Chilean digital artist Renatto Vect explains what vectorize is and when it became his full time job. Renatto born in Arica, a northern city of Chile, has been transforming photographs for six years, family portraits in its majority.
Renatto is the youngest and the only men in the family, living with his mother and sisters, he is a vector artist and amateur musician. When he's not composing or vectoring, Renatto motivates people through social media, he does this by telling his lifetime story of sacrifice, fight, perseverance and faith, considering that Renatto suffers from what is known as multiple congenital malformations and cliff lip that prevents him from performing many activities. However, this is one of Renatto's idiosyncrasies to pursue his dreams and motivate others by showing them that anything is possible. The 31 year old artist is also a rock music composer, in fact, one of his songs is also the soundtrack of a self made video about his works.
V: What is to vectorize an image and why did it got your attention?
R: In simple words, to vectorize is to re draw an image line by line, color by color. The final result is a drawn picture, wrongfully called caricatured (since I don't highlight any prominent characteristic from the person). It came to my attention because it remembers me of the grandparent's portraits, pictures that were drawn and painted by hand. At least in Chile is very common to find those portraits in old houses and this motivated me to do something similar perhaps of course, modern, using digital resources. I like the idea of living in the houses of every family that has printed and framed the portraits I've done for them.
V: Which has been your biggest challenge?
R: Although I've done many difficult portraits, my biggest challenge was a series of four info-maps with touristic purposes for the interior region of Arica. The maps included trekking routes and were distributed in different regions around the country. Those were four arduous months but the task was done. A friend of mine helped me with the logistics, pictures, trips, information. It was a great challenge because we draw even the animals and vegetation, all very detailed. At the end it was worth the effort.
The maps were done for a Chilean governmental touristic institution called CORFO.
V: Lately, you've been working in the GTA. What's the difference between this type of portraits and photographs?
R: The eagerness of vectoring GTA style, emerges after many people compared my works with the game images. Some clients even started asking for portraits like GTA, thus, I went for it. Visually, is simpler than a photography but it also has a degree of complexity. Hence, it was hard for me to understand and get into the world of Grand Theft Auto but I think little by little I'll finally achieve my goal. The difference is found in the lines and color.
V: Are you planning on exhibit publicly your works any time soon?
R: It's actually a dream that I have, once I feel ready to show them as pieces of art, I will.
V: Have you done any portraits for North America?
R: Many, including works for a graphic designer from Miami and a portrait for a Canadian model.
To learn more about Renatto's Vector works and story visit his facebook page http://www.facebook.com/vectorizate or his Flickr account http://www.flickr.com/renattovect. To get a quote for a portrait send him an email at Renattovect@live.cl
