Tony Aguero’s Retro Art Deco Designs

Tony Aguero aka Aliadotony is a Graphic Design Guru from Costa Rica. He describes himself as “a communicator of his thoughts through graphic visuals”. We describe him as “a ruddy good designer”. Tony has been working in the design industry for 15 years-ish and has racked up 8 prints for DBH. Let’s jump right in and ask this talented fella some questions.

Tony Aguero’s Print Artwork

Q: Hi Tony, tell me what living in Costa Rica is like?

A: It is a big question indeed! Well what can I say? It is nice, but at the same time limited. It’s a tourist place, beaches, mountains, incredible places but the graphic scene is very small.

Q: What have you been up to? Have you been working on any special projects or freelance gigs you think we need to hear about?

A: Not really…I mean I love doing freelance design but I have a day job so basically I work like a regular human being in the machine…I am working though on a design for a special project involving children and war and an apparel company in Pakistan bought a couple of pieces, oh! and the Torso book that’s about it …I think.

Q: Do you freelance full-time or do you have a day job too, if so what is it?



A: I have a day job as I mentioned before I am a Sr. Art Director at Schematic a digital agency, so my work is about merging design and technology


Q: Your style is striking and very bold in color, I like that. Is it intentional, have you always wanted to bring bold to the masses?

A: Thanks for the comment! Well I have never see my work in just one single style. I think I like to work with lots of influences. I basically come from the skate world of the 80’s where designs were heavy stroked, heavy in color and yes I love bringing something to the masses. To me the point is to design something that speaks out. The world is full of illustrators and designers, good ones, but all they do is create pretty images, to me the idea is more important. Tell something to the people.

Q: ATTACK77 is one of my favorite shirts. Tell me how the design came about, what is your process?

A: This one is really hard! I don’t have like the same process always, but I usually think of an idea, that most of the time I don’t know how it will work on a shirt or how am I going to do it. Attack for example I just said I would love to have a t-shirt with a Japanese pilot on it…so then the sketch comes along then ink, scanner, and illustrator…In the end I always think in terms of “do something you would wear”.

Q: Your work was recently featured in T-shirt book I believe, how was that? I bet you have it on your coffee table, right?

A: Yeah and one on the bathroom too and one in the office ha! Well I was contacted by the editor and I really thought… this is a joke….“Gestalten”. In the end it happened and yes I’m there with 10 designs which I find and really amazing… Thanks to Daniel, actually it’s funny that one of the designs on the book is still being voted here…. hopefully you guys will print it!

Q: When you’re not designing T-shirts and generally not being creative, what do you get up to?

A: Movies, music, wine, playing with my dog, I can’t really say I disconnect from the design world, I’m always doing research on designs and trends with my phone or whatever at hand, I’m always thinking design…

Q: If you had to choose chocolate or cheese, which would it, be?

A: Cheese…with wine! Please

Q: Give me the name of one designer you think is amazing, both creatively and technically.

A: In the apparel world? I would say my hero was always Aaron Hogg…
VIVA DESIGNERS REPUBLIC!!!!

Q: If you could give new designers a few words of Tobias wisdom what would they be?

A: Probably nothing for me first I would buy stuff for my friends and family…..
after a ticket to Japan!!!!!!