PokéPower with hear.rigo

Enigmatic LCC student , 'hear.rigo', sheds light on his practice and individuality.

What is the main inspiration behind your illustrations?

My work is heavily influenced by my interest in hip-hop culture video games, along with visual styles from other creative artists and Japanese animation/ manga. I follow many creatives on social networking sites that post daily content. This for one motivates me to keep creating as well as being a direct inspiration to try something new.

Can you explain your creative process?

I find it very difficult to explain my process of creating because I never find myself thinking about it. I let concepts flow and let them develop over the time I spend working on them. I do very little planning when working on my illustration pieces and jump into sketching something in a book or working with images I’ve taken myself or have found on the internet. I have a general visual that I want to achieve at the end of each illustration and work on it until I arrive at this point.

What materials do you use to make your art?

My digital works are created using Adobe Illustrator CC and Photoshop CC; in the case that I animate my digital illustrations I would use Adobe After Effects CC and Premiere Pro CC to help me with this process. As for hand drawn illustrations I use fine line pens, Copic markers and pretty much any canvas I can start drawing on. I tend to combine both analog and digital methods when creating a product, it is important to invest time practicing a wide range of processes that aid you in bringing your concepts and ideas to life.

What advice would you give to young artists looking to create their own unique style?

Never stop creating. I believe there is no such thing as “creating a style” but instead comes naturally when surrounding yourself in a creative environment that motivates you to keep making. Expose yourself to all kinds of media, be it films, video games, music; you can pull inspiration from anything you open yourself up to. The more you consume the easier you’ll find a style naturally forming.

What is your favorite piece?

Since I’m in a constant process of creating something new every other day I find it quite difficult to pin down one favorite piece of work. Though if it came down to a series of illustrations I have made I would easily pick (of current) my latest “PokeBape” collection.

The concept was based on a video game I played growing up - Pokémon - and simply mixed the iconic hoodies by Japanese brand A Bathing Ape on the creatures of game.

Very much like the creatures from Pokémon, my work evolved over the month I spent creating an illustration each day. Having exposed myself to working in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop daily, I began to teach myself new techniques and methods to use in my illustrations; from there my own “visual style” began emerging.

Follow hear.rigo on his Instagram for more poppin' portraiture