1. Hello Ryan, please tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from, what training do you have, and how did you get started in the field?

Currently I live in Colorado Springs Colorado. I have been drawing and doodling my whole life. It started when I was young, re-creating comic books, cartoons, and magazine advertisements. I continued drawing and explored fine art in high school. I graduated college with a BFA in Fine Arts with a Concentration in Graphic Design from Colorado State University.

During my time in college I worked for the student newspaper laying out pages and designing ads. After college, I worked for a print shop as a designer for a short time, then worked for a smaller design agency designing and illustrating. While working at the small agency, I contributed stock illustrations to iStockphoto, did some freelance work, and started Vectips. Eventually all the extra work generated enough income to go into business for myself. Currently, I do client work under Rype Arts, still contribute to iStock, and write tutorials for Vectips, other blogs, and books.

2. How long did it take you to get a foothold in the industry and establish some regular clients? Did you get experience working at agencies before going freelance?

It took about a year of freelancing to get some established clients. During that year I was lucky enough to work for an agency that didn’t mind me doing freelance work on the side. I worked at the agency for about three years and the experience was great! I don’t think I could have gained this experience just starting a freelance career straight out of college. In college you learn the principles of design, but you don’t learn the business of design. There is no better training in this area other than experience.

3. What pulled you toward vector graphics as an artistic medium? What are your favorite aspects of working with vectors?

I love the clean and crisp shapes and lines vector art embodies. It’s kind of weird, because my non-digital traditional art is very loose and sporadic, the opposite of my digital art. Vector art is great for editing and scaling, making the art versatile and easy to use for any type of design (print, web, product, etc…). Still, there is always a time for rasterized artwork, but I like to make excuses not to use rasterized artwork (kidding)!

4. To what extent do design and formal principles impact your art? How much is guided by playful creativity, experimentation, and discovery? Is there anything off the computer that you find essential to your artistic process?

I think formal principals have a lot of impact on my work. Some design and composition principles were nailed into my head through my studies, so it is always a part of my work whether it is subconscious or not. Still, there is a lot of discovery and experimentation in my work. This is just as important to me in my work as the formal principals. For me, I can’t have one without the other.

I have numerous sketchbooks off the computer that are essential to my creative process. I use them extensively for thumbnails, sketches, and ideas regarding projects, illustration, blog posts, and just doodling for fun. I can’t always get away from my computer, so I have digital sketchbooks as well. Spending time with my wife, watching movies, throwing pottery, and crocheting are all other essential off computer activities. Without these, I couldn’t be creative on the computer. It’s important to me to have a balanced life.

5. I notice that you work in multiple styles? For example, I see really sketchy vectors and super clean characters? What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in multiple styles?

The advantages for me is I never get bored. I tend to get bored if I stick too much to one thing or style. The bad part is that I might not seem to have a marketable style. A potential client will not remember me as much as if I had one style. But, design agencies like that I have a versatile style. So it is a mixed bag. Really, I just admire so much work that other people are doing, I want to do it all!

6. Could you tell us a bit about how you got involved with blogging? How has it had a positive influence on your design business? What do you think makes a great tutorial? And what vector tutorial are you most proud of?

I love reading blogs and learning about anything. I find it amazing that you can teach yourself so much just from the content people are putting out there. When I started Vectips I was using Illustrator extensively in my job and looked for a blog that I could count on to serve up tips and tutorials. There wasn’t really any blog at the time that captured that for me, so I started one. I figured if I wanted it, someone else would. It was also a chance to give back to the blogging design community from which I learned so much from.

Vectips has had a huge impact on my design business! It has created many clients and jobs that I probably wouldn’t have the chance to do. It is a way to keep my designs and illustration fresh and out in front of people’s eyes.

With my tutorials on Vectips and other blogs I try to keep them simple, relevant in regards to design trends, and easy to apply to other illustrations and projects. I see some really great tutorials on how to create something very specific, and it works great if you are creating something exactly like the tutorial, but I find the most useful tutorials are ones that can easily be applied to other projects. That is what I strive for.

I think the Creating an Environmentally Friendly Green Type Treatment tutorial I did for you guys is my favorite. This is the tutorial that people seem to find the most helpful. I have seen the tutorial applied to type treatments, illustrations, logos, and more. It makes me happy that I can create something that people find useful and I think this tutorial does it the best.

7. What do you think makes a great character? How do you infuse personality into your character designs? Do you plan backstories, do you often do multiple sketches, or are there other creative ways your characters tend to come to life?

