For Dan Hogman, Blurred Lines Separate His Love of Architecture, Illustration, and Photography

Dan Hogman is an artist of many talents. While he’s primarily an architect, he is also a skilled illustrator and photographer who shares an interest in graphic design and typography.

“I’ve had a deep interest in architecture ever since my early years,” he explains while discussing how his photographs, illustrations, and architectural style influence each other. “I create architecture, photograph architecture, and sketch architecture, without necessarily setting a firm frame on when one stops and the other starts…It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.”

When it comes to illustration, Hogman frequently sketches on the street. Many of his Instagram photos show him outdoors, with a notebook and drawing utensil in hand while he recreates a nearby building on paper. “I look at heritage architecture in most cases, they are a more dynamic subject to look at. While I am a minimalist when designing contemporary architecture in my daily office work, I find the complexity of classical architectural styles more appealing.”

Hogman maintains an essential balance in all areas of his artistic life. He focuses on tangible structures, yet keeps his architectural sketching practice alive. On a day-to-day basis, he takes a straightforward approach, but still finds himself attracted to more elaborate designs. In other words, he does not hold himself back when it comes to his creative explorations.

In addition, Hogman consistently nourishes his social media presence with daily posts. “Social media has been very helpful to me. It’s a great, second incentive to do what I do, and to continue to search and explore new ideas. The instant feedback I receive from my followers (sometimes the comments, sometimes the silence) is essential.” With that being said, his social media accounts act as the perfect portfolio, especially since he includes a healthy mix of structural sketches and snapshots.

For his photography, his inspiration is ever-changing. “It varies based on the subject. I sometimes look at contemporary architecture, where my focus is the novelty in form or materials,” Hogman admits. “Other times, I look at heritage architecture, where I am curious about how the structure is performing after 100 or more years in use, how it relates to its continuously evolving surroundings, or how its current purpose is connected to the initial intent.”

Since Hogman does pursue different artistic paths, he’s constantly learning and improving upon his creative process. Specifically, he finds motivation in the architectural muses he pursues and in the tools that assist him in doing so. “In many cases, the everyday buildings or objects that we look at deserve a better/second look and this is the initial spark,” he divulges. “The tools I use are inspiring and results vary widely depending on the lens or the pen/paper I go with. The subject size/complexity is directly related to the size of the drawing, paper, or pen selection. It’s a formula I am still working on.”

Regarding inspiration, Hogman has suggestions for those who are interested in what he does. “I think everyone should do what inspires them. Inspiration comes from so many different sources, and it’s all different for different people,” he says. “You simply cannot do anything great until you find what truly inspires you. Once you find it, the rest will follow naturally.”

To see more of Hogman’s work, visit his website or follow him on Instagram. Images used with permission.