When someone asks you: “Jhonny, what do you do?” — what do you tell them?

I don’t like when people call me an artist, because what I do is not exactly art. When you do something only for aesthetics, or a need to create, or when you take something and transform it into something different—maybe something beautiful, something attractive — then that, to me, is art. My clients don't hire me for that. For me, illustration is more a science than an art. 

So I describe what I do as “graphic communication” — it’s a super power that I have. I help products to gain value; help businesses to achieve their goals; help people to tell histories. I convey powerful messages through my funny and colorful illustration system.

Can you talk a bit about this illustration system, and how it shapes your creative process and portfolio?

It’s a very simple graphic formula: aspective geometry + interrelation of form + harmony color + plastic simulation = idicom illustration. I’ve named and defined everything so that I can control it and use it to make more work. 

Here’s how it breaks down: 

Aspective geometry: When you think about Egyptian hieroglyphics, they always have the same lateral [side-view] presentation. The most important person has the biggest head on the wall, and so on. I use that because it still works! People love it. No one has ever asked if I could show another angle of my characters. 

Interrelation of form: I try to see my illustrations like a puzzle — each shape you see fits perfectly with another — and I hate creating something that doesn’t address the whole canvas with colorful interactions. If I have a square, I want to fill that square, so everywhere you look there is a little bit of something: images, messages, history. It’s a good example of horror vacui — a fear of open spaces. There are always a lot of things on my mind to include.

Harmony color: I’m Afro-Latin American. My ancestors came from Africa, but I was born and raised in Latin America, so I have the best of both worlds. Color is so important to both cultures; I use it as a way to communicate the joy I feel doing my work. 

Plastic simulation: People often think that my illustrations are “perfect,” but I’ve made a custom brush in Adobe Photoshop that I use to create contours that have a little bit of “imperfection.” It looks like a real brush, but it’s just an algorithm working for me. 

Idicom illustration: This is a translation from a Spanish word. Roughly translated, I do “digital contemporary illustration.”

You were born in Colombia but are now based in the Russian Federation. What has that journey been like?

Colombia is a horrible place, in terms of insecurity and of violence, and when my father died I decided to leave the country. In 2008 I traveled to Spain, and met a girl from Russia. We fell in love; had a long-distance relationship; then, in 2014, I moved to be here with her while she finished her PhD.

What did creative expression mean to you as a kid?

I started off doodling. I don’t remember too much about the kinds of drawings I did, but I do remember my father encouraging me; one time I did a portrait of him, and he was so proud and happy. 

Then I started illustrating concert scenes; I think it was because one of my uncles was listening to heavy metal all the time. I would do them in a notebook—crowds of people, crowdsurfing, and so on — which I used like a flipbook, so they became animations. 

In high school, I discovered the world of comic books. I fell in love with them and started my collection; Aquaman and Nightwing are my favorites. 

When did you realize that graphic communication could be a career?

I studied graphic design at university. I was planning on being a “worker”—to be hired by a company, or a consultancy, or an agency, or something like that. When I started to take care of myself and travel around the world, I realized I didn’t want to depend on anyone else for work. So I started exploring the business side of the profession (which is something that no one taught me at university). I realized with research and preparation, it’s very possible to have a good life working freelance. Then I started my own studio, which now has ten employees. We do graphic design and branding as a team, but I do all the illustrations. 

What are your most important creative tools, and how do they fit into your process?

I use notebooks to take notes and keep track of important or interesting points, and things that I need to research. 

I use a Mac Pro for work. When I feel stuck, I’ll shut it down and start sketching on A3-sized paper, which is just simply amazing; a perfect size that allows me to create comfortably. When I get stuck at those, I’ll put them aside and try to find a solution on my computer. 

If I have free time — really, really free time — I like to sketch in my black art book. Here, I do totally handmade drawings with markers and pencils. I call this “digital dis-intoxication;” it’s a very relaxing and beautiful exercise to release my mind, and it’s so important. I think every illustrator in the world should do this at least once a week. 

What has your experience been like so far exploring Adobe Illustrator on the  iPad?

I was in shock — in a good way! — when I figured out that this was exactly Adobe Illustrator, from the computer, for a tablet. I mean, how amazing is that? I didn’t have to create a new formula or develop a new system. I could just keep on going, doing my thing. 

You never know what a client is going to ask for in the end, so I don’t like to merge my illustrations; I love to work with layers. I have, I don’t know, infinity layers. It’s the best thing. 

What soundtrack helps you find your creative flow?

I’m from Colombia, so I have a big Salsa playlist. The problem is that it’s music for moving your body — when I listen, I want to dance — so it’s for Fridays, when I know I will be free soon. Same with hip-hop. I’ll listen to classical music or movie soundtracks to focus, but what I really love to do is find a documentary or podcast about history, or science, or mysteries, or mysteries in history or science, which I love because they wake up my curiosity, and make me feel excited. 

First thing you do when you open a blank document? 

Even before that, I create a folder with the client or brand name. Within that, I create three folders: one is named “Legal,” where all the paperwork will be safe; the second is “Designs,” where all the things I create for them will be safe; and the last is “Input,” where I’ll put all the mood boards, thoughts, videos, and guidelines that the client sends to me. 

Then I’ll open a document and start to sketch. Without a sketch, there is nothing. Sometimes I’ll bring in reference images from the Input folder so I can have a constant idea about what the client needs.

Any advice for those looking to kick-start a career as a graphic communicator?

It’s so important to be organized. If you’re organized, you will be more effective and successful.