A great character personifies the project, idea, or story it is a part of. A character doesn’t necessarily have to have a set of features, style, or attributes to make it great. I always keep this in mind when creating characters. I also use backstories and envision the character as if it was real and interacting with me. Makes it fun! I usually do many sketches when creating characters and discuss the character with others. It is a great way to see how others interpret the character and see how compelling the character is.

8. Without getting too specific, are there any contracts or agreements you’ve entered into that have been difficult down the road? What would you advice artists to watch out for when entering into formal agreements?

There are some contracts that I signed that I don’t necessarily regret, but would have been more wary of if I had more information. Because of some of these contracts, it has limited me in pursuing other projects, ideas, and ventures. I don’t mean to scare any new artist, but it is always a good idea to think of the implication of signing a contract. It might sound great at the time, but think of how it can limit your creative and finical potential in the future.

This might not be possible for a designer and artist starting out, but I suggest have a lawyer look over any contracts you sign. Luckily, I have a friend that is a lawyer and we trade services. I did some design work for him and he gives me legal advice. Even though having a lawyer might not be a reasonable choice, carefully read the contract, and if you have questions, just ask the other party you are signing the contract with. Freelanceswitch.com has some great blog posts on legal question and contracts which I find invaluable!

9. What was your role in contributing to the The Adobe Illustrator CS4 Wow! Book? Could you give us a brief rundown of what’s in this new version and why Illustrator artists should pick it up?

It was so awesome to work on the Adobe Illustrator CS4 WOW! Book! I have been using the WOW! book series for years, and was giddy at the change to work with the great contributors of the book. In the book I was a contributing writer and artist. As a writer, I wrote around 5 basic lesson dealing with typography, Illustrator Effects, and some of Illustrator’s tools. The lessons are not as in depth as some of the tutorials on Vectortuts+ or Vectips but still very useful. The artwork that I contributed was a mixture of stock art and client work of mine.

My favorite new features in Illustrator CS4 are the Blob Brush, Appearance panel upgrades, Gradient tool upgrade, and Multiple Artboards. In previous versions of Illustrator I used Calligraphy brushes extensively with my Wacom pen tablet. Basically, I would use the Calligraphy brush with the Wacom’s pressure sensitivity to create varied strokes that appeared to be more natural than an Art brush. Using the new Blob brush, I can create the same type of strokes without having to Expand all the lines of a Calligraphy brush.

The Gradient tool upgrade make it so mush easier and quicker to edit and create gradients. The Appearance panel upgrades give me much more control of the appearance of an object in Illustrator, making it easier to create Graphic styles and edit objects. I also love using Multiple artboards. Multiple artboards has streamlined my workflow making it easier to create consistent branding project, exporting proofs, and organize files. The tutorial I did for Vectortuts+ called How to Create an Identity Package in Illustrator really shows how Multiple artboards can improve a workflow.

10. Could you tell us a bit about web design? Where do your vector graphic skills come into play in that? How often do you do web design for clients? Do you do just the graphics, or also the html/css, and blog integration? What workflow and programs do you use for web design and how do vectors fit in?

I do a lot of my wireframing and initial designing in Illustrator for web design. It might seem weird to some, but I am just faster and more comfortable in Illustrator. I do almost all my web design illustration and icon designs in Illustrator as well. For smaller and more precise stroke and single pixel based elements, I stick to Photoshop. Sometimes Illustrator has problems with converting small vectors to rasterized artwork.

I do most of the front end html, css, and blog integration. I am really only fluent in Wordpress and have yet to explore any other CMS. I leave the PHP and other programing to contractors. Sometimes if I have a tight deadline or quick turnaround, I hire freelancers for the front end. Some people are just faster and better at it than me. I tend to like doing the graphics more.

So in a typical web design project, I do all the initial tasks, like research and tons of sketches. Then, like I said in the beginning, I use Illustrator for wireframing and initial design, then Photoshop for the fine tuning (highlights, better drop-shadows, any single pixel based elements), and I code the site in Coda.

11. Would you recommend that artists get involved with creating stock vector illustrations? And if so, what advice do you have for those getting started? And what are some good goals to set that will lead them on a path toward success in that field?

I guess it just depends. Creating stock artwork has been a great source of income and has generated a lot of bigger client projects for me. Sometimes stock artwork can be difficult to get into because there is so much of it out there, but it is a good way to get your foot in the door and show your work. Some designer and illustrators say it devalues the industry so they like to stay away from stock.

