Mar

Adult at Play: The Creative Mind of Javier Pérez

by Sheron Long on March 10, 2014

Open notebook with an illustration turning the spiral into the face of a crocodile, showing how the creative mind of Javier Pérez uses imagination to see things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

Presto! And it’s the spiral smile of a crocodile (in profile)!
© Javier Pérez

A Simple Matter of Imagination

Javier Pérez sees things differently. His creative mind is full of the imagination that many adults tucked in a drawer a long time ago. And he likes to play.

Photo of the artist Javier Pérez, whose creative mind and imagination allows him to see things differently.

Javier Pérez says,
“I just want to create.”
© Javier Pérez

Pérez works as a graphic designer and audiovisual producer in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

But for his own amusement, each week he collects ideas, does sketches, and selects his best. Every Saturday, he works up 3 or 5 images that he then publishes over the next week.

Adult play and adult discipline. That’s a good process for creative success. As Pérez says:

“Create every day. No matter your skills.”

Why? Just Because It’s Fun

When Pérez looks in a drawer, it’s not to find his imagination. Instead he pulls out everyday objects—pliers, screws, old scissors—and he turns them into art.

Two open pliers that form the torso and legs of cowboys finished with imagination in line drawings from the creative mind of Javier Perez. (Image © Javier Pérez)

A couple of cowboys click their spurs.
© Javier Pérez

The combination of 3D objects and simple lines is a pleasing graphic effect, but it’s the inventiveness of the idea that puts the smile on your face. How clever to see bow legs and overalls in a pair of pliers!

Or a dancer’s legs in the blades of scissors. All she needs are slippers—some simple lines do the trick.

Open blades of scissors with shoes drawn at the tips to resemble human legs, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez. (Image © Javier Pérez)

Two legs ready to cut loose in dance
© Javier Pérez

Pérez says he most often starts with the object. He must first see it differently, not for what it is but for what it can be. Then, in about 30 minutes, he adds the illustration—and that’s the fun of it!

Drawing of a porcupine with screws used to form the quills, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez who sees things differently. (© Javier Pérez)

Pérez imagined a porcupine. What could you make
with a scatter of screws?
© Javier Pérez

Pérez has fun, and he describes where that can lead:

“I began to create these drawings because they were fun to do. When I had barely 1000 followers on Instagram, I don’t think any of us understood the potential of this technique. But I started seeing their appeal once they were published on Buzzfeed.”

Hungry for Simplicity

The popular appeal of the drawings derives from their simplicity, not only the clean, minimal lines but their reliance on the objects of everyday life.

Drawings of a trumpet made from a paperclip and an old phonograph made from a flower, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier © Javier Pérez, who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

The brilliant simplicity of Pérez’ illustrations is a treat for the eyes and music to the ears.
© Javier Pérez

Sometimes, just the hint of a line adds the charm.

Drawings of a dog and a cat with Scrabble tiles placed to form the bodies, all from the creative mind of Javier Pérez, who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

There’s more than one way to play with Scrabble tiles.
© Javier Pérez

And when Pérez plays with food, he gets especially creative.

Drawing of an IV tube with catsup package added to serve as the bag, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez. (Image © Javier Drawing of an IV tube with catsup package added to serve as the bag, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez)

Burgers come alive with a ketchup transfusion.
© Javier Pérez

Drawing of globe stand with a cookie added for the globe and North and South America sculpted from the filling, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez. (© Javier Pérez)

Can you find Ecuador, the sweet spot where Javier Pérez lives, on this globe?
© Javier Pérez

Anyone Can Play

Pérez started drawing as a boy and never quit, but for many adults the responsibilities of life have stifled imagination. Creative play is a way for adults to recapture it.

The play can take many forms—drawing, cooking, journaling, storytelling, imagining new worlds in video games, music-making, and more. In fact, you can get started right now with this Imagination app from Paul Neave, a web designer in London.

Pérez sees value in the creative process, and he believes that everyone is creative:

“It’s important to create everyday so the mind stays active. With creativity, we can solve problems—easy and hard—in our daily lives.”

Drawing of an artist's palette with M&Ms placed as the paint, all from the creative mind and imagination of Javier Pérez who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

Dr. Ben Michaelis, a psychologist writing in the Huffington Post, affirms the importance of imaginative play. His thesis? Play is the four-letter word that will change your life.

To kickstart your adult imagination, the essential ingredient in creative play, follow these words of wisdom from Pérez:

“My advice is that you take in a lot of art, movies, anything that opens up your mind to infinite possibilities.”

Just taking in these charming illustrations from the creative mind of Javier Pérez is a good place to start. Surely, they inspire people to see things differently. Over and over, they made me smile and say, “Oh, I see.” What about you?

Drawing of a submarine made from placing a bent straw on top of blue paper, all from the creative mind of Javier Pérez, who sees things differently. (Image © Javier Pérez)

Keep up-to-date with Pérez’ latest work at Instagram. Pérez set a personal challenge to create something every day in 2013. See the results at 364 Ideas on Tumbler.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Sheron Long 2 Comments

Clever Ideas/The World's Art & Design

Comments:

2 thoughts on “Adult at Play: The Creative Mind of Javier Pérez”

Anda on April 11, 2017 at 2:38 am said:

I love your art so creative

Reply ↓
Kurt Graf on March 17, 2014 at 9:53 am said:

What a clever, whimisical way to re-spark a stifled imagination. I’d like to see Javier team with a children’s book author and use his works as the illustrations. It could serve as a spingboard to help children see everyday objects in a more creative way. Part of the fun is the simplicity. A child could easily do it.

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