About

Hey there! I’m Justin Wiggins, (based in Pretoria, South Africa) and this site is my passion project—a creative space where I showcase personal projects crafted for friends, family, and clients. While you’re here, don’t forget that my main business, Graphic Magic, is where I focus on professional website and graphic design services.

My Creative Beginnings

Since I was 8 years old, I’ve been fascinated by magic tricks, inspired by the legendary David Copperfield, whom I had the incredible opportunity to meet during one of his shows in South Africa. While some might have reservations about magic, I want to assure you that what I perform are just tricks—there’s no “real magic” involved. My tricks are often based on sleight of hand, honed through countless hours of practice while watching TV, committing it to muscle memory. These performances are all about entertainment, bringing smiles and laughter to people of all ages. They are a fantastic way to break the ice with new clients and a hit at parties, allowing me to share a moment of childlike wonder. This sense of wonder is something I aim to replicate through my design work, captivating and engaging people in a similar way.

A Versatile Film Industry Career

My obsession with movies—from editing and VFX to scriptwriting and cinematography—led me to the film industry. I was lucky to work on many projects from Leon Schuster films to international projects that were shot locally. I then co-founded MadRobot, a product placement company (When a company puts their brand in a movie. Such as Subway Sandwich in “Happy Gilmore”). To this day I am very proud of what my friends and I achieved with MadRobot, especially with the film “Pad na jou hart“.

In addition to product placement, MadRobot provided talent for movies and TV series through our “Film Extras” division, further broadening my experience in the entertainment sector.

During my time in the film industry, I got to design movie posters, create presentations for investors, edit films, design movie props, and develop graphics for various films. I even had a hand in editing several films and proudly served as the executive producer for the movie “Eintlik Nogal Baie“.

Entrepreneurial Ventures

With a friend, I co-founded Baardman, a beard oil company, where I was responsible for designing packaging, handling social media, shipping, and managing online orders. Although I’m no longer involved, I left the company in the capable hands of one of my best friends, ensuring its continued success.

Rediscovering My Passion

Despite my involvement in the film industry, my disenchantment with the repetitive themes in local Afrikaans films led me back to my first love—graphic and web design. This inspired me to start Graphic Magic in 2018, where I’ve been able to freely express my creativity and help clients bring their visions to life.

Conquering My Daily Battle with Tinnitus

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with severe tinnitus, a condition characterized by a persistent ringing in the ears, which has significantly impacted my life, especially my sleep schedule. Sometimes, the intensity of the ringing makes it almost impossible to sleep. It can be torture sometimes, the first few months were the hardest, I struggled to find any peace, despite seeing specialists, trying YouTube solutions and recommended home remedies suggested by friends and family. Unfortunately, according to the world’s leading expert, science has yet to find a cure for this relentless condition. I have found some relief by immersing myself in my design work, which not only distracts from the tinnitus but also allows me to channel my focus into productivity. This approach has proven to be the best way to manage my condition, helping me get more work done. It’s a personal battle that I feel I’ve overcome, even if it means my work and sleep schedule is sometimes unconventional. To get an idea of what my tinnitus is like, look at this video.

Working from Home

I consider myself fortunate to be able to work from home, which enhances my productivity and ensures that I am always available for my clients. Another joy of working from home is sharing my workspace with my girlfriend, Christi le Roux, who is a talented artist specializing in watercolour pet portraits. We find that working side-by-side boosts our creativity and productivity. I encourage you to check out her beautiful work at www.christileroux.co.za.

Since I work from home and am always on standby for my clients, I prefer online meetings because they offer greater efficiency and flexibility. I am not a fan of traveling to Johannesburg or flying to Cape Town for meetings that could have been summarized in an email. Online meetings help me maintain a high level of responsiveness and dedication to my work and allow me to easily connect with clients in Dubai and Europe, ensuring that I can provide immediate assistance and updates whenever needed without the disruption of unnecessary travel.

Exploring My Work

If you like what you see on my site, let’s connect to explore what I can design for you. Whether you need a unique website design or a captivating graphic, I’m here to help with a touch of creativity and professionalism.