GEORGE MANTA: “One Day You’ll Realize Your Style Was There All Along — You Just Had To Stop Searching So Hard To See It”

George Manta is a digital artist, illustrator from Argentina, and founder of his own design studio — someone who was never drawn to the traditional path or classical art education systems. George believes in self-education and is convinced that if you truly love what you do, you will succeed.

He works in the field of concert posters, portraying artists with a deep sensitivity — capturing their individuality while maintaining his own distinctive style.  According to the artist, his journey into creating concert posters began with his friends who played in local bands. It was the independent music scene that first opened the doors to art for him.

The artist’s main goal is to evoke emotions and create true works of art — not just serve as a visual tool to convey information about a concert. George has created posters for artists such as Paul McCartney, Dante Spinetta, The Rolling Stones, and many others. Most recently, he designed a poster for Paul McCartney's Got Back Tour 2025.

George shared with Drive Music Media his insights on the beginning of his artistic journey, his commission for Paul McCartney, the creative vision behind the concert poster, and the easiest and most challenging sides of the artistic profession.

Interviewer: How and when did your creative journey in digital art begin? What were your first steps, and what inspired you?

George: I’ve always been connected to visual arts and music. Since I was a kid, I used to draw all the time, and later I started painting. After high school, I studied Visual Arts — that’s where I learned about painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and a bit of graphic design. Eventually, I began exploring digital tools as another medium for creation. What inspired me in the beginning was curiosity and the need to express what music made me feel through images. The computer and tablet just became new tools for me.

 Interviewer: Tell us about your very first collaboration with musicians. Who was your first poster created for?

George: My first collaborations came naturally, through friends who played in local bands. I’ve always been part of the independent music scene, and that connection opened doors for me. The first poster I created was for a local show — nothing big at the time, but it was the moment I realized that what I loved most was translating sound into visuals. From then on, I never stopped. In 2013, I created my first poster for Devendra Banhart’s show in Buenos Aires — that was one of the key moments in my journey.

Interviewer: You use a consistent visual style for different bands and artists — how do you manage to find balance and convey the essence of each performer while staying true to your own genre? What do you focus on first when working on an illustration?

George: I think it’s about empathy and listening. When I work with a musician, I try to understand what they want to communicate and what energy their music gives off. My visual language has its own personality, of course, but I adapt the color palette, shapes, or composition to reflect the artist’s essence. I always start from a spontaneous idea — the first image that comes to my mind when I hear their music — and build from there. I rarely do too many sketches; I prefer to let the work grow organically while I experiment.

Interviewer: Recently, you had a collaboration with Paul McCartney — you created an official poster for his Got Back Tour 2025. How did you receive that commission, and what was most important for you in the creation process? How did the idea for the poster come about — did you have a specific brief, or did you portray Paul as you see him? And I noticed you gave him blue eyes — was that an artistic choice or simply a matter of color harmony and technique?

George: That commission came through the official team behind the tour. It was a huge honor — one of those moments you don’t really believe is happening. They gave me creative freedom, but with some general guidelines regarding the concept — which was simply to include a small reference to the city he was playing in that night. The most important thing for me was to represent Paul in a way that felt alive, full of light and music. The idea came quite intuitively — I wanted it to feel timeless but with a 70’s vibe. As for the blue eyes, it was mostly an artistic decision. Sometimes those choices are more instinctive than rational, and I can’t help them or explain..

Interviewer: Which of your illustrations holds the most special meaning for you — not in terms of collaborations with artists, but in your own vision? Why is this work the most important to you?

George: There’s one piece that represents a turning point for me — not because of who it was for, but because it captured everything I wanted my art to be: color, movement, emotion, and music translated into an image. It’s a personal work that reminds me why I started doing this in the first place — to awake emotions and create a work of art, not just to communicate information for a gig.

Interviewer: What do you find the hardest and the easiest in your field? Why?

George: The hardest part is managing everything yourself — being your own manager, designer, accountant, and promoter. It can be exhausting. The easiest part, if I can call it that, is the creative flow once I find the right direction. When the concept clicks, everything else feels natural, like the image is drawing itself. That feeling when you’re in “the zone” is dope.

Interviewer: What challenges have you faced on your way to success? What advice would you give to emerging artists?

George: Finding my own style was the biggest challenge. It took years of experimenting, feeling lost, trying things that didn’t work. But that’s part of the process. My advice would be: be real, stay curious, and don’t stop creating. Try everything, copy for learning if you need to, but then let go and trust your instincts. One day you’ll realize your style was there all along — you just had to stop searching so hard to see it.

Interviewer: What is something you would never depict, no matter the amount of money offered? Why?

George: Anything that promotes hate, discrimination, or violence. Art should connect and elevate people, not divide or hurt them. The world is already a broken place, si I try to make art that brings joy to people.

Interviewer: What projects are you currently working on?

George: I’m working on several posters and illustrations for international and local musicians, and also developing new screen-printed editions. I try to keep experimenting and pushing my boundaries with every project. But as usual, I can’t talk about these projects until they’re released.

Interviewer: What single word would you associate with your art? Why that one?

George: Emotion. Because that’s what I’m always chasing — that invisible spark that makes someone feel something when they see my work.

Interviewer: What mission do you see for yourself as an artist? Why this particular one?

George: To create pieces that communicate beyond their immediate purpose — posters that are not just for a concert, but that keep living and moving people after the music stops. In a chaotic world, I believe art can make life warmer, brighter, and more meaningful, and maybe help people reconnect with what truly matters, Love. That’s my mission. I also try to print as much of my art as possible, so it doesn’t get lost in pixels.

Pictures were provided by George Manta. The interview were written by Asya Radko