Monday, July 14, 2014

Interview with Gustavo Aimar

OK so I still can't believe that I've been lucky enough to interview this next artist! I first discovered his work in 2012 whilst taking a course with Danita Art called Mixed Media from The Heart. Danita also interviewed him for the course & since then I have followed his work & I am hooked. His name is Gustavo Aimar & his work is simply brilliant. I am in awe of his imagination, amazing colour choices & the way he constructs his art. This man clearly pours his heart & soul into his work & he was born to do it. I could go on & on but perhaps I should stop there & let you see for yourselves! 

So without further ado please enjoy my next interview with Gustavo Aimar.

Hi Gustavo, can you tell us a bit about yourself & how long you've been painting & illustrating professionally?

Yo creo que antes de aprender a hablar, de niño mis planes apuntaban a poder dibujar. Soy artista plástico. Estudié diseño gráfico como una posibilidad de incorporar conocimientos, ya que también siempre me interesó el mundo de la gráfica. Con el tiempo, mi tarea ha ido mutando y sentí la inquietud de publicar en libros o revistas el fruto de mi trabajo, no sabía muy bien de qué manera. De a poco y tímidamente, a través de internet, me fui acercando al mundo de la ilustración infantil. En aquel entonces sentí que era un campo en el que podía explotar mejor mi lenguaje gráfico, mi estilo y las cosas que tenía ganas de hacer en el campo del dibujo y la expresión artística. Las cosas de a poco se fueron concretando y en 2005 ilustré mi primer libro de manera profesional.

I THINK THAT BEFORE I LEARNED TO SPEAK, FROM BEING A SMALL CHILD, I WAS DESTINED TO DRAW. I STUDIED GRAPHIC DESIGN TO INCORPORATE ALL MY KNOWLEDGE AS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN THE WORLD OF GRAPHIC ART. OVER TIME MY AIM HAS BEEN TO PUBLISH THE RESULTS OF MY WORK IN BOOKS AND MAGAZINES BUT I DID NOT KNOW HOW. GRADUALLY, THROUGH THE INTERNET, I FOUND THE WORLD OF ILLUSTRATION FOR CHILDREN. THIS IS WHERE I COULD MAKE BEST USE OF MY GRAPHIC TALENTS, MY STYLE AND THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO IN MY AREA OF DRAWING AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. GRADUALLY THINGS HAPPENED AND IN 2005 I ILLUSTRATED MY FIRST BOOK PROFESSIONALLY.



When & how in that journey did you discover Mixed Media?

No hay mucho secreto en esto: simplemente la curiosidad de incorporar a mi trabajo nuevos materiales, nuevas técnicas. Experimentación, diversión y la necesidad de probar cosas todo el tiempo, sin tener miedo a mezclar diferentes estilos o técnicas.

THERE IS NO SECRET.  IT WAS SIMPLY THE CURIOSITY OF INCORPORATING NEW MATERIALS INTO MY WORK - AND NEW TECHNIQUES.  TO EXPERIMENT, TO DIVERSIFY AND THE DESIRE TO TRY NEW THINGS ALL THE TIME WITHOUT BEING AFRAID OF MIXING DIFFERENT STYLES AND TECHNIQUES.



When starting a new piece of work, staring at a blank canvas or piece of paper can be daunting. What is your favourite method you use to create your backgrounds for your paintings?

Eso depende mucho de cada proyecto, o si se trata de un trabajo por encargo o una obra personal. Una ilustración no es la misma cosa que un cuadro, pero puedo tener un pequeño método. Antes de trabajar, me gusta cubrir el fondo de la manera que sea posible de a cuerdo a lo que tengo pensado hacer. Casi siempre trabajo sobre fondos de color, ya sea lisos o con diferentes manchas o texturas. Este simple paso puede ya generar situaciones. Puedo también pegar diferentes papeles, toda clase de papeles ya impresos, escritos, antiguos y generar así una textura interesante para trabajar. Esos planos de papeles pegados, pueden sugerir espacios y figuras dentro de la composición, y se generan juegos que tal vez no tenía planificados desde el principio. Dejo que los materiales me indiquen qué hacer, me divierto trabajando de esa forma.

THIS VERY MUCH DEPENDS ON EACH PROJECT, IF IT IS WORK FOR PAYMENT OR A PERSONAL PROJECT.  AN ILLUSTRATION IS NOT THE SAME AS A PAINTING, BUT I DO HAVE A SMALL METHOD.  BEFORE STARTING WORK I NEED TO MAKE SURE IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO WHAT I HAVE IN MIND IN THE WAY THAT I AM THINKING.  I NEARLY ALWAYS WORK ON BACKGROUND COLOURS, WHETHER THEY WILL BE PLAIN OR WITH DIFFERENT MARKS OR TEXTURES.  THIS SIMPLE PROCESS CAN THEN GENERATE IDEAS - TO STICK DIFFERENT PAPERS, ALL SORTS OF PAPERS AND PRINTED MATTER, DIFFERENT STYLES AND FONTS, OLD ONES, NEW ONES - ALL TO GENERATE AN INTERESTING TEXTURE WITH WHICH TO WORK.  THESE PAPER PLANS CAN REVEAL SPACES WITHIN THE COMPOSITION AND INSPIRE IDEAS THAT PERHAPS I DIDN´T HAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.  I LET THE MATERIALS INDICATE THE WAY I SHOULD WORK.



