USER OF THE WEEK

Hola Pamplineros! My name is Renato. I'm 28 y.o. Italian designer and my artist names are RenF & Insomnia. The latter is also my clothing brand name and my sleep problem jajajaja. I discovered this world by buying tshirts.

About your beginnings, When did you start to illustrate?
It was 2015 when I first started illustrating. I always had a passion for design since I was a child. Anyway, I never had the chance to draw at a high level until a graphics tablet was given to me as a gift. From that moment on, I've bettered to my drawing technique and turned my hobby into a real job.



What most motivates your work as a designer/illustrator?
As a designer I tend to identify myself with my works. For me, design is not only a job but the highest expression of my personality. What motivates me the most when I'm creating is the possibility of giving new sensations to all the people who check out my works.

About the creative process, where do you look for inspiration for your designs? / What inspires you?
As a designer, I spend many hours on my pc to sketch. While illustrating I usually watch a lot of different TV series and animes. By doing this, although not being completely focused on the shows, I'm still able to pick up informations and combine them in a brainstorm-like process. I'm therefore able to find my inspiration from all these simultaneous inputs.



What is the hardest part in creative process?
I think that the hardest part of the creative process sits in the beginning. That is, the most difficul part is to turn an abstract idea into a real illustration. In fact, I'm not always able to create a design which satisfies my expectations and sometimes it also becomes a little bit frustrating.



From your point of view, what makes an illustration a great illustration?
In my opinion, there are multiple factors defining a good illustration, with the most important ones being:
- The illustration shouldn't need any explaination and represent something without any need for words
- The image must mean something to the observer. I look for something that catches my attention and gives me a strong first impression.
- The design shouldn't lack of originality and a strong drawing technique.

Tell us something about the projects you’re prouder of.
There are some projects I'm really proud of. Those are the illustrations that originated from my worst moments. They are important to me because I showed myself I was capable of creating something that satisfies me and that's also appreciated by other people. In these situations my passion overwhelmes my anxieties and heals me and that's the reason why I'm very proud of them.



People say that we all have a person who really inspires us and that consider an example to follow. Who's yours and why?
I believe that inspiration can come from everything. You can get it from nature, a book or from a simple walk but also from everyday life.
In particular, my muses are people. The person that better represents it for me is one of my friends. She's a designer too and she has a very strong and creative personality. She is my inspiration because her energic nature gives me the same energy. In addition, we discuss together every subject and we help each other in every situation. She's my first source of motivation and always encourages me to create my best designs.