Traditional design is not always 'Outdated'

CG. How much of a role do you feel the traditional art plays in the way you illustrate?

Luis. The traditional form of art plays a big part in my creative process. Usually, I love to sketch my ideas on paper and see if I can come up with a convincing graphic composition.

I really love sketchbooks. But traditional media keeps me focused and open to something unexpected. It's an interesting ritual where the illustrator turns himself into an alchemist.

CG. You use striking, vibrant tones of colour. What is their significance to your work, and how do you think it contributes to your style?

Luis. I think it's a mixture of my Mexican roots and the colourful country where I'm currently based (Guatemala). I usually get my inspiration from nature, traditional popular art, food, taking trips to different places around the world, and even my love for the culture and traditions of Latin America. From a personal view, colour is energy, identity, power and expressiveness. I think it contributes to my style because it is part of my graphic language and keeps me searching for new ways to use it.

CG. What do you feel are noteworthy differences in the earlier and modern-day styles of illustrating?

Luis. For me, the earlier styles of illustrating had to do with craft, strategy and wonder. It was a constant discovery using traditional techniques, striving to bring something new to the table as graphic proposals without the technology that we possess today. You can always learn a lot from them, as long as you can see their impact, complexity, expressiveness and craft.

Nowadays, our modern styles are mixtures or reinventions of existing graphic values based on an inherited art-design history, using both traditional and digital tools in the process. If we keep exploring, experimenting and questioning our ways of illustrating, we might form a better understanding of the illustration field in the future to come.

CG. How do you choose your colour palette, considering that you seem to be meticulously using a range of colour schemes and tones across your illustrations?

Luis. I try to come up with a colour palette before using it on my illustrations. It's all about experimenting. The colour palette is closely linked with the graphic concept of each piece.

CG. What do you essentially try to convey in your works, and what do you intend for it to evoke in the audience?

Luis. I try to connect with people and share with them all the things that I love. For me, it's very important to love your roots-culture; where you come from and to know that the world is a place full of magical and wonderful things to discover just around the corner. I think that our world is filled with magic, creatures & worlds that we don't know yet. That's why imagination is so important to me. Go out there, have something to say, and inspire others.

CG. Your illustrations contain a lot of colours, shapes, patterns, etc. within the same space. How do you ensure that these elements sync and combine well so that none of them causes disruption?

Luis. The combination comes in a very intuitive way, mostly. I love experimenting to see how every element can be related to the whole piece. That's the constant challenge & struggle with every project I take.