EOS – ‘Clarity’
What was your key motivation in becoming an Illustrator?
I came out of art school in Venice and I started to think what job I could do. I didn’t get the answer straight away but in the mean time I went to another school, Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan and enrolled myself in Illustration class. I spent 3 years in that school trying to figure out what an illustrator does for a living, but I honestly only understood it when I started to work myself. My key motivation was earning my own independence doing something I like. Thank God I found it.
What are the first three things steps you take when a commissioner approaches you for a project?
Read brief/article/story quickly, looking for key words, maybe tracing them with a highlighting pen, I then look for images using Google images. That’s the moment where I look for the “hook”, sometimes this is not something I’ve seen, but things that are related. After that, I work on the sketches, I even write my idea on the sketch. I use the scan to transfer the sketch on Photoshop and after the clients approval, I finalize it digitally.
Personal Work – ‘Jump’
Where did the artist name SHOUT come from?
It was a title of an illustration I did in 2005. I decide to change my name to ‘Shout’ to try to reach different client with a different style. It was like a point zero, like being reborn for me.
You’ve exhibited across the world, in places including Los Angeles, Naples and London. Do you think it is important for Illustrators to consider exhibiting commissioned artwork and personal projects?
Well, I hope to come back to London. I don’t really think doing exhibitions is really useful in itself for working, it is something different and maybe your clients never know your actually doing these, or they don’t really care. But I think producing something new and strong other than just illustrations for work will give a better image of what you are creatively.
When I turn back and I see what I’ve done so far, monographs, books, exhibitions, personal projects I feel satisfied, I feel like I build or I’m building something strong. I really care about the quality of the material.
I’m so lucky to have met Franco Cervi, owner of publishing label “279 Edition” Milan, a superlative designer. Franco produced everything I did so far.
Personal Work – ‘Eros’
Who and what keeps you inspired?
Everything I do, everything I see. I try to travel a lot even if I’m constantly busy. But I never work on the weekend, I prefer to work between early in the morning till late during working days, I need at last 2 free days of break during the weekend. My real inspiration is reading, it has been always one of the most important things for me, more than watching movies.
Variety – ‘America goes to Cannes’
What’s next for you?
My new monograph came out on 25th of October, On Shout. Currently I’m having an anthological show in Vicenza (small but beautiful city close to Venice), it’s about everything I’ve done in the last 10 years of work. Acquaint, indigo prints, silkscreen prints, and originals. The show ends on the 8th of December, after that the show will move to Naples and maybe in other places abroad and in Italy as well. After that I work, work, work but I love my job so, I’m lucky.