• 28 July 2021
• Public Relations

4 Ways Luis Pinto Stays Creative

Colorful and conceptual are two words that aptly describe the work of Luis Pinto, a Mexican graphic designer/illustrator currently based in Guatemala. His illustrations have appeared in advertising, murals and magazines, for brands including Google, Little White Lies, Guzmán & Gómez, easyJet Traveller and many more. UPS recently partnered with Luis on the latest Proudly Unstoppable collaboration celebrating Hispanic and Latin-owned small businesses, with limited edition artwork entitled “Challenges Are Our Fire” or “Los desafíos son nuestro fuego.”

We sat down with Luis and discussed some of his favorite ways to stay inspired and live a balanced life while continually evolving as an artist, an entrepreneur and a person. If you’re interested in learning more, read on.

Finding Inspiration

Luis constantly draws inspiration from his vibrant, colorful Latin American culture.

“I'm very fond of my Mexican, Latin American culture, so for me, that is the base of everything that I do. I took that vision as my creative path. When creating this piece for UPS, initially I became inspired by my friends and family as well as Latinx small business owners that I know.”

In ‘Challenges Are Our Fire’, Luis strived to represent the incredible diversity of that world and the business owners that thrive within it.

“I am always excited to see business owners that I know opening their new restaurants or clothing lines, striving to show something different, exciting and colorful. I illustrated so many elements for this collaboration. So every Latino or Latinx business owner can relate.”

Balancing Business and Creativity

Luis feels that being organized is key, as it keeps the mind uncluttered, making room for creativity to flourish.

“I think you have to focus on what you're capable of doing one day at a time and get organized in order to enjoy both the business side and the creative side. Staying focused and being organized are great ways to enjoy your profession or your creative path, your calling.”

Then Luis reminded us not to underestimate the power of asking for help and delegating certain tasks: “And you offload some of the business stuff to your agent” he said with a laugh.

Overcoming Creative Burnout

Rather than forcing progress when the ideas aren’t flowing, Luis takes a step back and gives himself space away from the project in order to recharge.

“Usually when I have this “famous creative burnout”, I think it's very important to be able to stop doing whatever I'm currently working on and switch my environment or take my mind to another thing. I think in my case, taking a walk is a great way to beat creative burnout. It makes you think about other ideas and see the world from a different perspective. Whatever you're doing, taking that walk or changing your environment is very important.”

He made a point to emphasize the importance of relying on intuition to lead you to produce work that’s unique and truly represents you as the creator.

“You have to feel that good energy and communication between the parts that support the message you want to share with the world. I think that without that essence, it's very difficult to come up with something unique that speaks to you and your values.”

Balancing Work and Wellness

The past year was a challenge for business owners of all kinds and Luis was no exception. Like his peers, those challenges taught him valuable lessons.

“Personally, the biggest lesson that I learned is to take time for myself and do the best that I can. We tend to be hard on ourselves, so it's very important to create that balance between your work and your wellness.”

And he took the opportunity to try new things, an important step for anyone seeking to grow into their best self.

“Last year gave me a gift of reinventing my graphic style, getting to experience more mediums and be open to new experiences. I think that’s a good approach for any situation. I think we can all strive to be better versions of ourselves.”

For more small business advice, keep checking back and follow us on social media! Our series will continue to feature insights from small business owners across the country and beyond. You can also read more about the Proudly Unstoppable program.