This is my Weekly Design Inspiration, this is a space where I share some design work that has either inspired me or caught my attention for its execution or concept. The things I feature on here can include (but not limited to) branding, web design, app design, illustration, typography, video games or anything that shows creativity in a unique way.
A couple of months back I was fortunate enough to spend a week in Cuba, a country I’ve wanted to visit for years because of its rich history and interesting cultures. I’ve been fascinated with Cuba’s history, specifically surrounding the Cuban revolution ever since I was a teenager, perhaps because it appeased an inner rebel within me. Either way, it was amazing to get to see the country in person and experience Cuban culture.
Since returning I’ve rekindled my passion for Cuban history and politics and have been reading books by Castro himself. Don’t worry, I’m not planning on starting some communist/socialist movement anytime soon, I just find the man extremely interesting. I have also been reading a graphic novel that was gifted to me by my girlfriend called CHE: A Revolutionary Life. As you can probably guess it’s about Che Guevara and his life during the Cuban, Congo and Bolivian revolutions. It’s an honest representation of the man whose image is one of the most iconic of all time. It also isn’t afraid to show sides of Che that are slightly uncomfortable for believers in Guevara’s ideologies to see. Things like the fact he actually had to kill people during his revolutionary campaigns.
While being an interesting look into the life of Che and showing a perspective most people wouldn’t be aware of, it is also presented in an incredible way. The graphic novel is illustrated by Josē Hernández and captures emotion, character and nuances that are hard to achieve of historic figures that are so well recognised. The style is rough, sketchy and has a gritty appeal to it that reflects the hardships of a revolutionaries’ life. There is also a very cinematic feeling to it, something that I don’t often see or feel in graphic novels. The way Hernández uses transitions between panels and cuts from one scene to another while dialogue continues builds a cinematic experience in your head as you read. You could really imagine it as a film (similar to the Che film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benicio del Toro.)
Many liberties had to be taken when it came to the dialog and story as no-one really knows what went on behind closed doors, especially when it came to Russian politics. However, I feel that the writer has been careful not to push reality too far and instead used these scenes to help inform the reader more of the characteristics of Che and Fidel, instead of being focused on the details of politics. It also helped me understand more of the way Che worked as a politician/statesman, something that gets forgotten about in the shadow of his revolutionary life.
In a world where biopics are becoming more and more prevalent it’s refreshing to explore an iconic figure in an original format, and one that has been so well executed. If you are at all interested in Cuba or Latin American history I would strongly recommend reading this graphic novel, it’s not only an insight into the life of Che Guevara but a commentary on contemporary latin american history. It's also a masterclass in illustration/portraits.
Honorable Mentions
As part of my Weekly Design Inspiration I also like to share some bits and pieces that I have seen which have inspired me in the last week. I have captioned each image with some info and relevant links so you can find out more.
I absolutely love the work of James White (Signalnoise) with his retro styles and themes. Recently James has been working on a personal project in the form of a comic book called StarKade which is based on characters he designed as a child. I think it's really charming and an inspiration for me as an illustrator.
Tarot-o-bot is a fun little illustrated/animated website with a sprinkle of design based humor.
As a huge fan of the Metal Gear Solid series and the work of Hideo Kojima I'm really intrigued by the look of Death Stranding. It looks strange, creepy, artsy, dark and overall an experience I do not want to miss.