PAST

I’m always… a positive person.
I grew up… with colour paints.
When I was a child, I wanted to be… a vet!!!
I never thought about me… working outside a creative world.

PRESENT

Right now… drinking a beer.
My favourite hobby… Begur, the beach and the sun.
My work means.. stability
I feel like at home… comfy.
On a rainy day… I use a lot of China ink.
I couldn’t live without… light.
I’ve always wondered how… I would be bold!!!
I wish I knew… when I’m talking seriously
Every day I like… to smile while looking to the mirror in the mornings.
I wish I could… fall sleep faster.
I’m a great believer in… keeping life balance.
An open secret about me… I love wood.
I wish I had… erase and save buttons.
A perfect day… is what I try to have each single day.
Art is… my passion, the way I express myself.
If you are going to travel to… India, wait one more year.
I’m bored… very few times

FUTURE

Someday I hope… I don’t hope, I’ve got it.
I’d like to be… father.
My next step is… large format pieces.
In ten years… 45.

Raul, how did you start observing and thoroughly drawing insects? Any reason for that?
Since I was a child, digging up rocks, catch insects and placing them inside glass bottles… both curiosity and attraction to that tiny world.

Is it a way of aware people about the existence of insects and their complex structure or is it just for fun?
Both aspects, I think it’s an unknown world and it’s becoming more interesting, I transmit curiosities, show endangered species due to pesticides or show processes like metamorphosis.

Is there any difference between nature and what you show on your pieces?
Talking about being inventive, there’s no difference at all. I keep natural proportions, I’m faithful to insect’s movements and to their environment such as wood.

Your pieces are similar to printmaking, are you inspired by any in particular?
There is a significant similarity between them, however it has more to do with tattoo world, talking about techniques and being accurate. I admire Ien Levin.

Your work base is wood, do you use its technique as in ancient printmaking drawings to create a template that hosts ink?
I haven’t worked so deeply with wood, I just draw using several calibrated points on different thicknesses on wood surfaces, ink spreads according to wood humidity.

What do you read on wood?
It’s like a palm where you can notice if it has knots where shoots grew, stains due to external agents infections or the growth between knots during irrigation periods… just like life itself.

How will your pieces grow old on wood? Will they know to age like wood?
I hope and want so, ink is light fast so black colour must be upheld for years.

Are you planning an approach between this tiny world and a larger scale one?
Being able to make larger scale pieces or wall painting (on wood) is my next goal.

How was your beginning on making these pieces, how did you combine it with your current job?
Just on my free time. I perfectly combine my working hours with my spare time! Even today I keep combining them, though orders and collaborative works keep growing!

Right now your work is quite known and you have several points of sale, do you have enough time to respond to all orders or do you impose yourself a limit?
For now, I can manage them, people understand the fact that time for delivery is needed when we’re talking about a personal and unique piece which needs its timing.

How do you see it in the long-term?
Honestly, I haven’t thought about it. I started shaping entomology world through my personal perspective and drawing knowledge, everything flows quite quickly. Nowadays, we are living a time when drawing has its own cult and value. I hope this tendency keeps growing.

How did you show your pieces in order to stand out?
I started with exhibitions and some points of sale in home décor stores where my pieces were physically shown. However, Instagram, has been my biggest support, it’s a highly visual social network which I daily use to show my work and personal perspective.

Is there any piece you wouldn’t give away?
Some pieces are born or grow during a specific time of your life and you’d like to remember them because their final result was affected… but, that’s the main characteristic in each piece… being unique.

Any story behind each piece? Or on the contrary, do you leave it open to customer’s interpretation….?
There are stories behind my pieces, customers interpret them attracted to insects and admiration to this specific world.

Would you like to make any collaborative work with other artists or people?
It’s always satisfying working with other people, getting to know about it and being inspired by it. I remember my past collaboration with Manuel Bolaño, discovering facts about his collection hidden world was really interesting.

Which is the hardest aspect in your work?
Working under pressure or with a short deadline.

Which is the one you like the most?
Drawing appeals to me. If I had kept doing what people ordered me, this wouldn’t have been the result.

Let’s meet him!!!

Mike, how did you realize that you wanted to dedicate your life to illustration?
I like to believe that I did not choose illustration, it chose me. I started off as a painter in a Fine Arts program but soon realized that most of the contemporary work I was inspired by was created by illustrators. It was only natural to make the move to illustration and I haven’t looked back since.

Did you work as a trainee before starting your own drawings?
I attended OCAD, University in Toronto, Canada, where I began with drawing and painting then switched over to Illustration. This is where I experimented with mixed media and found a natural workflow in producing digital art. I continue to explore the relationships between traditional and digital artwork.

