Producing aesthetically stunning still life visuals and videos, the contemporary Barcelona-based design studio Six n Five caught our attention, and it’s clear why. Apart from working in the advertising, editorial and commercial fields, the studio also plays with experimental designs and techniques which are legitimising CGI [Computer-Generated Imagery] as the new creative medium. The man behind the studio, Ezequiel Pini, shared some details regarding his pioneering work to create poetic yet edgy compositions which are making a mark in the world of digital art.
Why do you think Six n Five has managed to set themselves apart from other design studios?
I think we spent many years focused on our own things. Every year we try to learn and explore new fields and that gives us the advantage to produce content and images in new forms, including working in fields that haven’t been explored yet using CGI. In addition, we also like to produce something for the viewer – a feeling, a smile, pleasure or even discomfort, so the creation of a concept always plays a vital role in our projects.
What kind of projects would you say you are generally drawn to?
My weakness when it comes to projects are the collaborative ones that we create with people we admire. If the project is specifically for a client – even better! Otherwise we use our free time to develop our ideas and offer collaborations on the side. Lately, timing is something we are trying to figure out constantly due to the many interests we are receiving, many of which are incredibly interesting and difficult to say no to. We’re working very hard since the end of last year but I’m happy doing so, and in some of our upcoming projects we are already teaming up with some talents we really look up to!
You specialise in still life visuals and modern aesthetics – is advertising of this nature becoming more popular and relevant?
Definitely. I think this type of style is growing parallel to the use of technologies in art. In our case, there are more contemporary designers that are taking 3D as a tool to project their ideas and it’s becoming more popular and relevant every day. CGI gives infinite possibilities to make beautiful visuals with a realistic look and brands are also attracted to this form of design because they are able to show their products, materials and convey a concept in an environment which would not be possible otherwise.
What has been your favourite project to work on and why?
My favourite projects are those where we have enough time for free explorations. I like briefs but only which encompass few words as well as some key images for reference which is usually enough to begin to play around with ideas. We like to start to think of the main concept in the initial stages – this time in which we explore the concept is crucial in a project because it lets us find new aesthetics, and those usually come from accidents during the process of design. I love when after trying new ideas something suddenly appears, almost by accident, all of which requires time to play around without pressure.
Would you say diversity plays an important role in the success of Six n Five?
Absolutely. I must confess this diversity makes me wonder whether we have our own style. We design a dream landscape, an interior, a video of something unreal, or a typography illustration – I love this diversity, and it is an advantage due to the tools that we use which allow us to recreate ideas with realistic images. Personally, I think it is interesting because we never get bored of what we do. We also constantly try to push ourselves to generate new content and projects when we are not working for clients or on a deadline because it allows us to breathe and take time to explore new fields for ourselves.
How does being based in Barcelona fuel the creativity of your studio?
Barcelona is my favourite since I had visited it as a tourist. Living in a place where people speak the same language, being closer to the beach and to the mountains, having different cultures in the same place and interesting events constantly happening fuel my well-being and inspiration. I grew up in Argentina and in South America we are used to traveling long distances to get to another town, city, or province. I now I feel assured knowing that I have many interesting places and events to take inspiration from which are only a short flight away.
What does the rest of 2019 have in store for Six n Five?
From a commercial side, we have started a dream project that will take a few months of development and design to complete. We can’t reveal too much but it will be online around mid-time this year, and I truly believe that this project will position the studio to receive more exposure and show a greater audience what we love to do. From an experimental point of view, we will definitely continue to collaborate and try to push our own limits when it comes to producing something which creates a reaction from the viewer.
sixnfive.com
Instagram: @sixnfive
Instagram: @ezequiel.pini