Personally, I think there is a market for low cost artwork that is not going to go away and it is your choice if you want that to be part of your finical strategy. Still, I have gotten many jobs that are high paying custom client work that would never be suitable for stock. I think for the foreseeable future, these custom jobs will not be in jeopardy.

If any aspiring artists want to get into stock, I would suggest keeping your options open. Even though there are some big stock sites that drive more traffic than others, you never know what will happen in the future. Displaying your artwork on as many sites as you can might generate more income and get your name out there more as well.

This might seem a little hypocritical because I am a exclusive contributor to iStock, but if I did it again, I might not have gone exclusive. To be successful in the stock area, you really need to be up on current trends in design. Some stock that you created a year ago might not do as well as now. Just putting pieces for sale doesn’t mean they will sell.

12. What are your plans for the future? Any creative work coming up, or that you’re currently working on, that you’re excited about? What can we expect from you over on Vectips this coming year?

Currently, I am re-branding the Rype Arts side of things, but it is taking forever! The site is the last part of the re-branding and it’s almost done, but I just need to finish it. I also do other fine art stuff. I am really into wheel throwing right now. I might look at selling some pieces or creating a blog for ceramics. I haven’t found any that capture what I am looking for.

As for Vectips, I really want to explore video, but like everything else, it is hard to find the time. Really I just want to create great content that can help people.

13. Thanks for the interview Ryan! Is there any advice that you’d like to give aspiring illustrators and designer who are working hard to grow professionally?

Thank you! I love all the work Vectortuts+ does. It’s at the top of my RSS reader and everyday I can’t wait for a new tutorial, interview, or inspirational post. All the contributors put out some great content.

I would advise aspiring designers or illustrators to always keep at it. If you have a passion to be in this industry, you will do fine. Also, always be mindful of the next step and were you are heading in your career, learn to take criticism, and most important, have fun! If you are not having fun, go do a boring job and leave the fun work for others!

Ryan Putnam (Rype) on the Web

• Rype Arts
• Vectips
• On iStockphoto

Phantasm CS

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1. JAT – Branded by nature

2. Conserve Rain Water

3. Eagle in your mind

4. Chemtrail

5. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

6. Globale 09

7. Every color of your summer

8. John Petrucci BFR

9. Future Imperfect

10. Firs

11. Pequenos Mundos #1

12. Iron & Wine

13.

14. Horizon Fire

15. Enerjxpro 2007

16. Holy Noise Night 2007

17. Retro Vector Poster

18. Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band

19. Creative State R.L. Jones Jr.

20. SHeeepy

21. Endustrie

22. The Kooks

23. The Hotel Café Tour

24. ADDICTIVEstudios

25. Man of the year

26. Indology Poster

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This Vector Plus Tutorial is Filled with Creative Techniques

Shapes are the foundation and basis to everything we see. In this tutorial I will show you how to study shape forms and teach you the fundamentals of experimenting with shapes and apply them to facial features. Throughout this tutorial you will learn about my personal way of working and you can adapt these methods to your own and create your own experimental shape illustrations.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS3
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: Time: 5-7 hours

A preview of the final image is below.

Plus members can Log in and Download! If you’re not a member, you can of course join today! You can view the final illustration below.

This is a Detailed and Professional Tutorial

Plus members can Log in and Download! Otherwise, Join Now! Below are sample images, which show some of the development of this tutorial.

Vector Plus Membership

As you know, we run a premium membership system here called Plus that costs $9 a month (or $22 for 3 months!) which gives members access to the Source files for tutorials as well as periodic extra tutorials, like this one! If you’re a Plus member you can log in and download the tutorial. If you’re not a member, you can of course join today!

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Rubens has a bold and funky vector style. He tends to mix different or even opposite feelings into his character creations. Learn all about his background, interests, influences, creative process and more in this interview!

1. Hello Rubens, please tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from, what training do you have, and how did you got started in the field? How long have you been illustrating and designing?

Hello, first of all: thanks for this opportunity, I’m a regular reader of Vectortuts+ (as well as Psdtuts+) so I’m honored to be on it. My name’s Rubens Cantuni, I’m Italian and from Genoa. I was born in 1982 and my journey in illustrating and designing started a little later .

I’ve always been involved in drawing, coloring and creating stuff, but I’ve never had specific training in arts at school, so I can say that I’m self-taught. I have a degree in Industrial Design, that is not exactly what I’m doing now, but it was fun and I enjoyed my university years a lot. When I was in my last year I started working as an art director for an advertising agency, and in my spare time I’ve always been creating my stuff.

