Dan Matutina is a creative guy who likes mixing things up. Based in the Philippines, Dan is a designer and illustrator, founder of a social enterprise design agency (Ideals), and he’s recently started a graphic design studio Plus63 Design Co.  Dan describes his illustration style as a mix of handmade and digital, clean and dirty, old and modern aesthetics. He loves mixing colours with different textures and shapes to tell a story.

Hi Dan, tell us how you got started out.  I went intro entrepreneurship after three years of working in advertising. My friends and I got a startup grant to start our own design studio. I enjoyed my work in advertising, but I really wanted to do graphic design.

What is a typical day like for you? I spend most of my time in the studio, working on illustration and design projects. I arrive at the studio really early in the morning and start my day with this routine: brew coffee (I love coffee), play video games, read the news and then begin work. We do a lot of creative related work.  I also love inviting designer & creative friends over the studio for food & coffee.  Apart from working on design projects, I also a lecture at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts (my alma mater).

And, enjoying your work? Yeah, I enjoy my work because it’s what I really wanted to do. It’s a mix of work and play, so it’s fun.

Where do you get your inspiration from?  I find inspiration everywhere: old books, my old journals, online, conversations with friends and film.