#creative features

Please tell us a bit about yourself to start. 

Small-town guy, born and raised in Portugal where I studied Art & Multimedia at the Faculty of Fine-Arts of the University of Lisbon (major in Animation). At 21 I moved to London to do a masters in Illustration in Kingston University, where I currently live. 

After graduation I worked as an assistant for the D&AD Awards (Design & Art Direction), where I learned a lot about the design and advertising industries. I've been actively pursuing a career (and working) as an illustrator for about 2 years, which I now do full-time.

Gallery of Mo

What drew you to pursue illustration?

I knew I wanted to draw and when I started university in Portugal, it was because I wanted to do entertainment/video game design. But throughout the course I realised what I really liked was imagery with a narrative, a story to tell, so my focus shifted to illustration.

Portrait of Beth Tsai, WIRED UK 

Which artists/individuals inspire your work the most?

I won't lie, initially James Jean's Fables covers were really what made me look at illustration with different eyes, back in the day. I love Edwin Ushiro's work - he's definitely one of my favourite contemporary visual artists. I can't not mention Jillian Tamaki and the animation director Makoto Shinkai, and I also love photographers Ryan McGinley and Todd Hido.

You created characters for the GCSE maths book, were any of the characters inspired by people you knew growing up?

Perhaps one or two, actually! However, the place I grew up in wasn't nearly as diverse as I wanted this group to be, so imagination was the way to go for the most part.

What was the inspiration behind the Little White flowers illustration?

I wasn't able to watch the movie, Stoker, before I did the illustration, so I had to get the sense of it from the trailer. The colours and cinematography in it were beautiful, so it wasn't too difficult to get inspired by it.

Financial Times, Aliens

Is there a certain way you like to work? What is your creative routine?

I usually like drawing everything on paper (although this isn't always the case) and colouring in Photoshop. I occasionally mix in other media as well. My interest in visual work started from Photoshop years and years ago, so going digital at some point is pretty much a requirement for me to finish something.

What has been the most rewarding project you have worked on?

It's hard to say, I'm fortunate enough to have had many. I think a couple of them are projects I can't post about yet - once again, I feel really lucky as it seems I'm getting increasingly interesting projects to work on. But the Zizzi murals have been great because I got to see my work in really big format; I also loved seeing the finished product when I did the backgrounds for a short Kix TV animation.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learnt about creativity in the course of your work?

That it's more about working regardless of how inspired you feel, and not so much about being inspired. It's impossible to wake up feeling super creative every day, and often you just have to sit and force inspiration to come by trial and error.

What do you like to do when you are not designing? 

Spending too much time on the computer, probably! I love reading and I'm trying to do more of that. I also try to exercise, which can be difficult during busy periods. But I try!

What’s the best piece of advice anyone gave you?

"Enjoy life while you can", probably. That was my mom, telling me to travel more, ahah.

Little white flowers

You can check out more of Ricardo Bessa on his website and Tumblr

Please tell us a bit about yourself to start. 

Hello. My name is So Kyeong-seop. I was born in South Korea. I am 24 years old. I am currently a student at Sejong University in Seoul. I majored in Industrial Design and I will be graduating this year. I am majoring in product design in university and I am personally working in visual design works as well.

What drew you to pursue illustration and graphic design?

Before going any further, I think I should mention the general emotional and social atmosphere of our country. Our country bases on Confucianism so it is a virtue to listen to adults. Adults continuously tell us children, "Study hard and get into a great university (= 4 years private university in Seoul)," “You need to get into a great university and work in a major company." They refer to those who do not live that way as failures, and we have been setting our lives to their standard of success. They do not stress the importance of 'why and what children have to study.' Most teenagers do not even know what they are interested in and they just spend their adolescent period preparing to 'get into a great university.' I was also one of them. Ever since I was little, I enjoyed painting and so, my dream naturally formed into becoming an painter. As time passed, my dream changed into a cartoonist and designer. I thought my dream would naturally come true once I got into a great university. But that was not the case. It is hard to get a job in our country without a diploma of a 'great university.' So, university was simply a process which children had to go through to 'get into a major company,' a standard of success set by the adults. The atmosphere in university was like an job center instead of a place of learning and seniors were working to get into major companies. Back at that time, the image of a designer I dreamt about was not a office worker, so I felt resentment about my dream and I went to the army after completing my freshman year in university (men in South Korea have to serve in the army for 21 months.) From the time I started serving in the army up until I returned to school, I thought carefully about my dream and I decided to start over to find it out. I began painting again, just as I drew innocently during my younger days. When I came up with some paintings, I sent my portfolio to some galleries which had contests for new artists. I got selected for one of them and held a small private exhibition. More people came to see me than I had expected so I was caught up with artworks and exhibitions for awhile and then I recently decided that I want to become a designer again. The reason for this is because a big trait of paintings is letting one express themselves and becoming satisfied by it. I realized that I had the desire to communicate with more people than I thought. Right now, I am working on different graphic operation besides paintings by setting BX designer as my goal.

