Pabloorrego-illustration-itsnicethat-list

Take a trip inside the cutely sinister world of illustrator Pablo Orrego

Words by Lucy Bourton, Wednesday 13 June 2018

When asking Chilean illustrator and graphic designer Pablo Orrego (who goes by the name Peiper too), on what influences have informed his practice, the list is endless and maybe one of the most varied we’ve heard.

His introduction to illustration is with thanks to “skateboarding and posters for punk concerts,” which led him to be “interested in illustration before graphic design,” explaining why the former is what fills his portfolio. Pablo’s education also informed his decision to lean towards more illustrative work too, studying at “at an institution whose purpose was to generate entrepreneurs instead of creators and that made me move away from graphic design,” he explains.

But in terms of the context and style of Pablo’s work, it’s toy shops where he can be found gathering up inspiration for the “very colourful and repetitive magic universe,” that his characters inhabit. “I really like toys and character creation,” he tells us. “I spend a lot of time in toy stores and for some time I’ve been interested in kid’s rides because they’re so colourful, but undeniably strange objects.”

As a result, Pablo’s illustrations are cute but “sinister, with disturbing expressions and actions in the hand of friendly grotesque forms,” he tells us. His illustrations too are undeniably strange, varied but smile-inducing due to their mix of neon colours and creepy, but joyful, ear to ear grins. Although random, the illustrator’s work shows the brilliance of a medium which can switch and change between styles and content whenever the creator wants.

Pabloorrego-donickey-illustration-itsnicethat-0 — Pablo Orrego

Pabloorrego-illustration-itsnicethat-0. — Pablo Orrego

Pabloorrego-moradoillustration-itsnicethat-0.2

Pabloorrego-saddonald-illustration-itsnicethat-0.

Pabloorrego-todoestamalinta-illustration-itsnicethat-0. — Pablo Orrego

Pabloorrego-infinitepattern-illustration-itsnicethat-0. — Pablo Orrego

Most Recent

More like this:

Work / Illustration Mathieu Larone illustrates the "elusive liminal space between the cryptic and the understandable"

Describing, his drawings as falling into “a grey zone between cartooning and colour based-rendering”, illustrator Mathieu Larone says he is able to morph his practice depending on the project he’s working on. “I’m also hellbent on exploring the limits of what can and cannot be understood in an image, and using the practice and form of illustration to communicate in subtle and nonlinear ways,” he adds.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 23 April 2019
Sponsored / Events Join Cachetejack and Dropbox for a collaborative workshop at OFFF Barcelona

From 25-27 April, Barcelona is set to be taken over by creatives of all disciplines at annual conference, OFFF. Alongside the jam-packed line-up of speakers including Edel Rodriguez, Kelly Anna and Man vs Machine, Dropbox is running a series of workshops for attendees.

Sponsored Content — 18 April 2019
Work / Illustration Ganmu's illustrations and animations look at the relationship between emotions and the objective world

Stark in their simplicity yet full of character, Ganmu’s work perfectly exemplifies the idea that, sometimes, less is more. Relatively anonymous settings and nondescript characters make up her subject matter, but the consistent aesthetic and reoccurring elements of her work evoke a sense of familiarity with the characters. We watch as they navigate seemingly quotidian situations, made comical by Ganmu’s subtle injection of humour, exaggerating boredom or intrigue.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 17 April 2019
Work / Illustration For Anete Melece “illustration is the easiest way to tell a visual story”

“I think that illustration is the easiest way to tell a visual story”, explains the Latvian illustrator Anete Melece. The prolific animator, illustrator and comics artist has produced an impressive roster of material in her career including the hailed short, Kiosks which she’s recently translated into a book of the same title published by Liels un Mazs meaning big and small.

