Do What You Do Best
Art Director and Artist of Pablo Ladosa
by Elizabeth Lavis
|05 Jul 2023
Pablo Ladosa’s unique style invokes old-school, retro arcade games with color-drenched palates and striking visuals. “My aesthetics are inspired by a digital world,” says Ladosa. “So they are visually similar to video games, but my illustrations are mostly representative of things I see every day.” His urban scenarios have notes of New York City, Tokyo, and London, based on night photos and his observations in those cities.
Ladosa is a Spanish Art Director from Valencia, Spain, with an impressive portfolio of work from Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Spain. His portfolio speaks for itself, with high-end clients that rely on Ladosa to set them apart from the crowd. Ladosa refers to his style as both “retro and futuristic.” “I see myself as an experimenter,” he says.
He has been dabbling in design and perfecting his style since childhood. “It was the one thing that I did well at school,” he says. “I didn’t have access to museums and many things, so I learned most everything through books and the internet.” Ladosa found himself captivated by technology at a young age, learning how to work the family computer and teaching himself Blender and Photoshop. Love of technology and playing in a fun digital space is what gives Ladosa his edge and is also related to the best piece of advice he’s ever heard. “Do what you do best,” he says. “The clients will come when you do what you like.”
Ladosa’s design process starts with fully understanding the brief and conducting in-depth research to assess the client’s needs. Then he begins with some preliminary sketches and check-ins with the client before launching into the complete design process. While he does meticulous research at the beginning, Ladosa likes being able to think outside the box. “I enjoy the feeling that you have the freedom to design what you want within the brief,” he says.
Checking in with the client serves Ladosa well in terms of adequately fulfilling the brief and meeting expectations. “I try to get the client involved and collaborative so that they are on board throughout the process, and there’s no surprise at the outcome,” he says. He also establishes rapport by reviewing everything in detail. “I always explain why I did something and how and why it’s best,” he says.
Ladosa prefers to be hyper-focused while working but takes consistent breaks to give his mind a rest. “When I’m working, I try to reduce distractions,” he says. “I don’t connect to Instagram much or other socials on work time. You need to find your distractions and head them off at the pass.” When it’s time to disconnect, Ladosa fully detaches himself from the project, taking a walk, watching a movie, or playing video games.
He also loves swimming, socializing with friends, traveling, and attending events during his downtime. Professionally, Ladosa wants to take his creations to the next level by adding movement. “I’m constantly thinking of what’s next and how to do something different than what I’ve done,” he says. “I want to evolve my style, do something personal, and dive into motion and audiovisuals.”
If Ladosa’s nostalgic but cutting-edge designs are any indication, whatever is coming next will be something well worth watching out for.
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