Here at Chulo we wanted to showcase the creatives with a Q&A to dive a little deeper into the Artists inner workings - today we spotlight artist ETTOJA.
Tell us a bit about what keeps your creative juices flowing, do you search for inspiration or does it come naturally?
I have several primal inspiration sources, which can vary from time to time, but they follow me through the life: city environment (people, cars, city animals, architecture, life in the city, cultures or lack of culture ), nature ( abstract part of it like the decay or growth, reborn) and the last one is time. The time frightens me and inspires to move forward. To picture it through the static illustartions I'm trying to make them move, creating gifs/ short animations. When painting murals, I am experimenting with the technique which I call "giffiti". Sometimes I use it in editorial illustrations too. Visually it could look as a pattern, or repetitive character, thus creating a feeling of motion, as futurists like Giacomo Balla used to do.
What's been your favourite project to date and why?
My favourite project is always the next one :) But if I need to choose one, it'd be a series of animated trolleybuses from 2019. These were the real trolleybuses, which rode in the city. I've painted 6 of them, portraying some retro design products. This was the project where all my favourite elements met: surface design, muralism/streetart, my love for the industrial design objects, and giffiti. I've painted 12 frames on each of the trolleybuses. Anyone could photograph them and see a little animated story.
Tell us a bit about your process, do you start off searching for reference and sketching?
At the beginning I'm trying to visualize the idea. If I don't visualise it in a second after I've heard the task, most likely I'll get the image while I'm trying to fall asleep, or walking in the city. Then I'll get back to the paper/tablet, try to sketch it just to realise it's completely different from the one I've imagived:) And the rest of the process is basically trying to get the art to look as close as the initial idea.
What made you want to pursue a career in the arts and do you have any tips for up and coming artists looking to do the same.
Art lets solve tasks independently and understand a little bit about society, world, myself.
For a tiny second it helps to feel the existence.
Dive into yourself, remember what you liked to do when you were a kid, the themes you liked, adapt it and make it work for your now-self. A tip - to be consistent.
Check out ETTOJA latest work here. For more portfolios from Chulo Creatives mural Artist stable click through here , also get in touch with Chulo Creative if you are interested in commissioning an artist for your next campaign.