park circle,
north charleston,
south carolina
united states
AN INTERVIEW WITH DESIGNER CRISTIANO SUAREZ
Where were you born and where do you live now?
I was born in a city called 'Palmeira dos Indios', in English it is something like 'Palm of the Indians', it is in the interior of the state of Alagoas, here in Brazil. Today I live in the state capital, in the city of Maceio. I am now 30 years old.
How did you get into graphic design?
I always loved drawing, since I was a kid I knew that was what I wanted for life. I am self-taught in the field of illustration and have a degree in publicity. I've been working with both of them ever since.
You've designed posters for two of my festivals, Rockabillaque and Rockabilly On The Route. You even got to design our billboard which is still up on Route 66 / I-40. How does it feel to know your artwork is next to such an iconic American road?
For me it was something very special, because Route 66 is something historical and is present in American and world pop culture, countless influences and references of my work has links with this historic route. Whether it's the "Route 66" song, recorded by various rock names, or in movies like 'Easy Rider'. Rockabilly, vintage cars ... Anyway, lots of cool stuff.
You've designed Album Art for Music Artists, name some of the Artists you've done artwork for?
I've worked with a few American bands, like The Freeks and Mission Players, both from California, Ivory Moans from Philadelphia and many other European bands, Rhythm Bombers, rockabilly band from UK, Rissin Sabotage from Ukraine, Snowburner from Netherlands, Bullet Proof Lovers from Spain and many more
You also just recently did artwork for Absolut Vodka, how did that happen? What was your inspiration for the Ad? How does it feel to do an Ad for such a big brand?
It was very cool, the work was especially directed towards the public of Dubai. The contact was made through the agency Publicis, which exists around the world, and was created in partnership with the art direction sector of the advertising agency. The pieces went to the "Join the Mix" campaign that aims to honor the entire Egyptian, Arab, Lebanese and Indian culture. For me it was very gratifying, as it proves a great professional recognition of my work.
Is it sometimes hard to find inspiration when starting a design project?
sometimes some works are a bit complicated, with themes more focused on things that are not my influences, but in most cases as themes related to rock and roll or pop culture everything becomes easier, because they are themes that I love working.
What's the craziest thing you've had to design for?
I think it was the album cover of a Rio de Janeiro band called "Massive Fire". The cloak is a mixture of madness, from the Corcovado in Bear Form, two sexy giant girls stepping on buildings. X Wings flying in the skies of the city and many other follies of the type!
What is your favorite design project you've created so far?
There is not only one, but some works that I loved doing. The poster for The Freeks and The Lords of Altamont gig at the classic The Viper Room nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. This work is special because besides being a great admirer of The Freeks, the frontman, Ruben Romano is the original drummer of one of the coolest bands of my teen years Fu Manchu, from SoCal! And The Lords of Altamont is comprised of former members of Bomboras, The Fuzztones and The Cramps.
What's next for you career wise?
I intend to open a creative studio so that I can professionalize and increase the demands of work. I still feel like working with pop cult, kustom kulture and lowbrow art in hotter places for my style and influences, need more direct contact with some cultures. Because most of the things that I consume come from the internet, Maybe a good idea would be to do some internships in the US, or in some larger urban centers to get more content.