Welcome to Talking With The Pro’s, please introduce yourself and let us know a little bit about yourself and how you got started in the industry.
Adhemas Batista, 30 years old, married and father of 4 children. I am an independent digital artist, playing many different functions in the graphical business. I like to say “I’m Selling Colors”. I’ve being in this industry since my age fifteen working primarily with interactive projects. I am most widely known for my creative work for the Havaianas brand, and the work have been sought out by some of the world’s biggest brands looking to embrace my style including Absolut Vodka, Adobe, Cadbury, Coca-Cola, General Motors, Honda, Microsoft, Nestlé, Nike, Nissan, Puma, Toyota, Unilever and many more.
Your work is very rich in vibrant colors, how would you describe your style of work and how did you become so good at it?
My work is always to highlight and bring to life stories in one single shot. I like to make people feel joy and inspired by my techniques. I make very strong use of colors and swirly graphics, I enjoy the flowing and organic feeling on an image, interaction between the real and the imaginative. Bold sometimes, but not political (At least until now). Imaginative and vibrant, i’d say.
Do you currently work for yourself or an agency? Why did you choose this path?
I am independent, I have my own space which I split the bill with my best friend Doug. I used to work at Ad Agencies and Interactive shops, about 3 years ago I decided to take a chance and work alone, so far has being great! I make my own agenda and I’ve being taking commissions from every corner of the world. It’s not an easy path, but certainly I feel victorious on my decision.
Can you give us an overview of the process you take when working on a piece?
I work digitally with creative software, delivering images to seduce and inspire people, commercially or artistically, for as many different medias as there is. From print to interactive. Usually I open my Adobe Illustrator and I start some digital sketching and I keep working on illustrator until I get to the point I am comfortable with the image I am creating. Then if the project requires volume, lighting and shadings I transfer the vector shapes into Photoshop and start working some tricks I developed during my own experience. This is the most basic process, it depends a lot of the kind of image the client is looking for.
How long does an average piece take you to complete?
It depends a lot on the kind of project, the time of refinement, style of illustration etc… But usually I’d say for the first step something around 2-3 days. There is also all the process involved, with the client, backs and fourths. Advertising takes time, since I have double clients, the agency and the client/brand. I also am very comfortable creating concepts as well. When it comes to concept an image from the very beginning, I mean, creating the message of the image or campaign lets say, then it takes me a bit more time, but is also more fun.
Do you prefer working on a personal piece or a client piece?
This is hard to answer, personal pieces are really good to work on for the freedom and for the client, myself. But its also a trap, because you never finish the images or you take a lot more time to finish, either you’re too lazy produce, or because you have not time at all. Client pieces, in most cases, even if the client is too annoying, you know you’ll be ending it, and then will be some compensation at the end, so you keep doing it to get your prize. From all, I prefer client work, good client work.
How do you receive your client contracts?
I am still trying to figure that out. Used to be mostly from my website, today I believe it is also changing, facebook, twitter, recommendations from friends are playing a big chunk of this game too.
You have many awards and have had your worked published in many magazines, what would you say is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
Bringing my whole family to Los Angeles is something to be proud of, but before that, having such a beautiful family is the greatest achievement anyone could have. I also love to tell the tale about the Havaianas project, it changed my life, opened many doors and exposed my work to the world. I am always looking forward to my next Havaianas moment.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I have my personal goals but I don’t make plans, I feel if I make a plan and doesn’t work out for me, I’ll be frustrated. I live for the moment and I work hard to build my future. I don’t believe in destiny, I think I make my own path and I am responsible for it, so its very hard for me to see myself in the future, since my decisions today might not be the same tomorrow. I dream a lot with the possibilities life could take me, but I don’t schedule myself.
Thank you for your time, do you have any final words for our readers?
Thank you for the opportunity to answer this interview, I am delighted to be featured here. I’d say for the readers of Talking with the Pros; Don’t take yourself too seriously, you’ll never know too much, there is always more to learn, so keep yourself improving and work hard, the prize comes naturally.
To view more of Adhemas’s work visit his portfolio site at www.adhemas.com