Jorsh Pena is Mexican artist and illustrator based in Tijuana, México. His works can be described as a mix of warm geometry with a mystical vibe.
His work has been featured in many magazines and books such as “Behind Illustration Vol.1 by Index Books”.
In 2013 he won the first place in “Illustracional”, and his creations appeared on the cover of Picnic Magazine No. 55. His art has been shown in many galleries around the world including Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles, California, Gurú in Mexico City and many others.
He has collaborated and worked with many brands like: Alaska Airlines, Cartoon Network, Google, Kinder, MTV, Microsoft, Old Navy, Snapchat, and many more. in 2016 appeared as one of the 150 best illustrators of Mexico according to the site Nice Fucking Graphics.
You can check his portfolio from his own web site.
How did you start your career?
I started as an autodidact, because I’ve studied marketing, so during my university time I used to create my own clothing brand with some friends. The main goal was to create our own designs and make our brand unique.
I remember editing and using a vector-kind style for a lot of hand drawn sketches and turn them into a t-shirt design. Then I learned how to use the software * (no entiendo qué quieres decir) and creating a smoother and more professional number of designs ; I started to create my own illustrations and upload them on Flickr, just for hobby.
Suddenly invitations for art shows and art collectives started to come up, as well as collaborations. Commissions and projects involving my work started to show up.
I’ve been doing this for almost 10 years; nothing was planned at the beginning, everything was just flowing and I was sailing that boat, as much as I was acquiring experience I’ve turned my work into a more serious thing, more mature, with a voice, trying to communicate something more than a friendly image, having a personal philosophy and expressing real feelings in that way.
How many softwares do you use simultaneously on a project?
Usually I use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator at the same time, one for creating graphics (Ai) and the other to make color correction and some textures (Ps).
Where do you find your inspiration? Which channels inspire you?
Lately I’ve found some inspiration in global events, the actual “reality” exceeds the fiction right now to me. Everything related to conspiracy theories usually works, mystic/magic stuff, numbers, geometry, even pop culture.
It depends on the mood and what that emotion triggers inside me.
Do you have a favourite kind of project to work on?
Actually I don’t think so, I enjoy it so much when I need to make a poster, my first approach to illustration/design was with gig posters, so I have this emotive sensation when I can make a poster.
Also make stills for motion graphics/animation is very interesting, love the way that looks your work in full motion, coming alive, it takes it to the next level.
Do you still use pen and paper while sketching? Do you feel fully comfortable with digital tools?
I’m always sketching ideas, usually when I’m chilling having some spare time, some great ideas pop up on my mind and I immediately sketch them on paper, very rough doodles mostly, just to keep the ideas around and don’t let them be forgotten, but sketching all the time.
About the digital tools, I’m trying right now to move to more manual art like painting; Digital tools have been with me since I started my career 10 years ago, and now they are my safe zone, I love them, but I’m trying to take my work to different levels, with animation (frame by frame), even objects.
Looking for an experience more than just contemplating an image.
As Vagon team, We really inspired from his story and works! To learn more about creatives all over the world, follow our blog and social media.
