Graphic Zoo

Trading in his spray can for a virtual one, graphic designer and artist Abe Viljoen aka “The Given” has composed a series of animals in a striking graffiti style.

Patiently crafted by Abe, The Iron Animal Series is composed completely in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet. “The initial image is based on source material of the animal in question,” says Abe. “Usually I stitch a few images together to get the exact pose or look I am going for. From then on out I change, add and manipulate the image how I want.”

These captivating images take an average of 18 hours to create, which Abe considers time well spent – and we agree. He said the idea for the Iron Animal series, which depicts “industrial animals”, dawned on him one evening in 2011 while he was racking his brain for inspiration for a new project. “Animals are constantly evolving, so what happens when their environments are gone and then need to adapt to the new industrial world around them?” Abe asks. Currently at 10 pieces, Abe said his latest animal, the Cobra, might be the last as he looks for fresh inspirations in the New Year, “but I might still have one or two more in the bag,” he quickly adds.

As a lead designer for a promotional company during the day, Abe spends his free time sharing his abundance of creativity on The Given, which has been a finalist twice in the SA Blog awards for Best Designed Blog. Since its inception in 2004 as a street art initiative known as “Question the Given”, Abe’s blog has morphed into a clothing brand, and now a graphic design hotspot.

Keep an eye on what Abe gets up to this year by following him on Twitter. You can also order signed prints of the Iron Animal series, just drop Abe a mail.

More information: http://blog.thegiven.co.za, info@thegiven.co.za