NEW YORK
USA
Rafa creates his illustrations in a shared studio space:
I need privacy and quiet to be creative, but I believe art benefits greatly from socialising and exchanging techniques and ideas…that is why I have always shared a studio and why I think New York, with such a huge art community, is such an exciting place for creators.” Despite the fact that living in the city is very expensive, Rafa likes New York’s fast-paced and competitive atmosphere, as it motivates him to be a better artist. For Rafa, the city is a place where you can find inspiration, get lost, and find contrasts and talent in every corner. One of his frequent hang outs is Fat Cat Bar, where other illustrators often mingle, listen to live music and play games. He also enjoys Prospect Park and Gleason’s Boxing Gym in Brooklyn, for stimulation and potential subject matter for his illustrations. Rafa is in the process of turning his thesis project into an interactive e-book for the iPad. The concept is predicated on user interaction, where the narrative develops and ends differently according to the decisions of the reader. Not only did Rafa create all the illustrations for the app, he also programmed it from scratch! We are really excited to see the final result, as we were big fans of the format. His goal in the next year is to move more into editorial illustration and personal projects, with a focus on interactivity and animation, which he hopes to bring to tablet platforms. We highly recommend a visit to Rafa’s website or for more frequent updates visit his blog.
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