Spotify Canvas Designer

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: One recent project I’m proud of is the Canvas for “The Hike (Pulsarion vs Sandboy Remix)” by my project The Darrow Chem Syndicate. I built an 8-second seamless loop from my original layered artwork — a post-rock-inspired visual about the emptiness of daytime commuting. I handled everything: concept, illustration, motion design and final delivery, making sure the Canvas felt like a natural extension of the track’s mood.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I’m expanding the visual universe around my label Nipponeer Records — new Canvases, covers and short-form videos — and preparing more work with international collaborators. I’m also refining my Canvas workflow so I can offer cleaner, faster turnarounds for labels and artists who want a consistent visual identity across multiple releases.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Right now I don’t personally know other providers well enough to recommend them by name yet. As I collaborate more within the SoundBetter community, I’ll happily add trusted names here.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: For Canvases, digital is the main toolset — Adobe, codecs, delivery specs. But I’m always chasing analog feeling: grain, light leaks, subtle imperfections that make the image feel human. So my answer is digital tools with an analog heart.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: My promise is that I’ll treat your release with the same care I give my own label’s output. I’ll be honest about what’s possible within the budget and timeframe, I won’t cut corners on rights or quality, and I’ll keep communicating clearly until we land on something we’re both proud of.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love that moment when the visual and the music lock together and suddenly the track feels bigger, like a small universe. Seeing artists proud to share their release because the visuals finally match how the music feels — that’s the best part for me.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: A common question is: “Can you just make a quick Canvas from this cover?” My answer is: yes, but even a “quick” Canvas deserves a clear concept and proper loop so it doesn’t look cheap or random. Another frequent question is about rights, and I always clarify that everything I deliver is cleared for commercial use when we start from licensed or original material.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: The biggest misconception is that a good Canvas is “just animating the cover a bit” and only takes a few minutes. In reality, making a loop feel seamless, on-brand, legible under Spotify’s UI and emotionally in sync with the track is a proper design process, not a quick filter.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I usually ask: What emotion do you want listeners to feel when they see this Canvas? How does this release fit into your bigger artist story? Which parts of your current visual identity must stay consistent, and what can we experiment with? Those answers help me design with the long-term picture in mind.

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Have your artwork, logo and basic branding ready, and share a short brief plus a few reference Canvases you like. The clearer the direction at the start, the more I can focus my time on designing something that feels uniquely “you” instead of guessing. Also, be honest about timelines — good motion design takes a little breathing room.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: A solid laptop, a pair of dependable headphones, an audio interface, a small MIDI controller and a field recorder. With those five I can still listen, create, sketch ideas and capture the sound of the island itself.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I started in the print and pre-press world, doing color correction and layout in Photoshop from around version 5.0. Over the years I moved into cover art, label branding and then motion graphics, eventually building and running my own label where I handle everything from A&R to visuals and legal. I’ve been working with Adobe tools daily for well over 20 years, and focusing on motion and Canvas work for the last several years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Cinematic, textural and restrained. I like micro-movement, light, grain and small details that you only notice after a few loops. Even when the design is bold, I try to keep one foot in minimalism so the Canvas feels sophisticated, not chaotic.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I love working with artists who see visuals as part of their sound, not an afterthought. Anyone who is building a long-term world — rather than chasing quick trends — is a dream client for me, because we can develop a visual language together over multiple releases.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Leave space for the visuals. Tracks that breathe — with clear sections, dynamics and a strong main motif — almost always translate better to Canvas. When you’re arranging, think in “scenes”: what would this 8 seconds look like if it were a movie shot?

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I mostly work on electronic, bass, breaks, techno and left-field / indie projects, but I enjoy any music with a clear mood and visual identity. As a label owner I’m used to thinking about how a Canvas fits into an artist’s long-term branding, not just one release.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is balancing motion, color and negative space so the Canvas feels alive without being noisy. I’m very sensitive to rhythm, loop points and UI safe areas, so the visuals support the listening experience instead of distracting from it.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I try to make the Canvas feel like a window into the song’s inner world. Sometimes that means very subtle motion and texture, sometimes it’s more bold and kinetic, but it always starts from listening closely and respecting what the music is already saying. My job is to amplify the emotion, not compete with it.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: First I ask for the cover art, a short brief about the track and 2–3 visual references. Then I build a visual concept and a short motion test (still frame or tiny loop) so we can lock the direction. After that I create the full 8-second Canvas, send a first cut, refine it within two rounds of revisions, and finally deliver the master file ready for upload.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My setup is compact but focused: a color-calibrated display, a reliable Mac workstation, and an Adobe-centric workflow (After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro). I also run a DAW and good monitoring so I can really live inside the track while I design. It’s not about having the biggest room — it’s about a space where I can obsess over details without distraction.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: I’m inspired by artists and producers who build whole worlds around their music, not just singles — people who care about visual identity as much as sound. I tend to gravitate toward electronic, bass and left-field acts with strong atmospheres and storytelling in both their artwork and production.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: I create Spotify Canvas loops from existing cover art, branding assets and sometimes client-supplied footage. Most of my work is turning a static image into a seamless, cinematic 8-second Canvas that feels intentional, on-brand and emotionally synced to the track, not like a generic template.