Oscar Bastidas

Specialized in Design.

Oscar Bastidas

About Oscar Bastidas

Oscar Bastidas is a Venezuelan Art Director, specialized in Branding Design, currently living in Brooklyn, New York. Oscar has over 15 years of experience on the development of advertising material and art pieces for clients such as Toyota, Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Buchanan´s, Budget, McDonald's and JW Marriott Hotels, among others. His work has also been featured in international publications specialized in Design such as: Logoism, Logo Decode, Logos 4, Graphics Can Be Managed and Eat & Go. Oscar also teaches Branding Design in Crehana.com, a major Hispanic e-learning platform for Visual Arts, with more than 2600 students on his class. He is also known as "Mor8", name under which he has expanded his calling for graphic arts, with a focus on what he calls "Hand-Crafted Branding Design", a different and organic way he uses to design a brand, full of illustrations and hand-made details. Currently, his artwork is booming amongst emerging brands from numerous industries in countries like the US, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Switzerland.

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Nominate Your Work for the A' Design Award.

Sign-Up

Interview with Oscar Bastidas

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
I'm a Venezuelan Graphic Designer currently living in Brooklyn, New York. I have 15 years of experience on the development of advertising material and art pieces. My work has been featured in international publications specialized in Design such as: Logoism, Logo Decode, Logos 4, Graphics Can Be Managed and Eat & Go.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
Mor8 Design Studio is focused on Branding Design, or what I call "Hand-crafted Branding Design", which is a closer definition of my work style. Designing brands with their own personalities, through illustrated logos, lettering and irregular details that make these brands unique and real.
What is "design" for you?
I would say that "Design" is any visual element that generates a reaction in you, when you see it or touch it.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
I don't know, I think is hard to choose a favorite design, there are too many variables and styles that are good and complete different each other.
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
I would say the concept, I think you can not design something because it looks cool and that's it. Everything needs to have a strong concept background.
What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
I would say Pride, relief. My favorite part is when the work is neat and finished. Seeing something big, solid and real work that resulted from sketches; that is the moment when all the hours and late nights of work pay off.
What makes a design successful?
In my opinion, a good branding design is the one that you’ve never seen before and jump onto your face like something really fresh and different.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
Right now due to softwares and internet tools, everybody in the world can use the same typography that you are using, and you can see the complete market, trends and competition look without leaving your computer. You can even buy a logo for $10 on a website. All these aspects of the current market make different brands stand up over the others, and by “different”, I mean custom fonts, illustrations, organic shapes and unexpected concepts.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Never loose the functionality aspect. Always look for a best and different final user experience.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
Right now everything is changing faster than never. The Design Softwares are getting more versatile, saving you hours of work, the esthetic trends changes almost per week, the delivery deadlines are shorter, etc... in somehow all these aspects makes the market more competitive and tough. I think at the moment you avoid the must quantity of plugins or templates possible, you will bring up as a truly different designer, using the most important tool of design, that is the Human Factor.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
By 2017 I was invited to participate on an international Expo called "36 Days of Type" in Barcelona, Spain. The concept was about the artistic interpretation of each letter of the alphabet.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
I’m always looking for references. They don’t have to be trendy or even about design, but the references are always a “must” in my design process. I do not believe there is such thing as a “free of reference” design, everything has an influence, every graphic story you want to tell has something that came from your memories and tastes.
How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
Currently I'm focused on Branding Design, or what I call "Hand-crafted Branding Design", which is a closer definition of my work style. Designing brands with their own personalities, through illustrated logos, lettering and irregular details that make these brands unique and real.
Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
I'm actually living in Brooklyn, New York, I spent two years in Florida, but I came from Caracas, Venezuela. I think everything that you see, listen, eat or touch always affect your design style. The worst thing you can do is keep locked in your apartment behind a computer without interacting with anything or anyone.
