Strong colors, precise curves, Diego is being exploring his sneakers style spirit.

My name is Diego Leal, I’m 28 years old, I’m a designer-illustrator from Bogota - Colombia, at this time I’m working at grupow in Saltillo Mexico as a designer and illustrator, I enjoy a lot what i do.

2/  You’re from Bogota, what about the creative scene in Colombia ?

Well, according to my experience, about the designers, there is a lot of new talent with interesting and new styles, with the will to do a lot of innovating things. If we talk about the clients and agencies, they are looking for a more traditional concept where unfortunately the design is not too important.

Yes i’m working at grupow, an agency with a lot of talent and a great will to create, my position is illustrator, but from time to time I colaborate with some other design related stuff.

4/ Are there any influences from the Colombia arts history ? I’m a big fan of Botero works… been influenced by his graphic works ?

Personally i’m not a Botero’s fan, still, I admire the respect and renown he’s achieved around the world, and the fact that he has put Colombia’s name in the list of good things, not the bad ones. I find the art of David Manzur very interesting, his dramatism and surrealism are inspiring, I love the sort of geometry he applies in his compositions.

5/  You’re moving very “urban” lately  (2 or 4 colors graphics, LaFraise tees..), and that way, your works seem to have more impact, to be more direct..Planning to develop that style ?

Yes, i like that style very much, but to tell you the truth it’s been hard because i was used to use a lot of detail, layers and effects, and when i make an illustration i always want to put something else there, you have to know when to stop, what I like about this style is that it’s more into shapes and colors than into creating distraction or somehow “playing” with different effects and stuff like that.

6/ Tell us about your iconhive project too ?

I worked several years in icon design, so i decided to start mi own stock. Iconhive is a project that I mean to push forward, however I’ve had to go slowly since I invest my spare time on it, and lately it’s been a bit hard.

7/ What’s the “cliché” you have of Europe, and especially France dealing of the graphic scene ?  Watching your works,  we could believe you feel closer to Europe designers, than US ones..

Mi reference for the European design is very good in general, i’ve seen a lot of great designers and illustrators, I had the pleasure of work with a spanish designer, I found indeed his style was very european, elegant, very modern, quite impressive, however, I feel more identified with latin american design.

8/ Thanks for your time,.. any last words ?

merci beaucoup for this interview! to be honest it was an amazing surprise for me! I felt very flattered to have my work recognized, thanks a lot!, well, to finish with a few words, create and enjoy what you do.

Bubblearmy a pour signature  “Probably the cutest militia on the planet at the moment!”. Je vais surement devenir militariste.

A signaler que l’on peut découvrir toute la scène brésilienne sur le portail BrasilInspired initié par la star nationale  Nando Costa.

Plusieurs DJs et VJs enchaînent leurs sets dans différents endroits du monde (amérique, europe, australie) et la performance se suit en direct sur www.tpolm.com .

La prochaine session c’est le 25 Avril, à partir de 13:00 CET.

Les archives sont ensuite disponibles sur le blog LSV.

Supertotto a forcément la passion du détail : c’est un stakhanoviste du pixel. Il pousse le vice dans la présentation des logos de ses clients, il s’est “amusé” a tous les refaire en pixel.

This man is a pixel-machine.

Ce que j’aime surtout c’est qu’ici on n’est pas DU TOUT dans la récupération hype de la culture 8 bits tendance Crystal Castles.
On est au cœur de la véritable culture .mod hardcore, bien avant qu’Aphex Twin ne la transforme en style “accepté”, et on entend - et on voit aussi : l’interface est nickel- qu’elle est tout sauf ringarde.

On y trouve à la fois des chiptunes, et des morceaux de techno tendance acid.

L’interface permet de switcher d’une humeur bass, à acid, en passant par chip.

La programmation dénote d’un goût certain  :  on y retrouve à la fois des demomakers connus (Moby, Reflex, Hithansen…) ainsi que des musiciens de la scène électro.

Sur leur shop on trouve des fringues, des toys, et des posters, pour les kids et les plus grands.

Une rigueur typographique digne d’une fonderie suisse avant gardiste, un côté LaFraise-esque dans les couleurs et le style de la boutique, et toujours ces petits oiseaux inquiétants.