Madclown album artwork

Which artists/individuals inspire your work the most?

Marcel Duchamp shakes the trend of arts through changes of viewpoints. Amongst designers, I think Stefan Sagmeister stands out. This designer seems to freely cross the barrier of fine art and design.

What inspired you to design the illustrations behind the G-SHOCK Artwork illustration?

G-Shock operation was for a contest. It might be better to say that my intention of working on this was the same as the album cover, than to say that I was inspired by something. It was a voiceless cry 'I am not trying to do fine art, I know how to do things like this too!' Sadly, I did not get into the award winning ranking. Once I saw the award winning works, I realized that the reasonvI couldn't win was probably because G-Shock clock did not take up a big proportion of my work. My theme was to express the 'form of G-Shock' and I focused on the freedom that sturdy G-Shock clock brings to people and expressed this aspect. The title of my work was 'G-Shock gave us freedom.'

Is there a certain way you like to work? What is your creative routine?

I try to think about the most general things and those that are opposite of those thoughts. I mainly think about really ridiculous things, and I try to balance out ways to express these ridiculous thoughts while clearly delivering my message. For example, I tried to make a book that cannot be read for a school project where compilation was to be made with any theme. I made it in a way where I　put glue between papers after the book was made. This made the book rip when it was opened. I meant to question things that resulted from human greed through this book. The papers which made the book were in different colors so the book worn out after looking at everything on purpose looked beautiful in a way but also look awful in another sense.

Toast! (Give a rouse)

  What has been the most rewarding project you have worked on?

Though it has not been long since I began my career, I based on my career of paintings to become a designer instead of an artist of fine art, and "Madclown album cover" was the first attempt for this change. It was not an operation I did because of a request. It was just a personal operation (for practice).

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learnt about creativity in the course of your work?

There is a famous saying by Van Gogh, If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint’, Then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. People take actions once there is a goal. Also, they come across coincidental effects along the way. It is not limited to design or painting. People need to just take action. Of course, plans are certainly needed beforehand.

  What do you like to do when you are not designing? 

I always feel a need to achieve something. So, I cannot rest comfortably even on days off. I sit in front of the computer and spend time without doing much and regret it by saying 'Ugh, I should have just rested.' Movie theater is the place I usually go to when I really decide to rest. I like spending time in a cafe, just reading or organizing my thoughts.

  What’s the best piece of advice anyone gave you?

I remember what a professor recently said to me. "You are so unique. It seems as if a adolescent full of complaints about the world and an old elder exist together in you." At first, I did not know what this meant. But, I took it in as a compliment. It seemed as if this organized my values in one sentence. I always had complaints and tried to have another perspective on things that are taken for granted by everyone. Yet, I still tried to maintain realistic senses.

I came up with something very interesting for my graduation project. I am planning to upload it on Behance during the end of this year. I hope that people will give a lot of attention. Lastly, I would like to thank “Raminder Samra” for providing an opportunity for this great experience.

  Artwork for a 'Robot' Exhibition 

You can check out more of So Kyeong-seop on Behance

Please tell us a bit about yourself to start. 

My name is Jose, but better known as Easy Ramos in networks. I was born on February 29, 1988 in Castellon de la Plana, but currently reside in Barcelona for three years. I began my studies of high-school graduation Arts, but later decided to study at EASD Technical Illustrator Castellon. Once I finished, I came to Barcelona to study in the school of comics and graphic arts at Escola Joso. Well, you could say I'm an illustrator for 15 years. At that stage I used to do decoration work by graffiti, clothing stores, pubs, clubs, etc.

What drew you to pursue illustration?

I really don't know, I think it was rather a necessity. I've always drawn, so I think that it's like a river inevitably going to focus on this, no doubt.

Doble Bypass 3 Fanzine

Which artists/individuals inspire your work the most?

My biggest influences come from various artists, Yoji Shinkawa, Ashley Wood, Kent Williams, Mike Mignola, Egon Schiele, Klimt, minimalist design and various manga artists. 

Different artists, but with something in common.

  What inspired you to design the illustrations behind Vulcan Raven?

