Camilo “Onlyjoke” Huinca is a graphic artist based in Santiago de Chile. He has been present in several local print media appearances related to fashion, design and skateboarding. Giving us a mixture of tasty colors, decks, wheels, fingers and visual exploration. We were curious about his work and influences, so we asked a few questions…
How long have you been skating and how this has influenced your work?
I’ve practised skateboarding for 12 years. Sure, a couple of years, in a very intermittent way, because of some injuries, job, studies, etc. But recently, I have given myself more time to enjoy it, with good old friends, and meeting new people.
In skateboarding (unlike most other sports) art is very present. Without elaborating any further, once you create your first deck you get the desire to personalize even more. It’s these designs then that give the identity to each brand. And then within those brands, everyone has their personal favourite. I have always been an admirer of the work of various brands. For instance, Wiston Tseng of Enjoi is one of my favorites. I think that he was the main influence of my studying graphic design.
I have always considered that within skating there is a world of people who do new things, or at least toy with the idea of something new. Lately your work reflects this world; what does it mean to you?
I think that skateboarding is one of the sports that encapsulates the street, and all that that implies. Necessarily you must understand the logic of the street, the danger involved and the interesting things which you, ideally, encounter everyday. Skateboarding helps to develop personality, the ability to gain respect, and respect others, the moves and space of others. It is also very important to be persistent, and deal with individual challenges. The people who start with this school and have an interest in art, are less afraid to show what they do and push to find new ways to develop it.
For me, the stories from the streets have always been attractive. I try to reflect on all those things that occur everyday, and those who have a relationship with skateboarding understand.
Where does the motivation to draw and develop your own expression of a world inhabited by characters arise?
I like to draw, I don’t know if I do it right or wrong, I just do it because I like it. When you draw, you constantly start to find new things or traits that are unwittingly repeated. When you like the results, you continue to do these things. I think that it is the first step to developing your own style. For a couple of years I have been developing a kind of fixation with those known as “flaites’’; their habits, manners, culture. I admire them a lot, the proud way that they show their points of view. I feel motivated by their gestures; sumptuous, sometimes shady or even violent.
What is the process you use to create your illustrations?
Mostly I start off by drawing a sketch in my notebook. I’m loyal to Posca. Portraying the idea with thick and simple lines, I try to summarize the idea until it is as practical as possible, making the idea understandable. Then scanner, photo and digital lines in the computer, or from the notebook to the canvas. I think that the message or the idea is more important than the technique or the way that you develop it. There are so many people with amazing technical talents, but at the end of the day it is just stylistic decoration, if you do not have a basis in something definite.
Who are the people who have inspired you recently to create?
There are a lot of artists and designers. I think the work of Ed Templeton, Keith Haring and Steven Harrington have been my inspiration.
What kind of anecdotes do you remember from skating? And how the are applied in your work?
Uff, the anecdotes are infinite. But, for what I do, I try to reflect on details and simple things, than general facts.
Who is your favourite artist in the skate scene?
I think the work of Arto Saari is amazing, I have always loved his style while he is skating. I remember when I saw him for the first time on the éS Menikmati video… I was hallucinating. In the Flip Sorry video, I was astonished too. I love Saari as a Photographer. He is so bound to skating, and is capable of reflecting the streets it in his photos in a very romantic, serious and elegant way.
And to finish. What is your favourite trick?
There are a lot that I love, but I think that the Ollie is the one which has always given me the most pleasure. Every single trick has it own complexity and satisfaction when you make it well. Some of them are more complex than others, of course. But the Ollie, is the most simple and practical.
You can see more of Onlyjoke’s work and updates on his blog and Instagram.
