Interview with Sergei Didyk

At school I didn't assume yet that I would eventually become a designer, but my mother happened to be an architect and a building constructor and she wanted her son to know how to draw. So she found me a great drawing teacher. That left me no other option but to get enrolled into the Art Academy in Tallinn.

While working on the new project I always go through three phases. First and foremost is a search for the visual idea. I am doing many sketches with pencil, simulating the shooting, contemplating the details and methods and evaluating the results. The second phase is the shooting of the best idea I had – no difference whether digital or on film. The third phase is postproduction, Photoshop. One can call it a polishing of the original idea.

Emotionally each project can be very different. Sometimes one goes through torments of idea shaping and the shooting itself is a piece of cake. Sometimes quite the contrary – a great idea is very difficult to realize while shooting. And that is what I like the most – each work is not supposed to resemble anything I have done before.

I am glad that in my work many skills and abilities happened to be useful. For example, good drawing skills, solding of electrotechnics and photo-shooting. I can also sew and restore classic cars.

The best advice I have ever received was an advice in the beginning of my career from one elder colleague - „First you have to work a lot to build your name, then your name will start working on you“. Besides, I advise everyone to read instructions carefully. ))

I would advise it to myself and to others – while having rational, professional and pragmatic methods of work to be able to break away from the frames of banality and open yourself to something unpredictable, to something that is called courage.

I do not have a certain day schedule. That makes me in a way more like a freelancer. I wake up quite late. I take time in preparing myself a breakfast. After eating the breakfast I start working – usually at noon. I am working till late evening. At night I am watching Discovery channel, for general information. When I get bored or there is no work to do I go to my garage and and continue the everlasting restoration of my favourite Citroen DS. We are together for 22 years already.

I kept up with the latest design trends and learned new things already 40 years ago, 20 years ago and today. How? I read many magazines, I surf the Internet, I visit exhibitions and analyse photos. I try to understand how they were made, but I never try to just copy them. This knowledge will manifest itself in my own ideas.

I determine if design is good or bad in a very simple way – based on whether I like it or not. On the subconscious level.

As a rule, whether the project is ready or not decides deadline, not me. ))

My most interesting and successful work I consider to be the poster «Full bodied taste. Enjoy slowly.» for cognac Courvoisier. This poster received Gold on Summit Creative Awards in 2003. In addition to photo-shooting we had to construct and sew a corset with non-standard proportions.

I have a very personal attitude to great designers. Flaminio Bertoni - Citroen DS, Robert Opron - Citroen CX and David Lewis - Bang & Olufsen: these are the masterpieces I use every single day. And every single day I am amazed by their design.

I was born and I live in Estonia and without doubt Tallinn is my favourite city. Local mentality could be called Scandinavian and the attitude towards design is Scandinavian as well.

I prefer to work alone or with a small team that I know from long ago. Photography, as compared to the cinema, is a very personal type of art.

Along with my work I teach photography course to the graphic design students in the Estonian Academy of Arts.

It was really interesting for me to take part in A’Design Award. The thing is that it was the first competition I took part in by myself, not hiding behind some advertising agency. I really appreciate the attentiveness and help of the organizers. And of course, to receive Platinum on my first participation was just tremendous! ))

Photography and design are the only things I've learned to do very well. I like to do things that come out well. That's why making design brings me joy. And that's the main motivation!

First, my mother decided I should become an artist and did a lot for that to happen. Then I realized myself that I want to be a creative person - a designer and a photographer.

First of all, I am interested in the design in photography and photography in design. Not just an ordinary fine art photography, but its applied form - a photography as a graphic element in design.

Just do every day your favourite thing - do design. Learn how to convince clients that you are right. Work hard and win yourself authority. Some day this authority will allow you to be yourself.

Talent and confidence. But mere luck also plays role. ))

Great design makes you believe it. It needs no arguments. You see it, you touch it and you realize that nothing could be done better than that.

David Lewis, Flaminio Bertoni, Robert Opron and Helmut Newton.

Citroen DS by Flaminio Bertoni. This car's design is just perfect! I was so in love with this car that I could do nothing but buy it. Already 20 years it takes me anywhere I want.

It's a poster “Corset” created in close co-operation with Bates agency for Courvoisier VSOP Cognac. With the help of limited means we managed to create a distinguishable visual image that perfectly illustrates the slogan - Full bodied taste. Enjoy slowly.

I had two dreams when I was a child. The first one was to become a SOVTRANSAVTO lorry driver and drive beyond Soviet borders. The second one was to become an astronaut. Now it's kind of difficult to guess which one of the two dreams could be realized. But probably, to become a lorry driver…

During all stages of my career my irreplaceable assistant has been my wife Rita Didyk. She functions as a stylist, advisor and my main critic.

The biggest satisfaction I received was from the project when we had to build 100 sq. meter pool for radio-controlled boat model competition. This huge pool had been placed on the main square in Tallinn and stayed there for some time. It was a large-scale project for me. Usually I only take photos and do graphic design.

My projects are usually short-term and have deadlines. After deadlines you cannot change anything. That's why the final stage comes fast and it is really the final of the project.

Almost every project starts with small pencil sketches that help me to imagine the final result. With drawing by hand it is easier for me to contemplate the technology of the future shooting, calculate the props and the budget.

