Live Bait: The Alan Berry Rhys Interview & Tutorial
What happens when a graphic designer abandons the ubiquitous trends of mainstream illustration to dive deep into the subtropical waters of Argentina's Paraná River?
For Buenos Aires-based artist Alan Berry Rhys, it was the beginning of a creative journey that has come to define his career and his artistic identity.
In an industry saturated with global aesthetics and digital perfection, Alan's work stands out like a hand-painted billboard against a wall of pristine digital blandness. His vibrant illustrations celebrating Argentine river culture prove that authenticity is more than an empty buzzword; it's a powerful creative force that can catapult careers and capture the hearts and minds of worldwide audiences.
In our exclusive interview, Alan shares his journey from disillusioned graphic designer to illustration force of nature, including a full tutorial breaking down his signature illustration and hand lettering techniques.
Dive on in, the water's warm.
Hey Alan. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Let's start with you. What's your creative background and what do you do with your time?
I'm an illustrator and graphic artist. I studied Graphic design at the public university in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I was born and raised, and where I live with my girlfriend and my 2 dogs. I was also a graphic design teacher for 8 years at the same university.
I work as an illustrator for brands but also have my own personal graphic projects, in which I make stuff I like. I also surf, fish, cook, and I´m a rugby trainer as well. I love movies.
How did you come to find yourself working as an illustrator? Did you fall into it or did you take a very deliberate path to establish your illustration career?
I started as a graphic designer, I had my studio at some point and I realized I needed something else. I wanted to print posters and make something that had a meaning for me. So I started to create my own imaginary products, like my own beer or my own yerba mate, and started doing posters for those invented products. Eventually, brands started to be interested in my style, and my work gradually changed from being a graphic designer to being an illustrator and graphic artist.
I think in some weird way, my style is more defined by what I don't know how to do than what I do know how to do.
How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?
Ugh, tough. Colorful, humorous, fun. It's strange because I love simple stuff, but I can't stop filling the whole page. I'd love to be super technical and have a lot of details as well, but I can never reach that. I think, in some weird way, my style is more defined by what I don't know how to do than what I do know how to do.
Your Instagram bio is simply "Carnada Viva" (Live Bait). What significance does this phrase have to your work and artistic identity?
Live bait is my personal project and has been for the last 7 or 8 years. It's a celebration of the culture near the Paraná River, a big subtropical river that crosses the northern half of Argentina. I always go fishing with friends there, and I'm completely in love with its culture, fauna and landscapes.
I have 2 more personal projects that I will develop at some point. I think Carnada Viva is reaching a point where it needs to keep flowing but in different directions, in addition I need to develop new creative universes, under new premises. It's a way to discuss the Argentine identity graphically. Also, it's a kind of metaphor for consumption, of thinking we are predators but instead we are the bait on the lure, and we are getting hooked.
What inspires the playful, nostalgic aesthetic you've become known for?
I am usually in love with the lo-fi printing methods and their errors. Or the street billboards painted by hand, created by people who did not study for 10 years in university, yet they are really powerful. I also love old products and their packaging. I get inspired by them, but never try to replicate them. I mean, I don't want my stuff to look exactly like something that is 30 or 40 years old. I want to honor them, but create them from my perspective, from my place, my time. So it's important for me to let that nostalgia flow, but to make it from my place.
I love how they look, I love they are not perfect, I love that you can tell there is a human being behind it. And that they have that DIY feel
Your work often features distinctly Argentinian subject matter such as Pumas, Crocodiles, Toucans, and Yerba Maté. How has Argentina influenced your work and your style?
A: When I was in school and started to create illustrations, I found myself making what everyone was making, which was the trend at that moment. Tattoos, diamonds, monsters, skulls, etc. At some point, I felt empty. I felt my work was nice, but had no soul. So I started thinking about what I loved and what I could show the world that no one was looking at. So I realized I could show the world one of my passions which is fishing with friends in that particular area of Argentina. And at the same point trying to understand what was our identity. It's impossible to answer that question completely, but I try to give a small personal idea of what I think it could be graphically. Or at least part of it.
Aesthetically, your work has a distinct vintage advertising and lo-fi printing feel. What is it about these older methods – screen-printing, risograph, painting by hand – that speaks to you artistically?
I love how they look, I love they are not perfect, I love that you can tell there is a human being behind it. And that they have that DIY feel. Everyone can make it, but also, it has a lot of secrets and technical details you can learn and experiment with. I also love that they are all ways to commercialize products and projects, but on a lower scale. I mean, I like to consume and buy products, but I like to know there is a human behind them. I think eventually we need a lot of local Coca Colas, or local beers, and not a global corporation with investors that are just interested in making more money and better numbers for their annual report. I think that dividing the market into millions of smaller brands would make for a more interesting society.
How do you decide when lettering becomes as important as the visual elements in your art?
Because of my graphic design background my head always leans towards the relationship between image and text, and how both together create a new meaning. I think at some point I wanted to escape graphic design but I can't, it's just how my head works.
it's been a great breakthrough to working with the Stipple Studio brushes. Before that I was creating my own textures and trying to do the same shadings but with textures I scanned.
How important has working on personal projects and art shows been to developing your career?
100% essential. I think that having a place to explore what I want to do, and not thinking of the clients gives me freedom to do stuff that clients won't accept until they see them, and then they want them. But Also working for clients liberates me, to do what I really want to do with my personal work, cause although it's a big part of my income, I don't need to adjust my style or my work to what people like, cause if I dont sell them I don't care, I can still live off my commercial projects
You’re represented by BA Reps. How did getting signed by an illustration agent affect your career?
Well, massively, and with BA I started working a year ago, and it's been a huge push. They are always bringing new ideas of how to apply or sell my art. They not just manage projects or bring clients, they are helping me to build my brand. They are constantly bringing new ideas, or collabs to expand my universe and opportunities. I love working with them.
Psst: check out our article on getting signed by an agent here.
You’ve been using our Stipple Studio brushes and other tools for a while. How have these influenced the way you work?
Well honestly it's been a great breakthrough working the Stipple Studio brushes. Before that I was creating my own textures and trying to do the same shadings but with textures I scanned. So Stipple Studio brought down the timing while elevating the amount of details I can make.
Are you exploring any new techniques or themes in your current work?
Well yeah I'm trying to bring Carnada Viva to some new installations which I plan to develop soon. Also I have another project I'm exploring too, Emporio, but I have no idea when It will come out. So far I'm enjoying the experimentation process.
What advice would you give young illustrators and graphic artists, especially those working in Latin America, about developing an authentic voice while building an international presence?
Saying be yourself, and to follow your interests sounds really cheesy, but at some point it's really the key. But on the other hand it is also important to know and understand what other people are making. And try to find what it is you can bring to the dialogue. You don't want to replicate another artist's voice. You can get inspired and create a dialogue with it. But at some point you need to bring your voice into the conversation.
LIVE BAIT: THE TUTORIAL
Hola. It's Alan here. Now I'm going to show the process I use in my Carnada Vida illustrations. The tutorial features just a small section of the finished poster, but you can also check out a time-lapse of the entire artwork at the bottom of the page.
True Grit Tools & Apps Used:
Adobe Photoshop
Stipple Studio
Software skill level:
If you love draw and have a working knowledge of Photoshop, this one’s for you. The techniques transfer easily to other apps and the Stipple Studio brushes are also available for Procreate, Clip Studio and Affinity as well.
Learn more about using Stipple Studio in your work here