How do you work with companies?
I try to adapt my style to the project as much as possible. I’m a good team player when it comes large projects, I feed from other people’s opinions and points of view while trying to contribute in my own way.
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
The first thing a company should do is to establish exactly is what they’re looking for in a designer; Creative Director, Art Director or both. By looking through the designer’s portfolio you can have a good idea of the approach that he or she puts into their projects; and that’s the best to determine if the person is fit for the position. Also, a good interview is key; you need to know if you’re in front of the brilliant guy who sits in the most hidden desk or if on the contrary, you’re facing a real extrovert who dreams of becoming the real leader of every project. All those aspects are of upmost importance when you’re scouting for a great designer.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
I usually take one day or two to digest the brief of a project; I need to make sure that I understand what the client wants of what I want to deliver. Then I start doing my research; background of the brand; competitors… all the information I can get is important since that will be the baseline of the project. Finally when I have an idea or concept in mind I start sketching; sometimes I make lot of sketches, and when I get to something I like, I start working on it and make several versions of the same idea until is polished and finished.
Can you describe a day in your life?
Freelance life is very open and you can manage your time as you please, but skills aren’t good if you lack discipline and I learned that at an early age. I get up at 7:00am; make myself some breakfast and a good shot of espresso, I check my emails and social media, then I begin with the project I’m working on, I make an hour-and-a-half lunch break, more coffee and then get back to work until I feel like I’ve already achieved what I wanted for the day; then I can go out for dinner or watch tv with my wife and I’m usually “out of service” by midnight.
Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
Don’t be afraid to experiment and wiggle around projects and trends. If you have the time, don’t hesitate to try new things because they can lead you to the style you’re looking for.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
Designers don’t become designers by compromise. You can see people who study Law but want to be designers, but almost never the other way around. Designers have the advantage of being passionate about our art and we are able to display it and make a living of it, and that is the silver lining of this career.On the less bright side, even though things have improved in the last few years, graphic design is still very underestimated; some people do not consider it a proper job and even some companies refuse to pay the value of good design.
What is your "golden rule" in design?
Stay true to your art. If you think you can make it even better, do it.
What skills are most important for a designer?
I think that conceptualizing a project is one of the most difficult things to do, but certainly the most important. A weak concept can ruin a great opportunity to make something cool.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
Tools: Adobe CC: especially Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesignReferences and Portfolio: Behance.net, Instagram, Vimeo
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
As I said before, freelance designers have the advantage of being “our own bosses” but the key to not wasting time is following a daily schedule and respecting your own deadlines.
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
It all depends on the complexity of the project and how “gentle” the deadlines are; I can certainly develop something in a couple days but definitely, the more time I have the more detail I can put to it. So, lets say the range goes from two days to a month.
What was your most important job experience?
I worked as an Art Director at an advertising agency back in Venezuela for twelve years, and I gained most of my knowledge of marketing and adversing there. However, I must say that the real experience in Branding Design was On The wok; the first brand that I designed from inception to completion.
Who are some of your clients?
Toyota, Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Buchanan´s, Budget, McDonald’s, JW Marriott Hotels, Imaginary Forces, Taikin, Samán, among others
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
I like projects that allow me to work freely and don’t limit to a certain set of rules like colors, fonts, grids, etc.
What are your future plans? What is next for you?
I want to keep doing what I love and I will always be open to new experience. For example, I’d love to design a line of toys or maybe a Movie Poster.
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
I develop all the graphic concept and visuals, and if the project demands more professionals, I am open to work as a team.
Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
I’m illustrating an art piece for an American Restaurant Franchise. Two big murals where I had the opportunity to illustrate with almost no limitations.
How can people contact you?
I’m very accesible on my social media; especially Behance and Instagram. I have Linkedin too, and of course my web page mor8graphic.com most of my clients have found me through those platforms.

