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Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Who are you :
Diego Sanches
Your current job :
Illustrator and Comic Book artist
In which city are you located?
São Paulo, Brazil
A word to define what kind of worker you are :
Fast, maybe. It’s not necessarilly always a good thing, because I think sometimes I tend to go for the first idea just to deliver on time. I get used to work fast because I spent more than 10 years in full time jobs, freelancing during the nights and weekends. Now that I’m a full time freelancer, I’m trying to slow down a bit.
What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)
Photoshop, InDesign, pen and paper.
What does your office space look like?
Crowded with loose paper sheets full of random doodling, coffee mugs and toys.
What kind of music do you listen when you are working ?
Heavy Metal of all kinds and podcasts.
Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work ?
I try to have clear milestones for the day. If I’m in a long project like a comic book, I try to draw 2 pages a day, for example.
What tips would you give to improve productivity ?
I work in focused bursts of time, then I have breaks during the day when I play video games, eat something or drink coffee with my studio pals.
You’re better than your colleagues to :
I’m very versatile. I worked with magazine graphic design, painted illustrations, photorealistic infographics, pixel art for video games, line art comic books, etc. It’s not a good nor a bad thing. Sometimes I feel like I’m that “jack of all trades, master of none” saying, you know? I’m trying to narrow down my work to paintings and comic books now.
What is the best advice anyone has given you ?
Show up to work. Waiting for inspiration is for amateurs and hobbyists. Professionals just show up.
I don’t remember who said that, but I think it made me stop having “artistic blocks”, so it was good advice.
What is your best tip for saving time ?
When you have to work on a new assignment like an illustration or a comic book, we tend to want to go to the good stuff, to dive into the drawing or painting, but that’s a mistake. If you do that, you’ll eventually hit a road block.
The best thing is to start planning for the work. Make simple thumbnail sketches to find a composition, start gathering reference photos from the internet, books or making your own, that kind of stuff.
If you plan well you’ll be able to do the job better and faster.
What is your routine start and end of the day ?
I start the day having breakfast with my wife, then I usually take the morning to answer e-mails, pay bills, that kind of stuff. When I’m working on a script for a comic book, I also usually write in the morning. Then I take the subway to the studio I share with my friends, have lunch and work until 8 pm. When I was younger I used to work late a lot more often, but now I think I’ve got a better grasp at making a good working schedule.
Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not you go without?
I’m not that attached to gadgets I think. Love reading comics and book on iPad though.