Graphic designer from Cuenca, one of the illustrators of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ for Netflix

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre He left us like this (amazed) and that is why we got together with 4 Latin American artists to ask them to make their own art from a film that is art”. It reads in a post from the Twitter account of Netflix Latin America, that accompany it with the four illustrations.

Among the four Latin Americans is the Ecuadorian graphic designer Pedro Tobar, originally from Cuenca. According to the publication of the platform streaming On the social network, Pedro about his creation said: “I researched Ed Gein, the real person Leatherface is based on, so I could represent death with the skulls, which gory with the spilled blood, the modern world with the smartphoneand the town of Harlow with desolate fields in the yellows”.

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To Tobar, 30 years old, they contacted him directly from Netflix through his Instagram account (@tuga.lines) in the second week of February, and before the end of the month the illustration was ready. “As I have a quite specific and marked style, and a very personal one on the subject of illustration, which is what I work on 80% of the day, then from there, as I use Instagram a lot as a portfolio, there I upload part of my personal projects, I upload works that I have done with brands”, the Cuencano tells this newspaper.

The fact of having been considered by the platform of streamingg says that it was a dream come true and, in turn, the recognition of the effort he has made during all this time, which has also been to seek opportunities like the ones now. “For me it was an achievement, a great emotion. Having worked with Netflix, a company of this size, is incredible, ”says Tobar, who adds that he performs a type of illustrated humor.

Regarding Netflix’s request to create the illustration, he comments that it was to focus on the film and from its conceptualization and its way of representing forms, capture it, for which the Cuencano first saw the film.

“I took out many references, influences, I wanted to highlight many elements that are quite representative of the film, starting with the main character, Leatherface. Based on a diagonal, I used the tool with which he committed these atrocities, which is the chainsaw. Starting from those elements, which are the main ones that stand out the most in the composition, then from there I started highlighting other types of elements”, explains the Cuencano, who also He has collaborated with Phraa (Raynner Alba), the Ecuadorian photographer who works with Maluma.

Tobar does not rule out the possibility of working with the platform again. “In the future, it may be the case of going back to work, to collaborate or be part of an illustration for the brand,” he says.

The beginning

Tobar graduated approximately six years ago in Graphic Design, at that time he had been very little involved in illustration, first he focused on design in general, he made labels, posters, posters; however, he later made his way into illustration. “I realized that it was something that filled me up a lot, I liked it a lot and it was good. From there I went ‘anichando’ to that public that needs more of the subject of illustration and brand design, those are my strengths and what today I practice almost 100% in those branches”, says Tobar, who works in independent way.

In addition to Netflix, the man from Cuenca has worked for national and international brands, such as La Cofradía, Muc Off, Clickbox, Dads Kitchen, Fourleaves, Liquide, among others.

He calls himself Tuga and that’s how he can be found on Instagram (@tuga.lines) and he says it came from the nickname his friends gave him when he was between 12 and 13 years old and he comes as a turtle, they teased him saying he had a shell. “I think I have generated a position with that name, so I stuck with it and it is easy to pronounce, to remember,” he maintains, adding that lines it’s because of the lines he uses in the illustrations.

The other three Latin Americans who also worked for Netflix were the Mexican Michael Sandoval, the Colombian women Natalie Roche and the Peruvian Melissa Siles de la Portilla.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre premiered on February 17 on the platform. (I)