What is the best thing that I love about my work? I think that the part I prefer in my job is the first visual interpretation of a subject. I love to transform simple words in something visible, giving life to a character or to an entire scene. Above all the concept phase of a project is always my favorite.

What is my idea of perfect happiness? I think that three things can fully explain my idea of a happy life: Waking up near the person i love. Being able to choose to work on a project because i Want to and not because I Need to. Always have time to spend with the people i care the most.

What is my greatest fear? Following the previous question i think that my greatest fear is to be enslaved by a work i hate, living paycheck to paycheck, with zero time for the things and the people I love.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? I hate that i’m kind of lazy in some ways. I tend to prefer the status quo, even if it’s not the best, rather than work to change it.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire? One of the most inspiring person I’ve met in the past is the Canadian artist Bobby Chiu. I really admire his passion and the energy he invests in pursuing his goals.

What is my greatest extravagance? I’m not really bizarre but i think that playing role playing games like D&D will be the best answer. I love to invent stories and characters and set them up for my friends. Also gardening and worm farming fit well in this section.

On what occasion would I lie? Usually i hate to lie to anyone (except to call center operators). I think i would lie to a friend only to save him from an unnecessary sorrow.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? I hate when the client is totally unprepared about something they are asking. Also i hate to be forced to sit on a chair in front of a PC screen for hours.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? I think it was after my first big client called me to sign the contract. It was the first time i realized that all those years of studying were worth the effort.

If I could, what would I change about myself? I wish i could be more focused on a single goal rather than have a ton of different ones. I like to have a sort of multi-target dream but sometime it’s very hard and stressful.

What is my greatest achievement in work? I would like to answer “being paid for my job” because client tends to prefer “visibility” instead of money but i think that the moment i prefer to remember is the first time i saw a book with my works on a library shelf.

What do the words ‘The Financial Freedom to Create’ mean to me? Choosing to work because you want to not because you need to.

Where would I most like to live? Hard to tell. I’ve always dreamed to live in a small farm on the mountains. Like i said before i have multiple dream lives but i still need to decide where to focus my energy. Wherever it will be the important thing is to be with the person i love.

What is my most treasured possession? My plants! I’ve thousand of plants in my garden and i really care about them.

What is my most marked characteristic? Physically i think it’s my beard. On another topic i think that the fact i love to run for very long distances is something people tend
to remember about me.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? I feel very inspired on the top of a mount behind where i live in my home town. It’s a good panoramic place, and i love to sit on the top, looking at the valley and the sea below. Obviously I can’t go there every day so I love to spend some time running or walking in the nature near my home, to recharge my battery.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? I basically live in two different cities right now, so i have multiple places i love. Top of the list there are two bakeries where i really love to spend time and have breakfast.

What books influenced my life and how? A lot! From my past i would say “Due di Due” by Andrea de Carlo and “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse. From my present they probably are “Le otto Montagne” by Paolo Cognetti and “Everythings That Remains” by Joshua Field Millburn. I see a lot of Stephen King in my future. All those books helps me to find my way through life.

Who are my favorite writers? Hard to tell. I don’t think i have a favorite writer. I love to read very different genre from athlete’s biography to fantasy books. I also read a lot of comic book and I’m a great fan of two Italian authors: Stefano Turconi and Teresa Radice. Normally I choose a book because I’m interested about the topic and not because of the author.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Probably some natural sounds playlist. I’m not really a music fan, i prefer to work in a silent environment or with very soft music in the background, but if I need to choose a song for my last day on Earth it will probably be “Hurt” by Johnny Cash.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? Donald Duck is one of my all time favorites. I love that it is a kind of an underdog but with a lot of potential and different alter egos (Pk, Double duck etc). For the same reasons I love the Doctor from “Dr. Who” a simple man with great power. On the female side I really admire River Song from “Dr. Who” and Ellie from “The Last of Us”, very resilient women with a great force of will.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? Without any doubt my mum and my partner. They are always there when I need them most. I really admire the Swedish ultra-runner Emelie Forsberg and her partner, the Spanish sky-runner Kilian Jornet. I’m also a huge fan of the American voice-actor and GM Matthew Mercer, one of the best narrators in the world.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime? “Citizen Kane”, “Up” and “Into the Wild” are my top three favorite.

What role plays art in my life and work? I think it’s a sort of lens that helps me to see life from a different perspective. I think art is everywhere, we only need to find it.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? My girlfriend Greta. She was my first fan and she played a key role in my decision to become an artist. She is the perfect Watson to my Sherlock. I also have another great partner in crime: my Irish setter Simba.

Whom would I like to work with in 2020? I would love to star a project with some of my closest friends that are also very good artists.

Which people in my profession would i love to meet in 2020? I think it would be nice to meet some of the best concept artists in the field like for example Darek Zabrocki and Eytan Zana.

What project, in 2020, am I looking forward to work on? It would be nice to work on a project in which I will be able to push myself out of my comfort zone, learning new things while working in a very stimulating environment.

Where can you see me or my work? The best way to see my works is on my Artstation account: https://www.artstation.com/beardedmanatee

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? That there will be always time to do things you are passionate about.

Which creative heroes should Peter invite to tell their story? Some of my closest friends are also great artists: Margherita Clemente, Lorenzo Melizza, Marco Capellazzi, Alba Francescaut, Cecilia Messina, Giacomo Treviglio, Flavio Carnevale, Ronnie Rossi
just to name a few.

How can you contact me? You can contact me via email at leonardo.ligustri@gmail.com