing around and usually doesn’t have a tight timeline. So I do something, then stop for a few weeks and rework, and so on. Most of the time the initial idea stays the same, the thing that changes is the typography, I try a lot and make tons and tons of different options. The client is often involved in this process and the courage to admit that we may have taken the wrong path is really important for me and my creative practice. I absolutely hate it when I work with an agency and we can’t change anything because we already presented it, design is a dynamic process, not a linear and as designers, we should be brave enough to admit that.

The Why so Serious? project

Looking across your body of work, is there a project that stands out as a defining moment in your career?

Hard to say, but something that definitely had a huge impact is the work I do for Matthias Warnung and his wines. He became a good friend of mine over the years and absolutely trusts me and gives me a lot of creative freedom.

Your Instagram page, @still.lukas, highlights your photography work. How does your experience behind the lens influence your design projects?

First of all, I think my photographic language is a bit different than my design language, at least the work that isn’t related to my design work. It highly influences my design work as it is somehow my safe space. I can do whatever I want here. I take the pictures I want, at my speed and when I want. Something that is really important to improve your creativity is freedom and taking playing seriously.

Left: Austrian Wine Mafia project, right: image from Fluffys

Your Behance portfolio features an impressive range of mockups. How do you approach creating them, and what role do they play in presenting your design work effectively?

I started photographing my own work as no photographer really did it as I really wanted it. So I thought: I have a camera and I know how to use it, so let's do it. After some time the guys from Supply Family approached me and asked if I wanted to do mockups with them. Since then it has become a steady income flow and it's nice because now I can spend way more time shooting my own work as I know I can sell it afterward too, it's a win-win situation

Do you see your mockups as an extension of your graphic design projects, or are they a separate creative pursuit?

For my own work, I try to mostly take photographs of the actual designed things. They are connected to my design projects but it's somehow a different topic as it is a combination of design and photography.

How important are mockups in your workflow? Do you design them with specific projects in mind, or do they develop independently?

As said all my mockups I sell were first created as photographs of projects I did myself (except the out-of-home ones), so there went a lot of thought into how they represent the project. I actually did quite a few portfolio shoots for agencies and other designers alike last year. At the moment I plan some dedicated mockup shoots with more art direction and different themes, so stay tuned.

Are there any new mediums or industries you're eager to explore in your future work?

I started analog photography this year and I love it, it's a whole different topic and I really like it. But besides that, I would love to explore more things outside the creative industry. Cooking for example always has been another creative outlet besides work.

How do you stay motivated and inspired, especially when facing creative blocks or long-term projects?

Have good people around you. I work in a coworking space and it's like a big community where you can talk about everything and have lunch together. If you don’t have the right idea, don’t force it, do something else, take a break, meet a friend, and hug your loved ones. I think having a fulfilled life is really important to have a working creativity practice. And going to therapy if you feel so, helped me a lot to deal with creative blocks and generally dealing with pressure and the pressure of a fast-paced environment.

Is there a piece of advice you’ve received that has stuck with you throughout your career?

There is this quote by David Carson that really stuck with me: »Graphic design will save the world right after rock and roll does.« We aren’t doing surgery, so let's don’t take it too seriously, the world will go on if we miss a deadline, do a typo, or do something just for the sake of getting money for it. And take humor seriously, live is much more fun if you laugh a lot.

Thanks for having me.

Meet the artist

Have a look at Lukas Diemling's store ✨

Tape 03 Mockup

€16

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Sign 20 Mockup

€16

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Tote Bag Mockup 01

€16

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