Jyni Ong — 16 April 2019
Work / Illustration Marcus Oakley's latest series is inspired by how mundanity influences our creative process

Graduating in 1996 from Camberwell College of Arts with a degree in fine art and graphic design, illustrator Marcus Oakley soon found himself in the studio of Paul Smith as a t-shirt and textile designer. Working across menswear, womenswear and children’s clothing, he designed “literally hundreds and hundreds” of items. Feeling that he had got everything out of the job that he could, in 2000 Marcus left and became a full-time illustrator. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the leading figures in his contemporary style of drawing. Showcasing a naive style that toys with colour and composition, Marcus’s work is charming, adaptable and accessible.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 15 April 2019
Work / Illustration Seba Cestaro “adds eyes to everything” in his surreal 2D and 3D illustrations

“I usually add eyes to everything: people, furniture, pieces of clothes,” states illustrator Seba Cestaro on his signature aesthetic. “It has become a fundamental element of my illustrations as it gives personality to almost everything.” These exaggerated goggle-eyes have been a staple in the Buenos Aires-based illustrator’s work for some years now as seen in our post on him from last year. More recently, however, he’s been adding texture into his work which he feels “builds a much bigger impact on his audience.”

Jyni Ong — 15 April 2019

Work / Graphic Design Oscar Maia translates the essence of his native Porto into a new publication

“I have learnt to see graphic design as a kind of puzzle,” explains Oscar Maia. Based out of the historic city of Porto, Oscar has been practising for more than a decade in some of the romantic city’s renowned studios. From Atelier Martino&Jaña to the White Studio, Oscar has honed a career specialising in design in the cultural sector which he continues today as a freelancer.

Jyni Ong — 23 April 2019
Work / Art Louise Bonnet paints exaggerated bodies as symbols of melancholy and loneliness

“I am interested in the body. In what having a body feels like, or how we try to hide the way it feels. To contain it or control it. How it brings shame and humiliation because we cannot control it,” says artist Louise Bonnet. “I am fascinated by the ornamentation of it, the extreme ways of hiding our primal origins with all this external stuff. For example, with the Hitchcock Blonde, or the renaissance portraits, where any sign of wildness is eradicated. I love all the intricate techniques used to achieve this. It’s so prevalent and all-encompassing.”

Daniel Milroy Maher — 23 April 2019
Work / Illustration Mathieu Larone illustrates the "elusive liminal space between the cryptic and the understandable"

Describing, his drawings as falling into “a grey zone between cartooning and colour based-rendering”, illustrator Mathieu Larone says he is able to morph his practice depending on the project he’s working on. “I’m also hellbent on exploring the limits of what can and cannot be understood in an image, and using the practice and form of illustration to communicate in subtle and nonlinear ways,” he adds.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 23 April 2019
Regulars / Ones to Watch 2019 Micaiah Carter interprets Uniqlo’s linen range with a sultry sun-drenched shoot

One of the unique strengths of young American photographer Micaiah Carter (who we picked as one of our Ones to Watch earlier this year) is his ability to conjure a rich mood, an evocative atmosphere, in a straightforward studio setting. His shoots often feel like a heady distillation of the last days of a long summer – there’s a lot of warm sunlight on skin, deep blue and purple-hued skies, and clothes that flow breezily off radiant bodies.

Matt Alagiah — 23 April 2019
Features / Miscellaneous We take a look back at the best stories of the year to date

The Easter weekend here in the UK has given us at It’s Nice That the chance to put our feet up for a few days, but we still want to provide you with your regular dose of creative ideas and inspiration. So we’ve decided to pull together some highlights from the year so far, including a handful of the most popular articles of 2019 and a few of the team’s favourites as well. From an in-depth study of the benefits of boredom (worth reading if you’re heading out of town to visit the family this weekend) to a story about Michael Bierut’s fresh identity for Mastercard, we’ve got all angles covered. There are even a few alpacas thrown in for good measure, courtesy of photographer Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek. Check out all this and more below.

It's Nice That — 18 April 2019
Work / Graphic Design Atelier Brenda and Amélie Bakker create “squidgy” identity for Beursschouwburg

Squidgy, unicorn-coloured lettering, holographic foil and some hand-drawn illustrations that look like the inner workings of a particularly puzzled psyche – there’s a lot to love about Atelier Brenda’s identity for Beursschouwburg’s Spring programme Normal Schnormal. Working with Amélie Bakker, the Belgian studio has developed a “playful and abstract approach” for the Brussels cultural house’s programme of music, performance, art, screenings and talks, which aims to analyse, question and dismantle the idea of ‘normality’.

