Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Who are you:
I’m an illustrator and graphic designer.
Your current job :
I work as a freelance graphic designer specializing in illustration.
In which city are you located?
I live in a small urbanized city called Las Piedras, near Montevideo, the city in which I work, capital from Uruguay, South America.
A word to define what kind of worker you are:
Imaginative, but I guess that I’m mostly persistent.
What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)
I work a lot with ink and watercolors, and I always feel the need to sketch before working on software, so I’d say that paper and pencils are very important to me.
I work with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe After Effects mostly, but sometimes I use others from Adobe Collection when the job requires it.
What does your office space look like?
It is small but comfortable, cozy, I like it that way. It is full of little objects I like to have around, like some toys or boxes, pens, and brushes, albums, and books. I love to set the mood with music and low light when I work.
What kind of music do you listen to when you are working?
It depends on the kind of project I’m working on, but I made a playlist on Spotify, which goes through different moods. I’m currently listening to Black Grape, a British band I didn’t know and it goes well with some of the things I’m working on.
Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work?
I take quick notes of the priorities, make a schedule and wake up early in the morning because it makes me feel more motivated.
What tips would you give to improve productivity?
I would recommend looking at as much art and design references as you can and to practice a lot on your own work. Sometimes it is better to think hard about the task you have to focus on and draw some ideas, and some other times it is better to start putting some elements on your artboard and play with them to see what it can give you.
You’re better than your colleagues to:
I’m not really sure, I don’t think it could be described that way. I try to focus on doing what I do because I love it, and try to have a voice of my own, something that can be recognized if you see it… but then again, I don’t think I’m creating something someone hasn’t created yet, so I try to do something that keeps me interested and motivated.
What is the best advice anyone has given you?
There is no other way to get to satisfying results on graphic design than to fail a lot.
What is your best tip for saving time?
Sketch your ideas or write them down, carry a notebook with you, and look at other artists work to motivate and inspire yourself.
What is your routine start and end of the day?
I like to start the day doing some exercise early in the morning, working out, it gives me the strength to start the day more relaxed and confident. It’s hard for me to go to bed because I’m kind of a night person when it comes to drawing or painting, but I usually read something on a bed or check social media (not the best thing to do if you want to sleep).
Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not you go without?
None, really. I don’t even carry my computer on me when I go out, except when I’m going to work somewhere.
Las Piedras city guide x Matías Pregliasco
01. Café
La Farmacia Café. It’s lovely, small, stylish, and somehow poetic. It’s a specialty coffee shop located in a former pharmacy in the old part of town.
02. Restaurant
Futuro Refuerzos. It’s a sandwich shop that features artisanal bread and locally sourced meats. I like the austere look of the place but most of all I love their delicious food!
03. Shopping
Feria de Tristan Narvaja. It takes place every Sunday and it is probably the most popular market in the country. You can find artisan products, antiques and fruits, and vegetables. I love to wander through the streets while finding rarities, old books or albums they sell you in some of the stores.
04. Grocery
MAM or Mercado Agrícola. It’s a combination of a food market with a shopping mall, which keeps some of its original architecture, and that is its special appeal.
05. Other
Escaramuza. It’s a beautiful bookshop that also has a back-patio restaurant with a delicious variety of food. You can find a lot of art books or graphic novels.