What are your favourite techniques & art supplies currently?

En la actualidad estoy trabajando mucho con acrílicos con terminación y acabados opacos, mucho collage con papeles pegados, grafismos con lápices de colores. Todas estas técnicas pueden mostrarse separadas o todas juntas en trabajos más expresivos y personales. Cuando ilustro un libro, la selección de una técnica es importante y no me gusta mezclar demasiado para ese tipo de proyectos.

AT THE MOMENT I AM WORKING A LOT WITH ACRYLICS BECAUSE OF THEIR OPACITY, A LOT OF COLLAGE WORK WITH STICKY PAPER, GRAPHICS WITH COLOURED PENCILS.  ALL THESE TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED SEPARATELY OR TOGETHER FOR MORE PERSONAL AND EXPRESSIVE WORK.  WHEN I ILLUSTRATE A BOOK, THE CHOICE OF TECHNIQUE IS IMPORTANT AND I DO NOT LIKE TO MIX MY TECHNIQUES TOO MUCH FOR THIS SORT OF WORK.



For anyone trying to turn their creative passion into their career it can be very daunting. Can you tell us how you overcame any negative thinking (if you had any!) about your career as an artist?

Son casi inevitables los pensamientos negativos o desalentadores, pero el mejor antídoto para esto es el trabajo. No perseguir metas demasiado grandes. Simplemente concentrarnos en trabajar y conectarse con las necesidades más próximas. Y si las ganas de trabajar no llegan, es bueno tomar buenos descansos para despejar la mente. 

IT IS INEVITABLE THAT WE HAVE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS BUT THE BEST ANTIDOTE IS WORK.  DON´T SET YOURSELF GOALS THAT ARE TOO HIGH.  CONCENTRATE ON WORKING WITHIN YOUR BOUNDARIES AND IF THE IDEAS DON´T HAPPEN, IT IS BETTER TO TAKE A BREAK TO CLEAR THE HEAD.



For anyone just starting out in their career what do you think is the best way to get your work out there & seen? For example, an Illustration Agent? Approaching possible clients with your portfolio? Facebook? Blog? Website? Or a combination of all?

Sin dudas es una combinación de muchas cosas. Admitiendo que vivo en una ciudad muy alejada de los centros culturales de importancia y de los polos de actividades relacionadas con mi actividad, la mejor herramienta para mostrar mi trabajo "al mundo" es sin dudas internet. No trabajo con agentes. Sólo muestro mis trabajos en un blog, o en redes sociales como Facebook. Han surgido así interesantes propuestas de trabajo, contactos y he logrado vender algunas de mis obras a lugares en el mundo que jamás hubiese imaginado.

WITHOUT DOUBT A COMBINATION OF A LOT OF THINGS.  I LIVE IN A CITY FAR REMOVED FROM CULTURAL CENTRES OF IMPORTANCE, SO THE BEST TOOL TO SHOW MY WORK TO THE WORLD IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE INTERNET.  I DO NOT WORK WITH AGENTS.  I ONLY SHOW MY WORK IN A BLOG OR ON A SOCIAL SITE LIKE FACEBOOK.  FROM THESE I HAVE OBTAINED PROPOSITIONS OF WORK AND CONTACTS. I HAVE SOLD VARIOUS WORKS IN PLACES AROUND THE WORLD THAT I WOULDN´T HAVE THOUGHT POSSIBLE.



What other artists are inspiring you at the moment?

Ilustradores... muchos! Como dibujantes me gustan Isabelle Arsenault, Beatrice Alemagna, Pablo Auladell. Otros más gráficos y experimentales como Kveta Pacovská, Blexbolex o Morteza Zahedi. Todos ellos, con estilos y recursos tan diferentes me contagian muchas ganas de ponerme a dibujar.

ILLUSTRATORS...MANY!  I LIKE ISABELLE ARSENAULT, BEATRICE ALEMAGNA, PABLO AULADELL.  OTHER MORE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS AND EXPERIMENTALISTS LIKE KVETA PACOVSKA, BLEXBOLEX O MOREZA ZAHEDI.  ALL THESE CREATIVES, WITH THEIR STYLES AND RESOURCES SO DIFFERENT, HAVE ENCOURAGED ME TO DRAW.


Thanks so, so much for taking part, please tell us where can we connect with you?

My Blog

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Monday, July 7, 2014

Back from holiday & back to work

Well. We got back from a fantastic holiday a couple of weeks ago but then everything got put on hold due to various illnesses. You name it, between myself & my daughter we had it- ear infection, sickness, temperature, colds! Not pleasant. But thankfully we are all well again & I'm finally back to work.

So this is what I've been up to. I went to a Stella & Dot party my friend hosted a few days ago & she asked me if I also wanted to have a stall there. I jumped at the chance & I'm happy to say that the evening was a success. Below is one of the framed prints I was selling. I still have one left, so if you are interested do send me an email. And can I just say that if you haven't heard of Stella & Dot, do check out their website, they have such lovely things, I had to treat myself!

I know I'm biased but doesn't this bunny look super cute framed?

 I've also been working on new designs & had to get a bunny in there ;)

Here's a little snippet of a new mixed media painting I'm working on.

New surface pattern in the making

And George has a new friend! Husky the plush dog :)

I'm hoping to be back by the end of the week with another artist interview so stay tuned!
Love & Light
Emma