Laura Snoad — 18 April 2019

Work / Photography Thomas Pratt photographs the effects of religion, natural disaster and globalisation on an island community

I think you need a relationship with what you’re shooting in order to get something honest,” begins photographer Thomas Pratt. “To seek out things of interest and beauty.” Travelling to Long Island in the Bahamas in 2011 for a fishing trip, this is exactly what the London-born and based photographer discovered. The humble beginnings of a project that would last eight years and is still ongoing, Thomas found himself in the midst of the small local community, but more specifically, the Fox family.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 18 April 2019
Work / Photography Viacheslav Poliakov shoots the “folk-baroque-industrial mess” of Ukraine and Poland

Viacheslav Poliakov is a Ukrainian photographer deeply interested in the public spaces of small, provincial towns. What particularly excites him are objects and structures that seem to lack a conscious author, or have been created without concern for their visual appearance. “You can call it a melting pot, you can call it chaos, but here [in Ukraine] we live in a visually strong, vivid and uncontrolled space,” Viacheslav tells It’s Nice That. “There can be an abandoned Soviet factory used as pasture next to medieval castle turned into a warehouse, and that will be surrounded by a market made of cheap glossy colourful plastic, with a golden church on the left side and just empty area with mud and puddles on the right.”

Laura Snoad — 18 April 2019
Media Partnership / Advertising “Even bad pizza is kind of good”: Five life lessons from David Droga

David Droga knows a thing or two about one of the world’s more complex industries. A former Executive Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi in London, the Australian advertising superstar has been based in New York for just shy of two decades now, and back in 2006 he launched his own agency, Droga5.

David Droga — 18 April 2019
Sponsored / Events Join Cachetejack and Dropbox for a collaborative workshop at OFFF Barcelona

From 25-27 April, Barcelona is set to be taken over by creatives of all disciplines at annual conference, OFFF. Alongside the jam-packed line-up of speakers including Edel Rodriguez, Kelly Anna and Man vs Machine, Dropbox is running a series of workshops for attendees.

Sponsored Content — 18 April 2019
Work / Film Men of Maize explores the preservation of Mayan culture in Guatemala

The legend of Popol Vuh can be traced back through the generations of Guatemala, reaching back through its citizen’s ancestors rich Mayan culture. The creation story reveals how the first humans were made of corn and the story survives, to this day, as a reminder of the unbreakable bond that connects descendants of the Maya with the ancient rituals performed by their forefathers.

Jyni Ong — 18 April 2019
Work / Publication “The time just feels right”: Stuart Brumfitt and Mirko Borsche, editor and designer of The Face, on its relaunch

The Face is a magazine that needs little introduction. From a pale, red-eyed McQueen to a grinning, young Kate Moss to Kurt Cobain in a onesie, it produced some of the most recognisable imagery in the worlds of fashion and culture during the 1980s and 90s. Started by Nick Logan, the former editor of Smash Hits, The Face employed and worked with a team who, although trailblazers at the time, are now considered some of the biggest names in the creative industry.

Ruby Boddington — 17 April 2019

Work / Art Philip Gerald's lowbrow, crude paintings are a reflection of his views on the art world

I’ve always been fascinated with crappy digital aesthetics. I think my style is actually a direct response to my ability and maybe some of my views on art in general. I think art should be somewhat easy. You can try, or you can not try,” says artist Philip Gerald. “I chose not to try that hard because I didn’t know if I was going to keep painting. So, instead of trying to get better, I thought I should just lean into the fact that I wasn’t going to be blowing people out of the water with mad painting skills any time soon, or ever – I just wanted a reaction.”

Daniel Milroy Maher — 17 April 2019
Work / Photography Jack Davison delves into a world of miniature cityscapes in his latest shoot

It’s a monumental moment when a photographer gets to create a shoot they’ve been talking about for years. Though it happens rarely, when it does, it usually amounts to something rather special, as seen through Jack Davison’s latest shoot for Modern Weekly China. The It’s Nice That favourite, previously of Ones to Watch 2016 fame, has graced our screens many a time. His portfolio boasts brooding landscapes and sultry portraits, but most recently, a shoot inspired by old Japanese monster movie sets?!

Jyni Ong — 17 April 2019
Work / Graphic Design Svyat Vishnyakov on the rebrand of AZ Museum in Moscow

In the heart of Moscow lies AZ Museum, a private museum founded in 2015 dedicated to one man’s collection of over 2000 works. The man is Anatoly Zverev, cofounder of the Russian Expressionism movement in the 60s and a member the non-conformist art movement; a retaliation from the idealised, socialist realism of the time. His extensive collections of unofficial Soviet artworks are now housed in the AZ Museum. Named after the founder’s initials, the museum and its collection represent the free movement of artistic expression under the rule of tyranny, and not wholly indifferent to the current political situation.

Jyni Ong — 17 April 2019
Work / Film Castells is a gripping short film about the Catalonian tradition of building human towers

Opening on a dramatic sunset over a mountain, London-based production company Autobahn’s new short documentary, Castells, is an emotionally-charged, beautifully shot depiction of a centuries-old Catalonian tradition. “We see films as a carrier of emotion, so many of our choices favour emotion over information,” explains Pedro de la Fuente, the studio’s co-founder. As a result, the film is full of mood and atmosphere, focussing on the breath-taking, nerve-racking spectacle that is a castell.

Ruby Boddington — 17 April 2019
Work / Illustration Ganmu's illustrations and animations look at the relationship between emotions and the objective world

Stark in their simplicity yet full of character, Ganmu’s work perfectly exemplifies the idea that, sometimes, less is more. Relatively anonymous settings and nondescript characters make up her subject matter, but the consistent aesthetic and reoccurring elements of her work evoke a sense of familiarity with the characters. We watch as they navigate seemingly quotidian situations, made comical by Ganmu’s subtle injection of humour, exaggerating boredom or intrigue.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 17 April 2019
Work / Animation Animator Matthieu Garcia Marin captures the longing and anxiety of coming out

When you’re a teen, telling someone you fancy them is hard enough but if you’re not even sure they’re queer, it’s a whole other level of trepidation. Are they going to laugh, or out you to your friends, or tell your parents? And if so, will all these people disown you? It’s a risk that in those formative years can seem insurmountable. Matthieu Garcia Marin’s animated short, Dissonance, captures all the longing, anxiety and loneliness of fancying the pants off someone from inside the closet – in just 60 seconds.

Laura Snoad — 17 April 2019

Work / Digital Max Colson satirises post-Brexit UK in a 3D-modelled animation

Brexit really has brought out the worst in people. The rhetoric spewed by certain right-wing politicians has allowed blatant racism to ooze out of hiding, revealing a cesspit of empire-loving xenophobes that wouldn’t know what makes Britain “Great” if it smacked them in their bland food-loving faces. But with that rather enormous caveat, it’s also been an utterly fascinating time for people-watching. If you’re interested in the idea of ‘Britishness’, like artist Max Colson, the past three years have been a revelation. Via nostalgia for a Britain of the past (in many cases a fictional country that never really existed), there’s a tonne of insight into the values, fears and neuroses motivating us Brits.

Laura Snoad — 16 April 2019
Partnership / Dropbox: Call for Collaboration Call For Collaboration: your chance to work with Actual Source on a series of graphic stamps

Call for Collaboration is an It’s Nice That x Dropbox Paper project connecting creatives from across the world to collaborate on fun, fully commissioned creative projects. Each month we’ll spotlight the projects on It’s Nice that and show how Dropbox Paper helps these great ideas come to life.

Lucy Bourton — 16 April 2019
Work / Illustration For Anete Melece “illustration is the easiest way to tell a visual story”

“I think that illustration is the easiest way to tell a visual story”, explains the Latvian illustrator Anete Melece. The prolific animator, illustrator and comics artist has produced an impressive roster of material in her career including the hailed short, Kiosks which she’s recently translated into a book of the same title published by Liels un Mazs meaning big and small.

Jyni Ong — 16 April 2019
Work / Photography Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek recreates the ingenious yet useless inventions of Chindōgu

Chindōgu is the art of inventing seemingly practical but ultimately useless gadgets to enhance everyday life. Popularised in Japan in the 90s by its creator, Kenji Kawakami, it was originally just a comical section that appeared in his monthly magazine, Mail Order Life. From fans attached to your chopsticks that cool your food before you eat it, to a Pritt Stick of butter that allows for easy application onto your toast, chindōgu is the perfect balance between ingenuity and absurdity.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 16 April 2019
Work / Photography Sasha Lytvyn explores how “you have to live in that moment in order to capture it”

Photographer Sasha Lytvyn approaches personal projects and commercial projects in exactly the same way, as long as he gets the freedom to do so. His long term collaborators at PlyKnits (a knitwear brand) allow him to artistically direct and photograph its latest campaigns as if it were Sasha’s personal work; the dream for any photographer working commercially.