It is a question about the chicken and the egg. )) Undoubtedly, successful design specimens bring the new consumer possibilities that people couldn't even imagine yesterday. The new demands, in their turn, expect designers to perform on even higher level, which in its turn widens again the possibilities. That's how, half-a-step at a time design and trend (demands) change the world.

For sure the development of technologies accelerates and simplifies the work of designer and photographer by increasing its effectiveness. However, then one must learn new technologies all life long.

In graphic design I use a standard set of programs: Aperture, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop & Illustrator. In photography in addition to the digital camera I've got a quite traditional equipment - SINAR, BRONCOLOR and a photo studio.

The first thought that comes to my mind – why nobody thought it out before? It is so simple!

I don't know whether ideal, but all I've done I have done in cooperation with my wife and stylist Rita Didyk. That's why I just cannot deny co-design.

There is one man who influenced my convictions and beliefs several times during my career. This is a graphic artist Slava Semerikov. First, in my young age he taught me how to draw and later we did several projects together.

I'd like to talk to Flaminio Bertoni about his masterpiece Citroen DS and to Robert Opron about the design concept of Citroen CX. Because I own two of these cars for more than 20 years.

I treat awards with gratitude and they don't influence my innate modesty. I am not that famous to face difficulties in everyday life.

Orange, Estonia, roasted duck with apples, winter, iPhone, Bang & Olufsen.

Maybe you have heard that there was censorship in the USSR and the censoring organization was named „The committee for protection of the state secrets in print“. All advertising editions, catalogues, flyers and posters were supposed to pass this censorship control and get a permission to be printed. I received a task to create an advertising poster for women underwear factory. All attempts to use photography were turned down by censorship as a pornography. I had to think of an alternative to demonstrate the beauty of the piquant production. And I got an idea to draw with watercolours a figure of entirely naked lady and over the painted image to glue specially sewn flat lace bra and panties. This picture was taken to the Committee for a control. They returned it only a month later with a strict ban to use it as a poster. Judging by the fingerprints it was clear that the officials were especially interested in the details under the panties. Apparently, that's where the state secret was hidden. )) And the underwear factory was left without an advertising poster.

As a child I used to watch and read different encyclopediae and reference-books, books about physics, outer space and relativity theory. I also liked to draw cars and I could name any car model. But it was difficult to expect a successful designer career in the USSR, there was hardly such a profession then. A chance to become a big designer appeared only after Perestroika, but then I was not a child anymore.

Didyk Pictures Studio specializes in advertising photography and graphic design. I founded my company 12 years ago, already having over 20 years of experience in this field.

To me design means convenience, visual logic and nothing superfluous.

In my opinion the highest achievement in design is definitely Citroen DS by designer Flaminio Bertoni. Especially if you take into account the year it was designed. Being one of the lucky owners of this miracle I could literally feel with my own hands the proportions, forms and volumes of this car. The second trophy I would award Citroen SM by designer Robert Opron. On the third place stands all creative work of designer David Lewis for Bang & Olufsen.

At night when everybody is asleep. I get carried away and forget about the time. I even forget to make myself tea. ))

No doubt, I am happy and proud. It is very important to satisfy your ambitions. However, very rarely there are also regrets if you find mistakes post factum.

Some kind of luck. A lucky combination of client, time, mood and even the budget.

My last exhibition happened a long time ago in Estonian city Tartu. And the next one I am planning at the end of this spring in the medieval castle Laitse, where the main theme of works will be a food photography.

I would like to think that my style could be called Scandinavian – simple, cold, functional and aesthetic. However, I assume there has also been an influence of the Polish school of poster.

I live and work in Estonia. Estonia is a small, beautiful, comfortable and quiet country. A long snowy winter and a cool summer puts you in a mood for a slow, measured work. After attaining its independence Estonia is developing actively – the most progressive technologies are introduced to the everyday life. The development of the IT-services, for instance, has surpassed the most daring expectations. One cannot overestimate how helpful it is in work and everyday life.

I follow the principle that photography (especially, the design photography) starts with a pencil and a paper. Before taking camera in hands one should think thoroughly, come up with a subject, and analyze all the details of the composition. When you sketch first, then it becomes clear if there is any sense in doing that shot.

I wake up quite late. I take time in preparing myself a salad for breakfast and then savour it. Then the rhythm gets somewhat faster – I drive my favourite Citroen DS to my clients and after lunch I finally reach my studio. A cup of coffee and then the planned shooting takes place. Evening and night are the times for creative work – I get new ideas and draw sketches. Whenever I get a free day I lock myself in garage and continue the everlasting restoration of my treasure, Citroen DS. I do everything myself, from welding and dying till mechanics and hydraulics.

An ability do make something with your own hands.

First of all, pencil and paper. Then, when it is clear what we are up to, I use Aperture and the main set of Adobe – Photoshop, InDesign & Illustrator.

I am not good at planning time. It's rather the flowing time controls my actions.

From several days to a month. Client cannot wait and wouldn't wait.

Mostly I have been influenced by experience of working in 90-s for the Finnish company NOKIA. That was the first time when I faced the tasks and responsibilities of the global scale.

Among my clients there are Courvoisier, NOKIA, Estelon, COMPAQ, Tavex Group, Gallina Blanca. If we talk about the advertising agencies, then I can name DDB, BATES, Kontuur Leo Burnett, Satumaa Family Business and many more.

Creation of the 2-dimensional images – photos, images, illustrations. That's something I am really good at.

It's very easy: on my site www.didyk.ee or in Facebook.