Marco and Erica meet with Drawing Teacher and Gesture Artist Diego Lucia and discuss his path to art and his work as an online drawing teacher, as well as the magic that is created through the work of artists.

In this episode of Marco and Erica’s #TALKSHOW, the pair sits down for a call with Argentina’s own Diego Lucia. Through a long-distance conversation, they discuss many topics spanning the life and career of Diego and his hopes for the future, and how all of them continue to find inspiration for the art they create.

Diego Lucia is a gesture artist and drawing teacher who posts informative drawings and videos on his Instagram page and YouTube channel to help aspiring artists grow their talents for free. During the interview, our hosts are looking for explanations to questions such as: how and why Diego got his passion for art? Why does he want to share his talent with the world? All of this while the audience may be left wondering- “Where have Marco’s shoes gone?” 

Diego Talks About the Importance of Creating a “Wow Moment”

“I like to think of drawing as magic…We are basically drawing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface and that is impossible, so the only way to do it is through illusion.”

Despite having a mother who is also an artist, Diego notes that his Inspiration came from caricature artists on the coast of Argentina as a child. He does give some credit to his mother, however, when he says that he believes inspiration comes from everything and everyone that we interact with and acknowledges how that may have influenced his choice of career. 

Diego finds his inspiration and his audience, both as an artist and a teacher, through the idea of creating a “wow moment” and teaching others how to create their own. When comparing this with magicians that also have to deal with creating illusions and getting their audience to believe them, Diego finds himself with an understanding of art that gives him a deeper connection to the audience and that is something he wishes to share with others. 

How Diego is Finding a More Accessible Way to Teach Artists

As Diego decided to pursue art as he got older, he realized that there was a lack of accessibility for people with less money to spend on art lessons. As such, he developed a brand for himself as a drawing teacher through free platforms like Instagram and YouTube where he shares his gifts as an artist as a way to help other artists enhance and improve their skills. Within these platforms, he hopes to give artists the tools they need to be able to create their own “wow moment” and to give them the confidence necessary to follow their dreams. 

Serving as a drawing teacher has given Diego the clarity to recognize that his true passion comes from teaching others. He explains to Marco and Erica that every drawing that he does is not meant to follow conventional standards of finished art, but to teach the people who are looking at it as a lesson. He also describes how his experiences have allowed him to offer suggestions and guidance to his students and how his teaching methods are based on repetition.

Diego on the Pressures of Being a Professional Artist

“I really like to tell…younger people that they gotta go for what they want and what they enjoy doing.”

Following the ideology shared by our founders and hosts, Diego pushes for the younger generations to follow their dreams and passions and make that their focus in their lives. Similar to most creatives, Diego tells Marco and Erica that he felt a pressure to find his career as something with an established respect like a lawyer or a doctor, but continued his pursuit to becoming a full-time artist. This is a source of pride for Diego and he shares his love for being able to tell people that his career is being a drawing teacher. Seeking jobs that are sources of happiness and pride is a lesson he hopes to share with those who look to him for advice with their drawing. Marco and Erica enthusiastically agree with this sentiment and declare their support for creatives to be brave enough to make their dreams a reality.

What are Diego’s Plans to Keep Leveling Up?

Looking to the future, Diego believes that there is no “end-game” to his career, but instead that there are levels that he will keep advancing on with each day that passes. He has expanded his artistic talents to literature with his new manuscript and continues to find new materials and sources for his inspiration. The importance of continuing to find inspiration throughout their careers is a point that everyone agrees on, and they each share their own methods for doing so.

We close with the trio discussing the importance of a growth mindset and learning new things every day. Diego gives his thoughts on the subject by saying that by thinking that you have learned everything leaves you with nowhere to go. This can lead to a complete loss of passion for the things that you once loved. Watch the full interview for more tips and methods for finding inspiration and sources of growth in everyday life, alongside some playful banter about the differences of life in Argentina, the careers of creatives, and plans for the future!