Meet Matthew Vargas | Illustrator & Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matthew Vargas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matthew, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?

As an Illustrator, it’s ideal to draw each day to keep your skills sharp. Some try simple exercises like drawing their own hands or the room they’re sitting in but I like channeling my practice work into a potential portfolio piece or an upcoming project. When I visited Italy in my junior year of college, I carried around watercolors and a sketchbook to illustrate views of Rome from my hotel balcony and sculptures inside museums and churches. This practice served me two-fold: strengthened my sketch and painting abilities and led to several job interviews to include Hallmark.

Staying inspired is critical to my craft and I don’t have to go too far to find it! I’ve found inspiration browsing through labels on coffee bags in a cafe and flipping through children’s books for character design ideas. There’s plenty of unique textures and line work in storybooks and trendy typefaces on packaging labels that keep my artwork fresh. Pinterest is also a great resource for discovering new ideas and for building libraries of your favorite references.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Currently I am a graphic designer for the ‘Just One You’ clothing label, which is made by Carter’s and sold at Target. My work involves designing characters for boy’s sleepwear, creating catchy slogans for t-shirt graphics and researching trends to develop new concepts for our label. The style I naturally work in is more graphic and realistic with an emphasis on typography and the aesthetic of Carter’s is more organic and whimsy. Infusing my style with Carter’s has contributed to more innovative and fresh designs and a substantial increase in store sales through 2020. What sets me apart from other artists is how I’m able to inject my style into a brand’s aesthetic in a way doesn’t detract from their visual identity.

The financial success of ‘Just One You’ in my first year with the company has been astounding.  I’m grateful to have contributed to that success, however, I can’t say this is my proudest career achievement. Last May, I created a winning T-shirt design to represent my company in the annual ‘Light the Night’ fundraiser hosted by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thousands of Carter’s employees across the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico wore my design for the event that has raised millions in research. This year, I was asked if I would like to teach children how their t-shirt design submissions can win and represent Carter’s in the 2021 event!

Over seven years, I stayed busy in community college, design internships for HSN, working as a Starbucks barista, and being a part of a workshop Disney selected me for. As challenging as it was to manage these different activities, passion kept me unabated. My goal to empower brand connections through trendy and marketable graphic designs and illustrations helps me to persevere through.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is to try new things but stay true to yourself in the process. It’s great to be open to new opportunities and allow the encouragement of your peers to motivate you to push your boundaries, but don’t forget about what excites you and where your passions really are. Ask yourself, “are you being challenged in a way that improves you or are you being challenged in a way that depletes you and downplays your strengths?”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

On Monday, we’d start the day taking in the majestic falls and parks at Lullwater Creek Preserve. After all that exploration, we’d build up an appetite and dine at the Silver Skillet for a chicken biscuit and grits.

The Georgia Aquarium would be next on the list and we’d watch whale sharks swimming over our heads in a viewing tube. The day would be capped off with a dinner over in Midtown at the world-renowned tea room, Mary Macs. They’re famous for their fried chicken, fried green tomatoes and yeast roles! They opened back in 1945 and have served many famous people, including the Dalai Lama.

Tuesday would be spent walking Piedmont Park and taking in the breathtaking views of the city from the lake. We’d wrap up our walk there and pop over to the rooftop at Ponce City Market for carnival games and dinner overlooking the city during sunset. The evening would be spent at Passion City church to watch the best names in the Christian music industry perform their latest hits.

On Wednesday, we’d catch a baseball game at the Braves stadium and have dinner at the Punch Bowl Social nearby. We’d hit up Insomnia Cookies in Midtown afterwards and enjoy their Big’wich cookie sandwich.

Thursday and Friday would be spent solely outdoors hiking at Roswell Mill and meditating at Vickery Creek Falls. If we we’re feeling really ambitious, we’d drive an hour north, walk sway bridges through mountains and enjoy an outdoor picnic.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My mom and dad have supported me the most in me becoming a professional artist. Contrary to what some believe, they felt that attaining a career in the arts was promising and that I shouldn’t do something I wasn’t passionate about.

As an alumni of Ringling College of Art & Design, I attribute a lot of my success to the Career Services Department, classmates, and professors. The Head of the Career Services Department has role played interviews with me, helped me find the verbiage to express myself to employers and peers, and has encouraged me through job searches. My classmates have connected me to recruiters at Starbucks, Carter’s and even ‘The Shoutout Series’! They’re so considerate and selfless and there’s no way I’d be where I am now without their support. The professors helped me identify my creative voice and never discredited my interests for things they thought I should do instead.

Website: matthewvargasart.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewvargasart/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-vargas/

Other: https://www.behance.net/MatthewVargasArt

Image Credits
https://www.target.com/b/just-one-you-made-by-carter-s/-/N-y4r5qZ5zlb3Z7tqnkZ5zlb1?type=products