In January 2009 I was making some space on my hard disk and I noticed there were a lot of works making dust in there. At that time I was already running the blog koikoikoi.com (a visual arts blog I co-founded with my colleague Danilo) so I thought “Why just talk about other artists’ works and keep all my stuff in the closet?” and so I made my site Tokyo Candies, my Behance profile, etc. So even if I’ve always been illustrating my career is brand new.

2. How did you get started working with vector graphics? How long have you worked with Illustrator? Do you have any favorite vector tools or techniques? Where does Photoshop fit in your workflow?

I think I started with vectors in 2005 or 2006. I knew I needed to know Illustrator, but they weren’t teaching it at university (where I learnt things like 3Dstudio Max, which I forgot 1 minute later after passing the exam), so I had to learn it by myself.

At first, I have to say, I hated it. I was used to Photoshop and I couldn’t understand a lot of things happening in Illustrator. I don’t know why, at that time, it was pretty hard to find tutorials on Illustrator, while there were tons for Photoshop. So I experimented A LOT, and soon I became more and more familiar with it and found it was really handy to be able to manage all the elements.

I don’t have a favorite tool, I use the most standard tools: brush, pencil, pen, scissors, mainly. I don’t like the gradient mesh tool too much. I mean, it’s a powerful tool that lets you make some incredible stuff, but I’m a pretty radical vector artist . About Photoshop, I use it sometimes as a final step, to add some texture, vintage effects and things like that, but not all the time.

3. To what extent are you attracted to uniting extreme concepts in your work? I notice cute mixed with evil? Chubby imbedded with erotic sexuality? What are the mix of ideas that bring about your work?

Yes, one of the main things you may notice in most of my works I think is the mix of different or even opposite feelings. Cute and evil, funny and disturbing, the perfect example are, of course, the sexy chubby girls, that are my favorite subject and maybe my most distinguishing characters.

An artist I really love, that I think is bringing something similar is Jeremy Fish. The point is: arouse a feeling in the spectator. Could be surprise, curiosity, hilarity or whatever. If you look at one of my works, and you think “Why? Why is it like that?,” then I just hit my point.

4. How does working as a freelance illustrator and designer influence your work as an art director? How has working as an art director helped you work as a freelancer? Are there any lessons that cross these two roles you’d like to share?

I have to say that as a professional I live two separate lives. My everyday work is art direction/graphic design as an employee. I really like my job and it pays my bills, but of course my dream is to live just making my things one day, so I’m working hard, day and night, to do that.

My art direction job has been useful to me as a freelancer mainly in understanding client’s requests. Plus I learned all the things about the printing process while working there: problems related to it, limitations, preparing a file to be printed, and all this technical stuff you have to know. You can’t just be able to draw and/or use Illustrator alone.

5. With your busy schedule, how often do you find time to just draw in your sketchbook or do other creative things just for fun? What are your favorite creative outlets?

One of the main things I regret is neglecting my sketchbook so much. The other thing is painting so rarely. But I take time to do things for fun, also because they can become sold works, or prints or t-shirts. I also have to work on koikoikoi.com, which is a sort of creative outlet. Even if I don’t work in first person on something creative, presenting artists, designers, photographers, works, projects, videos, all feed my creativity hunger and increase my knowledge and my inspiration sources.

6. How has travel influenced your work? What places have made an impact on you and why? How often do you hit the road and explore new places?

I don’t think traveling has influence directly on my works, but it has certainly impacted my knowledge. It may sounds pretty obvious but the place that really had an impact on me is Japan, both for places and people. It was really like being on another planet, so far from italian culture. Last April I’ve went to New York. It was my first time in the USA. That city is magical, you really can smell endless opportunities, especially if you’re involved in art. I hit the road as much as I can, depending on money and spare time, and both things are not as much as I’d like .

7. How active are you online with various design communities, blogs, and social media? Have you had business opportunities arise because of these activities?

With my works I’m on: Behance, Facebook, BloodSweatVector, deviantArt, Twitter, and I have shops on Redbubble and Artsprojekt, where you can buy prints, t-shirts, sweatshirts etc. I can say that all my collaborative works come from these channels, I don’t have an agent (if there’s one reading, we can discuss about it, feel free to contact me!) and there’s not much to do locally.