Did you decide to begin your work on your own or did you just begin making drawings?
I kind of fell into art. As I said before, I think it chose me. I was always a creative kid, drawing a lot, but did not take it seriously until the end of High School. I was questioning a lot of things then, as teenagers often do, and decided that if I were to strive to be anything in this world, I would want it to be on my own terms and not someone else’s. So far this is where my journey has taken me. I couldn’t be happier.

How do you show your illustrations so people can order one?
My illustrations can be ordered by contacting me directly. I have been very busy and have not gotten around to creating an online shop. I also have some pieces available on Tiny Showcase.

What differentiates your illustration work from the one of others?
I think it is my strong sense of color and composition.

What is your goal in your work?
I want my work to truly convey an overall feeling when it is being viewed. I don’t just want the viewer to see and understand the visual message; I want them to feel it.

What is most challenging about your job?
Learning how to handle the slow months when I am not getting a lot of work. It’s about finding the balance to sustain a freelance career that can often be the most daunting.

Where do those metaphors come from, that you use in your work?
They come naturally, organically. Sometimes the ideas are immediate, but for me it usually takes a day or two to fully understand the direction I want to take an illustration. I like to believe I have a memory bank somewhere in my brain where I store all sorts of inspiration from my everyday life. I also write a lot of ideas down and make quick sketches when inspiration strikes. You never know when an old idea can be used for something new.

What would be your advice to someone with a “steady job” but with the aim of dedicating himself or herself to drawing?
Find what you like to draw. If you like to draw everything, then draw everything. If you like to draw monster trucks and wrestlers, then draw monster trucks and wrestlers. Look to other artists and designers who inspire you. Think about what makes their work interesting to you. Find that secret balance between learning from the world around you and the world you create inside your mind.

Could you imagine yourself today ten years ago?
I have exceeded my expectations of where and who I thought I would be when I was a teenager.
I always thought I wouldn’t amount to much, haha….

How did you start to become known for your work?
Once I stopped worrying what I thought others would like me to create and started making the things I had always wanted to make. When you find your passion people start to pay attention.

How has internet changed the world of illustration?
Illustration, like most forms of art these days, has become a disposable medium. I can scroll through a Tumblr feed for a half hour and consume 10,000 images. This can be seen as either good or bad.

What do you think makes an illustration successful?
The 3 C’s: Concept, Composition, and Color.

How long does it take you to create an illustration?
It really depends on the scope of the project. Anywhere from 2 hours to 2 weeks.

Which of your past illustrations do you like the most?
I am particularly fond of my Room For Rent Series.
I was happy to finally express my love for interior design and architecture in an illustration series. I am currently working on adding new pieces to the series and would like to, one day, print a book of all the rooms.

What are your favorite websites and magazines?
I am a big fan of It’s Nice That, an art and design blog based in London, UK. Other sites for inspiration include 50watts, Designspiration, ffffound,and Printed Matter has a great site and their mailing list is second to none!

In terms of magazines, IdN, Toilet Paperand GOOD magazine, are all quite cool.

What would be your ideal project?
I would love to illustrate and design a series of book covers. I have also always wanted to collaborate with interior designers or architects on design projects.

What would you do different from when you started?
I would hope to not compare myself with others like I did when I first began. However I still feel this is a natural step in most artists’ careers. We look to those whose work we admire, only to look at our own work and feel discouraged. As they always say, there will always be someone better at what you do. We need to learn to accept things as they are and focus this energy inward to grow into the artists we are meant to become.

Which have been the worst moments of your professional life?
Having to go after clients for payment. Not having a proper contract and being taken advantage of. Having to work for a lot less money than my work is worth. These are issues that most freelancers starting out have to deal with. I think artists get taken advantage of more than they should; this is something that I hope changes within the industry.

It is difficult not to smile when talking with illustrator Antonio Uve, because he is super friendly, gratifying and was always checking that we were ok and having a good breakfast in Verbena, a bar that he recommended to us in Madrid which was very nice.

We went to see Antonio’s work in Madrid, but now he will already be living in Amsterdam, where he was about to move when we saw him, to dedicate himself exclusively to what he really likes, illustration. His drawings must be analysed, as they express many things.

He is now involved with Atelier des Jeunes, where he has a sale of a several of his illustrations that you see here

and is also participating in the design of a t-shirt collection organised by Atelier des Jeunes.

Antonio conveys to us his enthusiasm for doing what you love and conveys many things through his drawings, you have to experience them to see what it is that is expressed through them.
We leave you with Antonio’s interview!

Antonio, we like your illustrations and want to know more things about you and your work! You combine your work as a director of art in a public agency and your personal work in illustration.?
I often say that I am a director of art by day and an illustrator by night. Nowadays, I dedicate more time to illustration than art direction, but there are stages in which it is difficult to combine the two things. Although, well, its all organised. The truth is I love illustration because it relaxes me and it makes me happy, I always try to make time to do it.

