Welcome back to our International Artist Series.
Today,
we’re catching up with five incredible artists from Guatemala, a Central American country that is home to Mayan cities and a long history of artistic production. I
asked each artist how
their country and culture influenced their work, and they delivered
great
responses.
Wilker Velásquez
First up is illustrator and art director Wilker Velásquez. His work is a fantastic celebration of culture and colors. Enjoy this selection of diverse projects, from music covers to handmade advertisements.
See more in his portfolio and follow him on Instagram.
Cover Art for Dani Guirola Music
Guatemala has a mix of cultures that
still surprises me after all these years. Every corner in Guatemala represents our culture, from
the graffiti and murals, to our well-known colonial architecture and old
pyramids.
Ina Pasta Handmade Ad
The Guatemalan culture is full of color. You can see
it in the native patterns and designs of the dresses and fabrics.There’s so much attention paid to the details. These are the great influences in my work, pieces with that level of detail.
12 Years Botran
Ina Pasta Handmade Ad
In the art community here we know each other and we have conferences and
workshops very often.We have so much to offer to the world that it would
be a bad idea to hide our work or our methods.
Ana Sierra
Next is the talented Ana Sierra from Guatemala City, Guatemala. A graphic design student with a love of clean aesthetics, she produces work with bold color statements and powerful messages.
See more in her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
Viva La Papaya – Ideas for Changing the World
Guatemala is a small country, and it has beautiful places you can visit to just get out of all the noise, pressure and stress of the city.
Still, it is not a perfect country; but there are nice people who just
want a little flavor and happiness in their lives.
IAMDDB – Music Branding
I think the culture has influenced me by surrounding me with a lot of
different people.This has opened
my mind, but still, I like to be influenced by other people from around the
world. I like Swiss design, for example, and consider it fascinating.
Nameless
Sleep Disorder – Poster Design
Our art community is small, but I think you
can get to know a lot of people and just experiment
through their styles. I think as a community, we have to work to define a style as a country, and just keep building towards design education.
Manuel Regalado
Illustrator and art director Manuel Regalado is not just your ordinary 80s fan. He creates wild, retro, futuristic pieces inspired by 80s cartoons, movies, and sci-fi. Enjoy this selection below.
See more in his portfolio and follow him on Facebook.
Not Alone
Apart from being close to family and friends, I love the warmth of the
people in Guatemala, and how easy it is to make new friends. Everyone is ready to
help if you are in need.We have the best coffee you can find
in the world and delicious dishes depending on the region you travel
to. All of them with their very distinctive, delicious flavors.
B.E.L.E.
At a very young age I started drawing everything I found interesting;
for me, drawing people and places, in general, was my favorite thing.But what always stayed inside me was the urban culture and the roughness of
the city. I was born in the 80s and I grew up walking along the streets
in downtown, so growing up in that era definitely left its mark on me.
TV Addict
Hard Day
The art community is growing. You tend to know a lot of the artists, if
not personally, then at least by name. Everyone is doing
their part to make the community bigger with art gatherings, mural
events, and exhibitions. Because of those efforts people can start knowing more about
the local Guatemalan artists.
Francisco Chupina
Next, graphic designer Francisco Chupina showcases his amazing specialty in 3D and illustration. His work features an eclectic mix of branding materials and illustration. Check it out below!
See more in his portfolio and follow him on Instagram.
Surf Festival 3D
What I most
like about living in Guatemala is the culture. I like being able to have inspiration nearby like great sculptors, painters, or musicians.
Tacojis – Taco Bell Guatemala
I grew up seeing a lot of art being made in
Guatemala, and I have known many people that have
different customs.My friends, for instance, fill me with inspiration and the desire to do
things right.
Fuego
Surf Festival 3D
In Guatemala, the artistic community is a place where people can freely express themselves.
The community is growing. In
general, artists and designers support each other, because it’s important to show that art and design can make a
change or inspire people.
Gabriel Cordon
Our final feature showcases the incredible work of motion designer Gabriel Cordon. With fluid animations that blend into inspiring messages, his work will definitely encourage you to get into motion design.
See more in his portfolio and follow him on Instagram.
Open Your Mind
What I like the most about living in Guatemala are the people. They have a quality mindset and the ingenuity to get ahead.
Animation Reel
We have a culture that reaches widely, where you see amazing colors, textures and styles everywhere. I think these helped me a lot in exploring artistic projects.
Alphabet Proxima Nova
Branding Anti
There are a lot more
festivals, workshops and activities in Guatemala. This has greatly affected the future of the community. I also
think it has shown more Guatemalan artists to the rest of the world.
Many thanks to the artists who took the time to answer my
questions and share a bit about themselves and how their country and/or culture
has affected their work. You can check out more of their work in the links
below:
Love these features? Check out more from this series:
