In Other Studios: (It's A Living)

Ricardo González, the designer and artist renowned for his work under It's A Living, is known for his distinctive style, often characterized by vibrant colors, intricate details, and a focus on typography.

In this interview, Ricardo shares his reflections on inspiration, the interplay of lightness and shadow, and the delicate balance that permeates his creations.

What do you consider to be your most significant source of inspiration?

I think the biggest source of inspiration is my own life experience. The moments we experience shape us as people as well as influence our practices. As a creative, one of my dreams is to travel the world so that my work will take me to remote and unexpected places and always in different situations. This is why I always pursued discomfort and movement. Now this movement is reflected in my work through letters - The appreciation of imperfection and the beauty of flow.

Is there a specific message or theme that you seek to convey through your work?

It’s A Living – It really is a philosophy for me. Living freely and making a living from what you love is something I have learned over the years meeting people everywhere. It is finding inspiration at any time, it is learning little by little. Calligraphy in my work refers to repetition, the routine in life that sometimes we think is bad but after so many years of doubt, I see that it is necessary. Repetition is also a way of expressing consistency in my work and at the same time a contrast between each word because no matter how consistent I write, no word will be perfectly the same as the other. A word is an image... and an image is described with words.

How do you interpret darkness in your work?

Years ago I read “In Praise of Shadows” by Tanizaki. An essay on Japanese aesthetics which marked my work from that moment on, taught me to appreciate the shadows and the reason behind each thing and action in life.

In my work, as in typography, I try to always have a contrast between negative and positive space, this is in relation to the spacing between letters that is often affected by the abstraction generated by paint and tools, something that often does the unreadable. This for me is the “dark” contrasting part and on balance, the messages always lean towards a positive path.

How important is "lightness" in your art, whether in terms of light, color, weight, or other aspects?

The lightness in my work is reflected in calligraphy such as “cursive” - It is the style of writing with which I connect the most due to the fluidity and delicacy in the letters. Calligraphy is the art of writing beautifully and with substance, this is where I found an art that is lost over time.

The tools that I use in my work also influence my style greatly, something that I have pursued for a long time, I believe that experimenting with new inks, markers, sprays or even making my tools is something that benefits my work and makes it more unique.

How would you define balance and how do you achieve it?

The balance in my work is very important since I started as a graphic designer and now my work is between graphic and art, commercial and free to create. As a designer, I really enjoy working with clients or commercial brands since it is in a way a collaboration where I seek mutual respect. As an Artist, I push my style, and my art to places where I would never imagine it would live, from a 15-story vertical mural or a rally race car to a simple sticker on the street. Being an artist is a full-time profession, and I often question why I do what I do, and where do I come from? And where I'm going... Balance is essential in life as well as in my work, for me it is a lifestyle.