What is the process that you make the illustrations, design by hand, and later work on the computer or work directly on the computer?
I always start drawing by hand and while I do, I come up with ideas that allow me to make a first draft. After I sit in front of the computer and search for reference images, colours, compositions… and when I believe I have everything well assimilated, I can work on the illustration.

What would you not do now that you did when you started?
Although it is something that I have been doing almost since I was a boy, I think I am still beginning. It’s the only thing that has changed in my mind is that now I think about illustration more as a profession, than a hobby.

Could you have imagined this 10 years ago?
No, definitely not. 10 years ago I was starting advertising and public relations and I did not know where to focus my professional life. I suppose I knew to choose things that I like more and that is why I am doing what I am doing now.

Who do you design for? Do you imagine the final client?
I try to design for me, although I always have the client in my mind because, more or less, you can make an idea that they will like or not. Normally I give a lot of thought to my works and that is why I believe that I am very self critical. The truth is I am the worst client.

How has the internet changed the world of illustration?
The internet is a source of inspiration, thanks to the internet we are bombarded with images everyday that in one form or another influence us, and all these influences are seen in each illustration.

How does this benefit your work?
It is a great platform when you need to become known, because if you aren’t online you don’t exist. I started uploading my illustrations to Instagram, without much thought, it amused me and it suddenly without awareness, I was self-promoting.
Now through Atelier des Jeunes other opportunities arise, with the work that they have.

What do you think makes an illustration successful?
I wish I knew. I believe the important thing is to do things with care and dedication. You have to have fun with what you do and enjoy each one of your works, so if you don’t achieve the success you expected, at least you had a good time making them.

Which illustration has been your greatest success?
A couple of years ago, I made an illustration of a verse of a song, “La cara noroeste” by McEnroe which said: “it’s a strange way to live to be thinking always of you” I put it on my Tumblr and today, it has more than 6000 comments and continues being shared, they have even written to ask me if it was on sale.

How much time does it take to create an illustration?
There have been illustrations that have taken me weeks or months and others that I finished in one day. I like to take my time and to make things calmly with care, although its always dependant on the time you have been given to finish, and the mood you are in.

How do your ideas come up? What are your sources of inspiration?
My sources of inspiration are my friends, my family, the city that I live in, music, Instagram, my travels, my neighbours, conversations I hear at the gym… I have a younger sister who is 12 years old and she inspires me a lot, her way of seeing the world amuses me and I try to learn from her, in fact I like to share what I do with her, she is always the most sincere: if she doesn’t like it she tells me point-blank.

TWhat are your favourite webs and journals?
My favourite webs are:

http://apeonthemoon.com/

http://bldgwlf.com/

http://jenesaispop.com/

http://www.nfgraphics.com/

http://www.itsnicethat.com/

journals:

http://www.wrapmagazine.com/

http://www.eightmagazine.nl/

http://www.mondosonoro.com/

Can you make a living from your illustrations?
It is very difficult, particularly in Spain. I have the feeling that this profession is not valued much, even though we are supposed to be living in a time when creativity/handmade goods are becoming more appreciated. However, there are many clients that ask you for drawings as if they were easily done in half an hour. Even so, I think it is possible to make a living from this, but it is necessary to stay active and to know how to do active searches. I hope to earn money from illustration someday, but right now I am just trying to survive.

Which would be your ideal project?
Any project where the client gives me total freedom for doing whatever I want, without suggestions, external opinions, doubts, final changes,…

Tell us about your regular day at work.
I have a coffee while I’m surfing some design, advertising and illustration blogs and listening to the radio. Later on, I start working on a drawing and when it is almost finished, I let it stand for a while. I try to clear my ideas up, go for a walk, and having switched off, I open the file again, continue with it in order to finish it, change some things, add details.. The best of all is that my working days are hardly ever the same.

Which have been the best and worst aspects of your professional life?
The toughest aspect is organising my timetable by myself and what I like the most is the fact that my work is more like a hobby from which I am starting to make a living.

What is your dream for the future?
Being able to professionally dedicate to illustration completely. I would love to have a nice co-working space where I could go everyday, working by sharing my job with my lifelong friends with whom I share the way of living.

Any advice for someone who has just started?
In fact I am stating as well and besides, I am not very good at giving advice. However, I will say that believing in someone’s work and standing up for oneself make things go smoothly.

Antonio will tell us about how is everything going in Amsterdam, but for now, he is already part of our mood board….