8. You have such a distinctive style? How did that come about? What helped narrow your focus as an illustrator and what continues to inspire you as an artist? What are your greatest influences?

I really like a lot of different things. My style was a natural evolution and it’s still evolving. The most important thing I think is doing things as they naturally come to you, without forcing on making them look a certain way or like someone else’s products.

My inspiration comes from a lot of different sources, such as asian cultures, tattoo art, cultural icons, movies, comics, cartoons. I have tons of people I admire as artists, just to name a few: Mike Giant, Simone Legno, Jeremy Fish, Jeremyville, Shawn Barber, Audrey Kawasaki, Jason Lìmon, 123Klan, Koralie, Jeff Soto, Flying Fortress, Blu, Sheena Aw, Tado, and Jared Nickerson.

9. Could you tell us about your illustration process using the project “The Dirty Cream” as an example? Does the process for that project flow like many of your others, or do you find yourself often changing how you approach your work?

My workflow may vary from work to work. If I have a precise idea in mind, I start drawing directly in Illustrator. Sometimes if it’s not clear enough, or it’s a bit complicated, I make a sketch on paper, as I did for “The Dirty Cream” work.

After the sketch on paper (pencil and markers) I traced it with my Wacom tablet, then I gave it the basic color and after that I worked on shadows and lights. While doing these steps I usually make some changes to basic color, removing shadows or changing the transparency, etc. In this work, I noticed that the outlines traced with my Wacom were confusing the type work, so I used them just as a track for coloring. After the main work is done I start refining details, adjusting some curves, adding little elements, etc. The final step was adding the cherry characters and the ice cream lady recycled from a previous work and adjusted a bit.

10. Thanks for the interview Rubens! Is there any advice that you’d like to give aspiring illustrators and designer who are working hard to grow professionally?

Trivial but so true: keep working hard. Try to develop your own style and work hard on promoting yourself. Thanks again for this opportunity! Also, I will be participating in the upcoming Blood Sweat Vector West Berlin Gallery show, which opened just a couple days ago with loads of other vector artists’ work on display.

Rubens Cantuni on the Web

• Tokyo Candies Portfolio
• Behance Portfolio
• koikoikoi.com Visual Arts Blog (italian/english)

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Winner!!!

How to Enter

To be eligible to win, all you need to do is leave a comment. Make sure to include your correct email address with your comment so that we can contact you. This giveaway is open worldwide, but make sure to get your comment in before midnight this Sunday, November 15th, 2009, Eastern Eastern Standard Time. We’ll be announcing the winner next week.

Please note: Envato staff and people who have written more than two tutorials/articles for a Tuts+ site are not eligible to enter.

The Prize

“Cartooning: The Ultimate Character Design Book (Paperback),” by Christopher Hart, and published by Chris Hart Books, 2008.

Product Description

“Chris Hart’s how-to-draw books have sold in the several millions of copies. Now, in his latest, he delivers detailed instructions, inspiring ideas, and invaluable tips for creating appealing and original manga-style characters. Character design is the key to success in comic books and animated films, and with this clear step-by-step guide, it’s a skill that can be quickly learned. Starting with the basics—body types, facial features, costumes, and expressions—Chris shows how to draw a hyper kid, bratty teen, lovable pooch, cool rapper, and many other distinctive types. Then, he takes the reader on a guided tour in search of original characters in places that range from suburban malls to the glitter and glamour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills.”

Afterwords, we talk about how to market yourself as a logo designer. How do you get your first clients? How do you figure out what to charge? What is a logo designers best marketing tool? We have some great discussions with guests Von Glitcha and Dickie Adams, both regulars of our popular Freelance Switch podcast: Freelance Radio.

We’ve Done it Again

This is our second Tuts+ podcast, so we are still learning the ropes. Please leave your feedback in the comments section on how we can improve future episodes. Also, make sure to tell us what you’d like to hear next time. Enjoy!

All music and sounds supplied by the very awesome AudioJungle!

• Length: 1 hour
• Download Audio
• Subscribe in iTunes
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Introductions

• Host: Danny Outlaw
• Tuts+ Editor: Sean Hodge
• Guest: Von Glitschka, Illustrative Designer
• Guest: Dickie Adams, Jack of All Trades

In the News

Article 1: “iStock opens can of nasty worms“

This article discusses some of the potential negative issues with iStockphoto’s decision to start selling pre-made logo design solutions. There are links to other articles on this subject and don’t miss: The best logo design tutorial in the world… ever!.