What's behind this picture? Haha, if I'm honest, it was a practice with Photoshop brushes, in school we were taught to make our own brushes and put into practice in this illustration. Why Vulcan Raven? As I said before, one of my biggest influences is Yoji Shinkawa, the first time I saw his art in MGS, I was fascinated, and one of my favorite characters is Vulcan Raven; big, strong, crows and a large gun haha.

Moon Fighters for Licor del Mono Fanzine

Is there a certain way you like to work? What is your creative routine?

Well, the way in which I feel more comfortable working is the evening until dawn. Although good, I do not like to always work in the same way, everything depends on the project and inspiration. Sometimes it's all day with short breaks. More than a routine, you could say that I work in cycles.

  What has been the most rewarding project you have worked on?

KEIH for Ediciones Babylon. It was a long project, but with which I learned a lot, to find myself and find what I wanted.

  What are the biggest lessons you’ve learnt about creativity in the course of your work?

The biggest lesson I learned today is that the drawing and illustration is a language that takes time to develop and has different stages. We all have influences and we like some more than others for their "language", artists by the way they express themselves. So, to stand out in the world of illustration you have to create your own, something different, but always from your nature. Be unique.

  What do you like to do when you are not designing?

Spending time with my family, with my friends, playing video games, watching documentaries or find out about what is happening in the world. Also cooking and looking recipes, cooking is a way to be creative and create. 

And if not, make sketches of upcoming artwork.

Vulcan Raven

  What’s the best piece of advice anyone gave you?

It is what you want, but strive to be

You can check out more of Easy Ramos on his Facebook page, Blog, Behance and Deviant art

Where were you were born and where did you study? Did you always want to become a Graphic artist and designer? 

At University I studied Visual Communications and specialised in Advertising after my tutor told me that was where all the money and glamour was. So I ended up working in advertising for 13 years, with over 10 of those spent at Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO. About half way through my time there I realised I wasn't really drawing anymore, something I had done everyday since childhood. So me and my copywriter set about finding a client that we could write posters for that I could illustrate. That client was V&A Museum Of Childhood and our ads went on to become really successful at award shows, winning for illustration as well as idea. After that I was approached by illustration agents and I began taking commissions as well as writing advertising until two years ago I began to illustrate full time.

After being on the jury for D&AD, what was the most interesting piece of work that you had judged and why? 

The Dumb Ways To Die campaign for Metro Trains was by far the most interesting piece I judged at D&AD. Irreverent, funny, impactful, relevant, original, beautifully crafted and for a good cause.

East End Alphabet

What was the idea behind Je Suis Pâté and Pâté On Toast? 

I won a swimming competition at Pontin's Holiday Camp when I was a boy. A famous swimmer called Duncan Goodhew read my name out to collect my medal, but instead of pronouncing my name Paul Pateman he pronounced it Paul Pâtéman. From then on people called me Pâtéman that eventually condensed to Pâté. I wanted to use a pseudonym for my illustration work to distance it from the ad work I was doing so I called myself Pâté. Then the duck in the blender logo came which is still probably the illustration I'm most proud of. The Je Suis Pâté film was an self introduction film I did for an award I gave out at the YCN student awards and Pâté On Toast is my website because unbelievably Pâté.co.uk was taken.

What drew you to pursue graphic design and art direction? 

I love ideas and drawing, simple as that. When I was a kid I used to draw all the time, but hated the dark overlapping lines of colour you got when colouring in with felt tip pens. I loved the flat colour of professionally printed comics. When working in advertising I became familiar with Adobe Illustrator and immediately fell in love with it's mathematical precision and flat colour possibilities.

Which artists/individuals inspire your work the most? 

I find lots of people and their work inspiring but if I had to give you a top 5, in no particular order it would be Peter Grundy, Mick Marston, James Joyce, Mr Bingo and Craig & Karl.

TFL Oyster Cards

Is there a certain way you like to work? What is your creative routine? 

I like to think in the morning and do in the afternoon. I work relentlessly when I'm inspired and worry a lot when I'm not.

What has been the most rewarding project you have worked on and why? 

The V&A Museum of Childhood project. It launched my career and had everything I hold to be important in it: Ideas, craft and humour.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learnt about creativity in the course of your work? 

You can't let anyone tell you what is good and what is not. You need your own barometer and set of principles that you use to steer your work and decide wether what you have done is worthwhile.

What do you like to do when you are not designing? 

When not doodling I love cinema, playing football, tennis and learning sanskrit. One of those statements is untrue.

Go Ultra Low

What’s the best piece of advice anyone gave you?

Leave advertising.

Checkout more of  Paul Patemen on his website or on Behance.