Roland Kistner was born in 1963 in Rheinfelden on the River Rhine, Germany.
After his normal course of studies he opted for a solid trade as a Steel constructor. At school and later during apprenticeship he was always sketching comics, copying an LP cover or sketching a pencil portrait. That was the first time he got known for his artistic talent. It was the apprenticeship to steel construction that made it possible for Roland to work extensively with, and gain comprehensive knowledge of, all different kinds of materials such as steel, the complete range of metals and also stone.
In his spare time he worked with steel, making such things as window bars and lettering. Copying oil works by great painters such as van Gogh, van Delft, Rembrandt or Dali helped him adding to his apprenticeship earnings, enjoying himself at the same time. In 1991 he went back to school and achieved his master craftsman's diploma in Steel Construction.