Ricardo Cavolo is a quite and nice guy from Madrid. He loves folk and outsider artists, music and tattoo. So … c’mon and join this “No boring talks” interview.
Photo by Juan de Marcos – www.juandemarcos.es
- Name.
Ricardo Cavolo.
- City / Location
Madrid (Spain).
- Tell us a little story about yourself. How did you get into design? Why did you become a graphic designer/illustrator?
My father used to paint and draw… It was his job before becoming an Art teacher.. So I was born in an art studio… And then from my first day of my life I was surrounded by brushes, color paints and my parents helping me to improve my art skills and making it funny as a game. After University I started to work in some advertisment agencies, in the art department. But I got bored and tired about advertising, and I decided to start my own project as an illustrator.
- What’s your typical day at work?
I wake up at 07.00 AM, go to the gym for an hour, and I start to work at 09.00AM till 23.00 PM. So my typical day is working the whole day in different projects. It sounds a little bit hard, but when you are starting to work in this things, at the beginning it’s necessary to do like this, for getting your own space.
- What’s your typical day away from desk, mouse and monitor?
The last three years I only have working days… I just take a rest when I’m travelling (and most of my travels ar for work).
- Where do you get your inspirations?
My inspiration comes form thousands of corners… But my main influence comes from folk and outsider art. The outsider art it’s my favorite style of art, and my most important source of inspiration.
Out form an art style or similar, I pay so much attention on the outsiders of the society… The no-normal people living no-normal lifes… The B side of life.
- How would you describe your creative process?
I usually work fast… It doesn’t take a lot for getting the good idea and concpet… In fact, when it’s a personal work, I know what I’m going to do form the first time, because I always have so so many projects on mind, so when I’m going to do it, I already know what I’m going to do. I think I’d need 3 or 4 lifes for developing all the projects I have on my mind. So, when the conpcet or idea is clear, I start to work on it. My work is always hand made, so it takes always a little bit more, because working in this way it takes more time, you have to pay more attention for doing it well… But it’s an enjoying process, and the client gets this thing when the work is done.
- What are the tools of the trade that you use the most? Favorite gadget?
The traditional tools of drawing and painting… Paper, wood, canvas, brushes, watercolors, acrylics, color inks… And of course pencils and rubber… Let’s say “old school” tools…
- Your favourite widgets / apps ?
I spend a lot of time taking and working photos with different apps in my iPhone… I take care of my social networks… And I spend so so many hours with videogames in my iPhone and iPad.
- What artists (in the past and in the present) has inspired your work?
The main source of inspiration it comes from outsider art and folk art.. And in this ways of art, there is no no names, no important or very well known artists. It’s like a group an anpnymous people working on art.
- Suggest to RL a list of your fav albums / music / band.
Johnny Cash. “At Folsom Prison”.
Neutral Milk Hotel. “In an aeroplane over the sea”.
The White Stripes. “Under great white northern lights”.
Leadbelly. “The only best”.
Hank Williams. “Complete singles A’s & B’s”.
The Streets. “Original Pirate Material”.
The Sonics. “Introducing The Sonics”.
- Suggest to RL a list of your fav movies.
The Godfather (I and II).
All the films from Wes Anderson.
Goodfellas.
There will be Blood.
Freaks.
- Can you share at least three tips for young designers and students.
1. Hard work, hard work, and hard work.
2. Spend a lot of time learning form the works made by another artists (from nowadays and from the past).
3. And, hard work, hard work and hard work.
- Before the greetings … what’s your the motto for your life?
Let’s enjoy this, we just life once… So if my dream is to work as an illustrator, I almost have to try it (and I got it!).
Ricardo Cavolo PORTFOLIO: www.ricardocavolo.com
good djob, very good djob