José Antonio, I love your portraits. Although I am not a pop fan, I find them beautiful and quite eye-catching. After studying Audio-visual Communication in Barcelona, you have established yourself in Madrid by moving forward with your drawings. It might have been difficult, but you are being rewarded, aren’t you?
Thank you so much for your perception of my work, María. I have been in Madrid for a year and it is really tough due to many reasons; however, I am aware that I am moving forward inside the labour market. Little by little, unthinkable things are happening to me.

You make portraits of famous people, would make a portrait of someone who is not famous? Could I make an order for myself? What would you need to make it?
Of course you can! Actually, most of my portraits are not of famous people. I only need some good quality pictures where I can identify characteristic gestures and faces, a deadline and all relevant information for the portrait itself.

Currently, if someone wants to buy any of your portraits, how can they? Through your website?
It depends on what they are looking for. A the moment, in the online shop there are some “objects”, such as plates and mugs. I will soon upload some portrait prints I made for an exhibition in Barcelona next April. From time to time, I upload some original paintings but that is quite unusual. If the client wants an original work, they have to contact me by my email rodamartinez@gmail.com and we will discuss everything.

Tell us about the design process, do you draw each illustration by hand and post-produce it on your computer? Do you do everything on your computer? Everything by hand?
It depends on each work. Usually, portraits were always by hand; however, I am getting more comfortable at working on my computer. All new portraits are finally done with a computer. I am quite a changeable person, so I don´t really know if I will decide for one way or for all of them.

What would be your advice to someone with a “steady job” but with the aim of dedicating to drawing?
Each person should follow their dreams. I would tell them not to be afraid, but they would need savings, patience and tenacity.

Could you imagine yourself six years ago?
Not by any stretch of imagination. In my 20′s I was in the middle of my studies and I imagined myself married, thin and working at the cinema. Neither of them have come true. I never thought I would earn my living through my drawings and my products would be sold in stores. Never.

You also have a collection of mugs, plates and bags, are you hoping to expand this ceramic collection further or do you still want to focus on your portraits?
I like both. I enjoy growing up, improving and testing myself. Working with ceramics is a magical medium, besides it is trendy. Though I don’t know if my partnership with ceramics will last. I would love to develop two different ways of working: graphically and physically producing decorative objects. That’s my plan.

What will be your next project?
Paying my next month rent. I have several up coming projects. A self-exhibition, a collective one, some collaborations with other artists. It goes on.

What do you think makes an illustration successful?
Affection.

Which is your most successful illustration at the time?
A figurative illustration with two people hugging had a great approval. Talking about the portraits, some of not famous people had been quite popular

How long does it take you to create an illustration?
It depends, it always takes hours, from two hours to five days or even a week.

Which of your past illustration works do you like the most?
I am not paternalistic about my drawings, however, which finger would you cut yourself without being hurt? I prefer my recent works and I would throw away the old ones. Although, I am aware that I couldn’t have produced my recent ones without the previous experience. Moreover, my current choice will be no longer the same in a few months.

Which are favourite websites and magazines?
Youtube gives me life. I am not a magazines consumer. Do you remember at the beginning of this interview, when we were talking about the difficulty in jumping in the deep? I had to sacrifice many things, magazines included. Anyway, publications like FUET or APARTAMENTO are stunning. At an international print run, of course I would choose l TOILETPAPER MAGAZINE .

Which would be your ideal project?
I would probably pick up something that fills me with enthusiasm, related to people I admire and well payed.

Tell us about your regular day at work.
I wake up early no matter what, I go out for breakfast and then, I come back home where I work until night. I always carry my agenda with all my weekly duties, so in a regular day I just keep crossing out done tasks. I usually go for a walk once or twice a day, it is for free and helps me to keep my mind and energy steady by changing the scene. I work with music but without TV from monday to sunday. As I am quite constant and I take it seriously, if one day is unproductive, I try to rest and switch off until the following day.

Which have been your best and worst moments of your professional life?
The most difficult aspect is the amount of filters an illustration has to get through, where mine is the most severe one. It is also complicated to bet for e-commerce when you can’t afford it or assuming selling your handmade products in a store with all the difficulties in Spain. What I like the most is having the satisfaction of creating beautiful products, things I myself would buy, and the affection I receive from the clients. What really shocks me is when they send my pictures of a plate, a mug or a portrait at their homes. There are some people I don’t personally know who send me such nice and charming emails that they make me cry. I can’t really believe it, I am not so aware. Some weeks ago during a sunday walk through the most impressive decoration stores at El Rastro in Madrid, a salesman stopped me just to tell how he loved my works. I couldn’t believe it. My drawings made at my dinning table, go out from my home, become known and touch hearts, that is amazing..

What is your dream for the future?
My dream is making a living with my work instead of surviving with it. Improve myself, grow, owning a workplace, making things in a better way and returning to 28 size trousers.