Hello Tommaso, could you introduce yourself to the viewers and tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi there! I’m Tommaso Nervegna, Milan( Italy ) based Art Director, Designer and recently Photographer. I’m 23 years old and I currently study Digital Communication in University while I work mainly as an Animation Designer and in my spare time i cultivate lot’s of personal projects regarding art direction, photography and motion graphics experiments.

How did you get started in design and how long have you been doing it for?

Since I was little I loved arts and computers. Growing up, towards 16 years old, I managed to blend my two interests in to one, starting just creating fancy desktop wallpapers for my PC. Time helped my figure out that i was very keen in digital medias and design so I started to read a lot of tutorials, design books and trying to think what I could to with this wonderful hobby.

I started with 3D, but i moved gradually to web design and graphic design, and finally, now I’m obsessed with Art Direction and Animation. My last discovery is photography, which I love to blend with graphic design trying to create always something unique. Or at least I try. My 4 years of commercial experience helped my define my style and the way I project every single phase of my work. University is helping me to find a different approach to my way of working deviating it to a more scientific and experimental way of thinking and pre-visualizing everything.

Your work is pretty unique and full of creativity, where do all your ideas and inspirations come from? And why do you love creating them?

One of the most difficult things in Design is not to be inspired by other creatives. I like getting influenced from my surroundings and I try to gather every single thing they have to give me. people, music, classical art, books, movies and even architecture. I love creating them because I love the sense of satisfaction I gather once I’m finally done, it is really difficult to please me, I’m my most difficult client.

What areas of your work do you enjoy the most?

The projecting and the art direction area. I do lot’s of research and lot’s of pre-visualization, I want to be sure I don’t do anything without a reason.

What has been your greatest artistic achievement in your life so far?

My greatest artistic achievement is doing a job I love doing. I think this is so difficult these days.

What software programs do you use for creating your art and why?

Have you ever heard about a application suite called Adobe Creative Suite? It’s my best work partner, we have always worked together and never had arguments. Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects are always open during the day. Sometimes, I like experimenting open source plug-ins to try something different create something new.

Do you use any special techniques and tools, such as a tablet, or is it mainly the mouse doing all the work?

Mouse? I have forgotten it’s use. In 2001 for Christmas I received a Wacom Tablet and since then I never switched back except when I’m using my macbook pro where i use the Mouse Pad for it’s gestures.

You are formally trained as an artist, there’s a well known debate in the design community regarding the role of education in a designer’s work versus no design education,what do you think about this?

I have to make a correction. I never had any training as an artist. I’m completely self taught in everything that I do, the only thing I have learned in university which I daily use in my routine, is projecting every aspect of  my work this helps me a lot.

I never thought that training courses for application were useful, creativity can not be teached in my opinion and if you have spare time to follow a software training course you have the spare time to read books and do the tutorials by yourself. What I instead think is very useful  is knowing the theory behind works. In this way you don’t only know how to do it but also why it’s done in that way. I hope I was clear enough.

Of all of your artwork, which piece is your personal favorite and why?

Can’t say, I have a special feeling with all of my work, even with the commercial ones. I love the collaborations I made a few years ago with two photographers, Emel Bayram and Tuan Nguyen.

Gemini is one of my favorite images, can you tell us little more about on how you went to create this image?

I was having a discussion with some of my friends in the mountain on constellations, when the idea came up. I wanted to mix classical art with abstract graphics plus I was intrigued by the Gemini figure at the time so I started researching for the background and old illustrations of them.

If this whole “designer career” thing fell through the floor tomorrow, what else could you see yourself doing for a living?

Film Director, Producer or project manager.

If you could invent your dream job, where would you work & what would be your job title?

Creative Director for a big new media studio with big international clients, based in Tokyo ( my dream is to live there ). But sometimes I would rather prefer to be a farmer in some tropical island with no stress at all…

What are your favourite top 3 websites, and why?

There is this great web site full of magic, dreams, and breath taking visuals……. www.tommasonervegna.com. Check it out! Just kidding, I would say the Behance Network http://www.behance.net I love to see other designers works and love the idea that the world is full of creative people, and for instant laugh I visit often Webbl’s Stuff. Love random comedy.

What are your hobbies and please describe your free time, if you have any?

Free time? Forgot about this word ages ago. Anyway a year ago I started photography as a hobby, digital and analog, I recently started collecting old vintage cameras. I hope that in the future photography will become part of my work. So stay tuned… In free time if I really have any, I read a lot and I update myself with new techniques and new programs, possibilities are infinite now days. I also like to travel a lot and get to know different cultures.

And for the last question, PC, Mac, or something else?

EhEh… I year ago i bought my first Mac after being for years a PC maniac and Mac hater. If I can have less stress while working I’m willing to pay a little more. Now I am a proud Mac User.

Well its been a great pleasure and thanks for taking the time out to talk with us.

You’re very welcome! Thank you!

For more info visit Marcos portfolio here:www.tommasonervegna.com

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