Designer of the Day Interview with Oscar Bastidas

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
I'm a Venezuelan Graphic Designer currently living in Brooklyn, New York. I have 15 years of experience on the development of advertising material and art pieces for clients such as Toyota, Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Buchanan´s, Budget, McDonald’s and JW Marriott Hotels, among others. My work has been featured in international publications specialized in Design such as: Logoism, Logo Decode, Logos 4, Graphics Can Be Managed and Eat & Go.
How did you become a designer?
I’ve always liked to draw, and when I was in school I used half of my notebooks to doodle and draw cartoons. But I didn’t get into the Graphic Design mood until I finished the school.I finished school early; when I 16 years old, and I didn’t know what to do with my life yet, I liked the idea to studying Architecture, but some friends told me that I need to be good in math, which I hate, so I spent some time doing nothing.With time, I became more interested in Graphic Design, one day I decided to get in the Monseñor de Talavera Design College in Caracas, Venezuela. By 2000 the graphic design was one of the most expensive career because of the tools and materials you need, so I had to take a job to cover my expenses. It wasn’t easy, but I finally finished my studies and almost immediately I started working in Advertising Agencies when I was formed as an Art Director.After 12 years, I made the decision to leave my job as an Art Director to start my freelance career. Then I spent two years in Florida working as an Art Director for design studios and doing freelance projects. I currently live in New York where I keep working as a freelance Graphic Designer focused on Branding Design.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
Currently I'm focused on Branding Design, or what I call "Hand-crafted Branding Design", which is a closer definition of my work style. Designing brands with their own personalities, through illustrated logos, lettering and irregular details that make these brands unique and real.During my design process I always start with the brief; a questionnaire that I use to give to my clients to receive the most clear an important information and insights behind their brands. Then I start the research process, looking into the market, competence, styles, targets, etc. After having clearer ideas, I start thinking about concepts, looking for references, and when I have some ideas, I start the sketching phase. Most of the time I start my sketches on paper, and when I like something, I translate it into vectors in my computer for a more polished look. I use to make digital mockups to see the versatility of the identity in different environments.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
The hardest part when I do a branding design is always the beginning, sometimes you find a really cool idea to develop in the first hours of your brainstorm, but sometimes you need days and even weeks to get the right one, and the things start getting "heavy metal" when the deadline is near and you’re still empty in good proposals. My favorite part is when the work is neat and finished. Seeing something big, solid and real work that resulted from sketches; that is the moment when all the hours and late nights of work pay off.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
Being a Graphic Designer is not easy at all when you take it as a living. At the moment you spend crazy amounts of time thinking about an idea, insight, color, shape, and all of the sudden you realize it’s 3am, you probably enjoy it so much what you do that you no longer see this career as a job.As a Graphic Designer you need to be passioned about your processes, perfectionist, and always up to date on everything that happens around you, I’m talking about fashion, architecture, music, movies, internet, technology, etc… like the Graphic Design, all these themes are constantly mutating, changing, evolving and inside each one you will find the best references you can use on your work.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
In Branding Design there are always new areas to explore, everything changes constantly at a fast pace, hence the way to show a brand should change as well. I’ve designed craft beer brands, food, jewelry, clothing, restaurants, music bands and apps, among others and at this point of my career. I think a major movie poster would be something that I’d love to design. I also want to make a Branding Design book with my own perspective, and I wish to have the time to make it.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
If your are starting your career, free projects are not a bad idea, as long as they let you build a solid and good portfolio. Use them as an opportunity to make something remarkable while you have the time to experiment.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
As annoying or complicated any project may seem, always try to put all your talent and creativity to it. Do not fall into standards, because the best ideas not always come from the most appealing projects.
What is your day to day look like?
As soon as I wake up, I check my Social Networks, I take a shower and then maybe make some arepas for breakfast, then I get a good shot of espresso while I’m reviewing my e-mails, and that is when my design process starts: behind my sketchbook or in front of my computer. As a freelance designer you don’t necessarily have a day process; for example when I was in Florida I used to ride my bike to the beach and sit there listening to some music while I made sketches. When I was an Art Director in Design Studios or Ad Agencies my creative work started after 6pm when everything was calm and I could have better focus.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
I’m always looking for references. They don’t have to be trendy or even about design, but the references are always a “must” in my design process. I do not believe there is such thing as a “free of reference” design, everything has an influence, every graphic story you want to tell has something that came from your memories and tastes.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
In my opinion, a good branding design is the one that you’ve never seen before and jump onto your face like something really fresh and different. Right now due to softwares and internet tools, everybody in the world can use the same typography that you are using, and you can see the complete market, trends and competition look without leaving your computer. You can even buy a logo for $10 on a website. All these aspects of the current market make different brands stand up over the others, and by “different”, I mean custom fonts, illustrations, organic shapes and unexpected concepts.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
There is a moment of the creative process that you realize you have something good, or visually catchy, but this “something” needs to fulfill a series of tests to be really solid, understandable, functional and different. It is always easy to let the design in a “good” level, but if you think you can polish it more, don’t hesitate to do it. Right now is easier to receive feedback of you work because through social networks and the world or reviews. Behance.net is a good thermometer to see the acceptance of your projects, but the real success will always be the interaction of the users or consumers with the brand that you designed.
What is your biggest design work?
I would say it is “On the Wok”, an Asian fast food concept restaurant in Caracas, Venezuela where I had the opportunity to design all the brand identity and graphic interior design. I don’t think is the biggest one, but it it certainly is one of my favorites, because it happened at the beginning of my freelance career; the project was very well received in reviews and I was invited to post my work a Design Book for an international Publishing for first time.
Who is your favourite designer?
I would say Geoff McFetridge, he is an example of how far you can get as an Illustrator and Designer if you focus on a strong and different style. There is a lot of iconic designers, but I think Julius Klinger from Berlin is the one I would like to know and talk, he was a designer when no one knows this career, and he made impressive posters and logos at the end of 1800 that you could use right now and being totally trend. Timeless Design.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
I spent two good years in Florida adding cool projects to my portfolio and I was doing great, but I just moved to New York, and I don’t have any other reason behind this decision but breathing Design. Every aspect of this city is linked to what I enjoy. New York is all about art, music, fashion, diversity… every moment something really great and unexpected is happening in NYC, and of course all of those moments have a very strong influence on my work. Right now I’m working in some big format art pieces for an American burger restaurant franchise.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
I usually work alone in my design projects, of course if I need a photographer, animator, architect or a web developer, I’m always open to work as a team.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
Pro bono work is part of the “to do” list in my career, I would definitely like to make meaningful communications for a good cause.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
Even though art is subjective, there is a certain thrill in winning an award; is a very rewarding experience because you finally see the outcome of that project you’d work on with so much passion. Recognition also plays a huge role in the career of any artist, you have certain guidelines but you always try to stay true to yourself, to the connection you have with your art and if you still get to earn people’s appreciation while doing what you love, you’ve made it. That’s the most fulfilling experience for any artist.

Stay Updated with Latest Design News

By clicking Sign-Up, you are opting to receive promotional emails from A' Design Awards, World Design Rankings, World Design Consortium and Designers.Org You can update your preferences or unsubscribe any time.

You are now at the right step

Join Designers.org & Start Promoting Your Design Worldwide.

Create an Account