Carlos J Roldan: Let it Be, Let it Flow
Graphic Designer
by Elizabeth Lavis
|13 Nov 2024
Carlos J Roldan is equal parts Graphic Designer and Graphic Dreamer who believes in taking advantage of the present and enjoying it to the fullest. “My personal philosophy is let it be, let it flow. It sums up what I want at this moment in my life,” he says.
Roldan comes from Medellin, Colombia, high in the South American Andes mountains, and as a child, his career aspirations were very different from what they turned out to be. “In my childhood, I wanted to be a scientist but I was not very good at chemistry,” Roldan says. “Design was something that emerged in my adolescence. In the last year of high school, my art teacher showed us one Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron (Cassandre) posters, and it was love at first sight. After that, I started to find out where I could study to make those types of posters.”
He enrolled in Medellin’s Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana and obtained a five-year degree in Graphic Design. He later worked for a software company before branching out on his own as a freelance designer. These days, Roldan finds design inspiration everywhere. “It’s not easy to get away from design since everything that surrounds me has to do with it, from the restaurant's menu to the credits of a television series I’m watching,” he says. Roldan even finds creative spark in the most unlikely of places. “I derive inspiration from my trips on public transport,” he says.
"Munkys", Carlos J Roldan
As a freelancer, Roldan balances several projects at once and needs to properly manage his burnout to stay sharp and creative. “I work on different topics and various categories,” he says/ “Spending half my day on branding and the other half on an editorial project keeps my mind entertained.” He also finds that pressure helps him focus and drill into the more practical design elements. “I consider pressure one of the pillars of creativity because you have to make the most of what you have on hand,” he says. “For example, I have to think about how to make the most of my time and meet the deadline without complicating the situation with what’s not possible at the moment.”
Roldan’s design approach begins with a thorough understanding of the objective. “I need to be very clear on the assignment or problem I need to solve,” he says. “I need to know as much as possible about it and then look for the best solution.” For Roldan, the most essential aspect of a design is the concept or idea, and his strategy is centered around meeting those objectives graphically.
One of the key aspects of his job that brings Roldan joy is the endless variety of work. “I get to work on different themes and graphic pieces, which means I don’t get bored too easily,” he says. He taps into his guilty pleasures to unwind when he's not working. “I love the power ballads, romantic comedies, milkshakes, French fries, and the entertainment gossip,” he says.
Submit your work for Indigo Design Award competition