Article 2: “Your Halloween Costume Sucks“

Check out these awesome Halloween costumes from the DragonCon convention. As some of you may know, many people dress up at these sort of events as their favorite fantasy related character. These blow away just about anybody’s costume this year.

Suggested Tools

• Danny Outlaw recommends: Screenr for recording screencasts through your browser.
• Sean recommends: Helvetic Brands run by logo and brand designer David Pache.
• Von Glitschka recommends: Copy Craft printers and their Business Card Recycling Program.
• Dickie Adams recommends: the mysterious Google Wave.

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This Vector Plus Tutorial is Filled with Creative Techniques

Enhance your skills with this step-by-step tutorial on creating a stylized vector icon. We’ll cover how to use line weight, color and unique shading techniques to create this icon. Let’s get started!

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS4
• Difficulty: Advanced
• Estimated Completion Time: 2 hours

A preview of the final image is below.

Plus members can Log in and Download! If you’re not a member, you can of course join today! You can view the final illustration below.

This is a Detailed and Professional Tutorial

Plus members can Log in and Download! Otherwise, Join Now! Below are sample images, which show some of the development of this tutorial.

Vector Plus Membership

As you know, we run a premium membership system here called Plus that costs $9 a month (or $22 for 3 months!) which gives members access to the Source files for tutorials as well as periodic extra tutorials, like this one! If you’re a Plus member you can log in and download the tutorial. If you’re not a member, you can of course join today!

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1. Hello Draco, give us a background bio on yourself, where are you from? What is your typical day like?

Hi, I’m from Brazil! My day starts at 09:00 am with a short walk from my house to the agency where I work. After that, in my house, I work until 03:00pm on my own projects.

2. When did you first feel the calling to get into design and illustration? Did you attend a traditional design school or are you self-taught? We would also like to know about your first design job.

Well, I’m self-taught! I have been drawing since I was a child and going to the design field was a natural way. I started with creating logotypes and advertising illustrations for small clients.

3. How long have you been designing and illustrating? What is your day job as a full time designer in a web agency?

I really do not remember when I started creating illustrations. I have been working with design for about 10 years.

4. Can you give us an insight into your creative process and your research resources? Is the process different for personal and client work?

Yes, I always say that every job deserves special treatment, and how I can illustrate in several different styles, each job receives unique treatment. But when things are not very clear, a little wine and Radiohead open my mind (or make me sleep!).

5. What is it about the vector medium that fascinates you? What tools and applications do you use to create your vector arts? Would you like to share with us your favorite vectoring technique?

My favorite software is Corel Draw, but, I work with illustrator too (80% with Corel Draw and 20% with Illustrator). Normally, I do a freehand sketch, then I import the image to Corel Draw and finish the illustration node by node.

6. Apart from illustrations, you do a lot of T-shirt designs. When and how did you get interested in designing for T-shirts?

I was studying vectors and this universe of T-shirts looked like a good opportunity to improve my techniques and possibly earn some money.

7. What are the challenges involved in turning an art piece into a really saleable product? And how do you overcome those challenges?

I don’t think of creating illustrations as marketable. I think the public who buys T-shirts from shops that promote design competitions, are more interested in art prints, that makes it easy. I don’t  think in creating saleable illustrations, I think the public who buys T-shirts in online stores who promote design competitions, are more interested in artistic tees. This makes it easy.

8. What is your favorite and least favorite thing about the design and illustration industry? What’s the one thing you wish you knew when you started your career?

Its too simple. Working in design and illustration is what I love! =)

9. What project are you working on now and what excites you most about that project? Is there any dream project you would like to work on?

I’m involved in some projects at the same time, and one in particular is writing and possibly illustrating a story book.

10. How is Brazil’s art scene? Does the Brazilian culture influence your works?

The art scene here in Brazil is very diverse, with several tribes following different paths in design and I think it’s the best influence I can have, working with several different styles and not getting stuck there is a single line.

11. Thanks for the interview Draco. Would you like to give any tips or advise to aspiring digital artists and designers?

Watch and study. Always try to do what you like and do still hold to the trends.

Draco on the Web

• Portfolio
• deviantArt

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New Exclusive JPG/AI Icon PACK – Free Download

This new Vector Freebie Pack is created by Oindrila Mukherjee and is available exclusively from Vectortuts+. If you’re looking for high-quality social icons for your next web project, then check out these icons. This set of 18 high quality freebies is available free, follow this link to download today from our freebies section! Enjoy!

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