
Gesamtkunstwerk in Motion with Bianca Beltramello
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Bianca Beltramello is a creative force who seamlessly blends print design, illustration, and photography into cohesive narratives. Inspired by the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk, Bianca’s work bridges these mediums to tell compelling stories that resonate with her audience. In this interview, she shares her approach to balancing creativity with commercial demands, her creative process, and how she brings her unique vision to life across diverse fields.
You work across several creative fields - how do you balance your roles as a print designer, illustrator, and photographer?
I see my work as different facets of the same idea. I’m inspired by the concept of a Gesamtkunstwerk - creating a unified work of art by seamlessly blending different media.
To achieve this, I strive for consistency, using a cohesive subject and aesthetic style across printed garments, illustrations, and photography.
Currently, I’m focusing on developing my artistic profile by creating editorial-style content, like ‘Artscapes’ recently published as a cover story for Iconic Magazine. In these projects, models wear printed garments, and the photos I take of them inspire complementary illustrations, enriching the storytelling.
What role does storytelling play in your creative process, whether you’re illustrating, designing, or taking photos?
Storytelling is what ties everything together. Whether in my artistic projects or client work, my goal is always to tell a story that resonates with the audience - something deeply personal yet relatable. I aim to convey this narrative through different media while ensuring everything aligns. My biggest challenge is creating a ‘fil rouge’, making each piece fit into a larger picture. For me, the most important thing is presenting a cohesive vision of my style and content, even when working across seemingly disparate mediums.
How do you adapt your creative vision to suit different industries or client needs?
I think most of my current clients choose to work with me because they connect with my vision and style, and they expect me to create something in my own voice.
When I first started, I would simply adapt to the client’s requests without offering much input or incorporating my personal style. I thought it was more professional and respectful of their ideas.
Over time, as colleagues became familiar with my personal projects and saw my work evolve, they encouraged me to bring my own identity into what I do. Eventually, clients began asking for work inspired by what they had seen in my portfolio or on social media. For example, this happened recently while collaborating with Irama: I designed prints and graphics for his merch, and then he liked a fashion illustration from my profile, that I adapted to portray him wearing his own merch garments featuring my prints. So I even ended up illustrating my own graphics! That shift gave me the confidence to lean into my unique style and integrate more of my personality into my professional work.
Can you describe a project where your skills in multiple fields came together to create something unique?
The best example of this approach is my work with the brand Leonardovalentini. I design and oversee all the graphics and prints for their collections while also creating illustration content for their communication and social media. It’s exciting because I often create illustrations featuring garments with prints I’ve designed.
What’s even more rewarding is being able to also shoot campaigns for the brand, where I photograph models wearing my prints. This process allows me to connect every creative element - from design to illustration to photography - into a cohesive and meaningful narrative.
What challenges do you face in balancing the artistic and commercial aspects of your work?
The commercial side of any creative activity is crucial - it brings both gratification and purpose to the work. In many ways, I find commercial projects easier because they have a clear goal. When a product is sold, worn, or used by people, it’s incredibly rewarding. You feel it has meaning because it’s being appreciated and serves a purpose.
On the other hand, creating something closer to pure art is more challenging. You set your own goals and become your own harshest critic, often feeling like the work is never good enough. Doubts about its validity can be overwhelming, and the rejection rate from galleries or magazines is typically much higher. Selling a product can feel more straightforward by comparison.
How do photography and illustration complement each other in your creative process?
My creative process always begins with visual inputs. I take photos of things that catch my eye to use as references and often create photographic collages to study composition for my illustrations. This helps me preview how a piece might come together.
I enjoy making illustrations inspired by the photos I take, but the reverse is also true - I use illustrations to sketch ideas for future photoshoots. This back-and-forth interplay between the two mediums enriches my work and allows me to refine my vision.
As a creative consultant, how do you guide brands or individuals to refine their vision while keeping your own creative identity intact?
It’s essential to recognise that your worth as a creative individual isn’t solely measured by commercial success or wealth. Working with brands often involves selling and compromising between your vision and theirs, so the final result isn’t entirely yours.
With clients, it’s important to share your opinions and back them up with solid reasoning. Explain why you’re suggesting a particular approach - highlight technical reasons or past experiences where similar methods worked successfully. However, if the client still disagrees, it’s important to respect their perspective and let them follow their ideas. Ultimately, the work is a collaboration, and compromise is part of the process.
Tell us about some of your most memorable projects or collaborations. Who would be your dream brand to work with?
I started photography much later than illustration and print design. During my time at Versace, my colleagues noticed the photography content I was sharing on Instagram and became curious about my interest in photography. One day, while working on editorial photos to reinterpret into textile prints, the team decided to experiment by organising a photoshoot in the office. I photographed the images, which were later used as inspiration and reworked into print designs.
Later, at Bally, I had a similar experience. While designing prints and graphics, I was also given the opportunity to contribute by taking lookbook photos, which became part of the creative process during collection meetings.
Looking to the future, my dream is to collaborate with Vivienne Westwood. It’s always been my favourite brand and a key reason I became interested in fashion, having grown up immersed in the punk scene as a teenager. I feel that partnership would allow me to create deeply artistic work, driven by creativity rather than purely commercial goals.
What advice would you give to aspiring creatives looking to branch out into multiple fields like yours?
Believe in the connections between all the different things you do. The hardest part is effectively communicating how your various skills and forms of expression come together as part of a cohesive whole. But don’t give up on any of the elements that contribute to that whole - they’re what makes you stand out. Embrace your versatility and trust in its value.
See more of Bianca Beltramello:
Instagram: @biancabeltramello
Website: www.biancabeltramello.com
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