Jyni Ong — 16 April 2019
Work / Graphic Design Graphic designer Shao Nian's portfolio ranges from academic publishing to experimental magazines

Working across branding, publishing and editorial, graphic designer Shao Nian also co-founded Shanghai-based studio XYZ Lab, alongside his girlfriend Wanqing and close friend and former mentor, Lu Tao. With clientele ranging from prestigious academic publishers to emerging independent magazines, Shao Nian has a diverse portfolio that boasts a beautiful crossover of concept and aesthetic.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 16 April 2019

Features / Printed Pages When Work Becomes Play: What We Can Learn from the Bauhaus 100 Years On

This feature is taken from the AW18 issue of Printed Pages. For the issue’s cover story, we explore the enduring legacy of one of the most famous art and design schools in the world to understand what we can learn from it. We also sit down with Pentagram partner Sascha Lobe to find out about his work designing the identity for the Bauhaus archive. To get yourself a copy for £10, head to Company of Parrots.

Ruby Boddington — 16 April 2019
Work / Illustration Marcus Oakley's latest series is inspired by how mundanity influences our creative process

Graduating in 1996 from Camberwell College of Arts with a degree in fine art and graphic design, illustrator Marcus Oakley soon found himself in the studio of Paul Smith as a t-shirt and textile designer. Working across menswear, womenswear and children’s clothing, he designed “literally hundreds and hundreds” of items. Feeling that he had got everything out of the job that he could, in 2000 Marcus left and became a full-time illustrator. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the leading figures in his contemporary style of drawing. Showcasing a naive style that toys with colour and composition, Marcus’s work is charming, adaptable and accessible.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 15 April 2019
Work / Product Design Interaction Research Studio designs a pair of protective sunglasses... for puffins

The Interaction Research Studio, based at Goldsmiths University, has recently designed a pair of sunglasses… for puffins. The studio, which utilises “design-led methodologies to explore innovative technologies for everyday life,” has spent the past few months developing a pair of sunglasses for puffins to wear, not for the summer months that lie ahead, but for their protection all year round.

Lucy Bourton — 15 April 2019
Work / Illustration Seba Cestaro “adds eyes to everything” in his surreal 2D and 3D illustrations

“I usually add eyes to everything: people, furniture, pieces of clothes,” states illustrator Seba Cestaro on his signature aesthetic. “It has become a fundamental element of my illustrations as it gives personality to almost everything.” These exaggerated goggle-eyes have been a staple in the Buenos Aires-based illustrator’s work for some years now as seen in our post on him from last year. More recently, however, he’s been adding texture into his work which he feels “builds a much bigger impact on his audience.”

Jyni Ong — 15 April 2019
Work / Photography Bryan Thomas documents south Floridians memorialising loved ones lost to gun violence on T-shirts

Lavish Printing is a screen printing and embroidery shop in Miami, south Florida. Located inside Village Flea Market, a place where the neighbourhood can find jewellery, clothing, auto accessories and other assorted merchandise, Lavish Printing’s somewhat niche offering is actually similar to many shops in the area: merchandise memorialising lost loved ones.

Ruby Boddington — 15 April 2019
Work / Graphic Design Design agency T&T&T's auction website lets you buy social media influencers' personal possessions

Talmor & Talmor & Talmor (T&T&T) is a New York-based creative consultancy and design agency founded in 2016. With work spanning a range of disciplines and areas including branding, creative direction, editorial, packaging and content creation, its most recent project doesn’t quite fit into any of these categories. The Social Media Memorabilia Auction House (SMMAH) is a fake auction site selling fake memorabilia pulled from the account of prominent social media influencers. A “sort of Planet Hollywood-meets-Sotheby’s-meets-Instagram-sponcon” project, SMMAH is intended as both “a form of satire” and a “homage to the wonderful world and industry of social media influencers”.

Daniel Milroy Maher — 15 April 2019