1. Welcome to Psdtuts+. Can you please introduce yourself?

Hi there! I'm Jerico Santander, an illustrator from Canary Islands, Spain. Apart from the obvious, I also enjoy going out for a run, fishing and eating my mum's cheesecake

2. How did you start your design career? What motivated you?

At primary school I felt way more interested in drawing than for playing with a ball, then at high school I had more communication with computers than with girls...Somehow I've always been connected to this world. ;-) I still can remember the first time I saw Flash and Photoshop (thanks cousin).

As many other illustrators, I also started designing website layouts. Then someday I found the legendary Infinity Digital Vision catalog with some old school shit from masters like Mike Young or Jens Karlsson. I felt the need of getting in that digital art world. Trying to imitate them is how I started to mesh up with Photoshop in a more artistic way.

3. How do you define yourself? As I see you make use of illustrations, 3D objects and lots of other stuff. One cannot say Jerico is only an "illustrator." You did not limited yourself to one field. Will you continue in this fashion? Also what are your future plans?

Many artists find resources everywhere. I do use photography, digital painting and sometimes, a bit of 3D. I do nothing but welding many images together building up a totally new one, I guess I understand digital art as an extension from collage?

Honestly I don't know which resources/tools I will work with in the future, probably I'll paint more and use less photography. I'm bored of long hours trying to find the perfect stock image. I just hope to still have fun working!

4. I think there are a lot of people wondering about this: How does your process of designing evolve? How do you start a design and how do you finish it? For instance, can you share design process of Own World?

It depends on the project. I always need to do a few sketches, then search for the main stock, rendering some 3D (if needed), putting them all together, painting lights and shadows, etc. Anyways I usually get the best ideas when I'm about finished and that can mean the need to remake a big part of the process!

5. Who are your favorite artists? How do you enrich your dream world? Can you share your favorite websites?

Traditional artists: Mars-1 and Josh Keyes. Digital artists: Alex Trochut and Microbot. About my favorite sites and inspiration sources: depthcore.com, behance.net, cgsociety, and deviantart.

6. To date what would you say is your favorite illustration that you have created? What motivated you?

From the ones in my Behance page I don't have an absolutely top one so I'd mention two and why I like them: "Own World": I enjoyed crafting this image for the amount of effort, frustration and headaches I had with it. I felt way free when I finally got it done. "Nereid": I always wanted to do something like this. I had fun experimenting with the human body and light while working. But honestly I would change some parts of this piece now, maybe I will!

7. Which software do you use? Do you use a tablet? Can you share with us your favorite software and also favorite tool in Photoshop? Why?

Yes, I can't work without a tablet. I'm married to a a Cintiq 21", I love you baby! ;-* Software I use? Photoshop, and a bit of 3dsmax. About which PS tool would I bring to a deserted island, I'd say the brush tool as it's the most versatile and the one I use the most.

8. Thank you for your answers. Finally, what do you want to say to Psdtuts+ readers?

Thanks psdtuts for the interview and to their followers for reading! :-)

9. How can readers reach Jerico Santander on the Web?

Tracing my IP address and with some hacking knowledge, I guess! Okay, I do not have a personal site yet. I'm a lazy ass, I know. The truth is that for the last two years I've pushed art and design to a second plane while focused life into other things. But now I have a bunch of new artwork and I'll release them really soon together with a new site, I promise!

In the meantime, you can check Jerico Santander on Behance with the same old stuff!

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