About whacko chacko
Ashwin Chacko is an illustrator & designer living and working in Dublin.
He is interested in uncovering the social interactions that drive culture. He seeks to capture these moments in bold lines & shapes, his compositions focus on a strong use of characters intermingled with typography and patterns.
Ashwin specializes in positive visual storytelling. He helps companies connect with their audience through illustrations & design. He also does public speaking for events & runs creative workshops.
He likes to describe his work as “positively playful” and we must say, we absolutely agree!
Q & A
1. Where are you from?
I am originally from India, I moved to Dublin, Ireland 4 years ago.
2. What inspires your art?
More than the act of drawing, I think the story behind the drawing, has always been my driving force. As an introverted child, drawing for me was a way to experience the world around me and to express myself. This ability to communicate a story through a visual language has always fascinated me. The act of drawing, to remember or to tell a tale, goes back to our ancestors leaving a mark in the caves they inhabited. The act is very intimate and intuitive. A story has an ability to reach past the many filters and walls we build and to touch the heart.
This urge to tell a story is very present in my work today. I think a huge factor for me, is bringing a sense of joy or encouragement through my work. I like to tackle serious or unconventional topics in a light- hearted humorous way, to allow for the viewers to see the piece and smile, but walk away with something deeper, something that hopefully touches the heart.
3. What does "YOU ARE OK." mean to you? What came to mind when starting this design?
The phrase “YOU ARE OK,” brought to mind a positive outlook on life. To me it’s the internal dialogue that is encouraging me to be optimistic and then pass on that sense of encouragement to someone else. With this idea of encouraging someone else’s mind I created the illustration of the two people hi-fiving each other, it encapsulates the sense of comradery; a shared hope, a sense of being in it together.
4. What other creative things are you working on?
At the moment I am working on my second children’s book about Fear. I am also constantly creating new prints and designs for apparel for my own shop.
5. How can someone purchase your art?
The best place to get my art & apparel is to go to my website www.whackochacko.com/store If you don’t see a design you like from my Instagram @whackochacko available, feel free to reach out to me directly and I’ll get it made for you. You can also email me at hello@whackochacko.com