José Navarro ,is an art director who works in an advertising agency in northern Spain. In his spare time, Jose likes to manipulate images, decontextualize objects & everyday places, to give them new meanings that provoke thoughts or a smile.

He likes to share his work within the world of social media and thinks it's a triumph when some of his art work can be understood by thousands of people from different countries, ages and cultures. "That means that I have done my job as a visual communicator" he added. 

Bobolink  had the pleasure to  interview Jose and to know more about his inspiration.

  Which artists inspire you and why?  

There are many artists who inspire me or have inspired me throughout my life. When I started studying art, my favorite painter was  Hopper. I was fascinated by his mastery of light, space and color.

Once I started attending my design school, it's when I discovered  Daniel Gil , the authentic pioneer and master of Spanish design who illustrated thousands and thousands of book covers for several Spanish publishers. His work opened my eyes towards a more synthetic conception between form and concept. From there I knew my design path. 

I admire  Chema Madoz's  inexhaustible visual poetry and  Isidro Ferrer 's mastery in mixing concepts. as for the most influential current artists, Im fascinated by  Magoz and his capacity to amaze through the synthesis. Not to mention , who is a source of inspiration for me.

What are the 3 most important things to know about you? (not necessarily related to work)

I really don't think there's anything "too important" that you should know about me except the fact that I'm very "abstract". If you see me passing  by your side on the street and I do not greet you, do not get angry. I'd be probably thinking about some nonsense and I have not noticed you.  Lo siento/  Sorry.

What qualities and skills should a designer have?

  A good designer must be very very curious. He/She must be constant and patient. He/She has to work hard and train a lot. They must know how to make mistakes and learn from them, and do it over again and again. They must learn to fit the constructive critics and get the positive side of them. They have to be honest (this is extendable to any profession, of course). But above all he/she must feel passionate for what they do and never stop having fun.

What are you most proud of?    

I am very proud of my wife. She is the strongest and most positive woman in the world. In recent years, she has gone through a tough illness and has overcome it without ever losing her smile. She has given a lesson of courage to all of us around her. I owe her a lot and I´m truly proud of her.

What advice would you give for a young designer?  

Train every day. Do not give up. Have fun. Experiment. Read, watch movies, travel. Try new things. Change things of color, of form, of meaning ... Just change things. Do not be afraid to say no. Do not be afraid to say ¡Yeah! And try not to starve yourself :)