NYU Senior Doodles A Fantasy World Full Of Creepy Critters

By Ian Hartz

NYU Senior Juan Espinal spends his days in class doodling up a storm, creating characters in his own little fantastic world. While some of his work is disturbing, all of it mirrors his goofy, exuberant personality. We sat down with Mr. Espinal to go over his work, his inspirations, and to try to figure out where these bizarre creatures come from.

What kind of stuff do you like to draw?

I like ghosts, ghouls, goblins, beans, space. It’s kind of a mish mosh of sickly sweet cartoons and horrendously disgusting tongues, and mouths, and saliva and stuff.

Do you have any artists that you look to for inspiration?

I would say some people that inspire me, just through the fact that they’re heavily imbedded in my psyche from my childhood, like Doctor Seuss. I always found, especially as I grew older, how spectacularly simple yet complex his ideas were. Something like The Giving Tree kind of embodies the spirit of being a parent and giving everything to your child, but it’s boiled down to something like a boy and his tree. Ren & Stimpy, which when I was younger I used to hate because it was too gross, I now love. It has something to do with how I express myself today. Pretty much 90s cartoons like Rocko’s Modern Life and Spongebob, things that I probably should have grow out of a decade ago, still penetrate my life.

How long have you been drawing?

I’ve always doing it on the sly, like on my homework and my notes during class. I always thought of it as a distraction and something that I shouldn’t be doing. I used to hide it but I’d do it every class. So I’d say I’ve been drawing since like first grade. I remember when I learned how to draw 3D block letters and that was it for me. This girl in my class complimented me and I thought I was going to marry her and that was going to be my life but I’m still working on that.

Would you describe your drawings as cartoons?

No, just because I think that has more polish to it. I really consider my stuff doodles. A cartoon to me has much more weight. It has story, it has plot, it has animation. I consider my stuff a side funky doodle project fantasy world.

Do you have any big aspirations for your work?

Yea, absolutely. I would love to see it taken to the next level and see some of them animated. See their saliva drip down their mouth, their tummies jiggling, and their arms dragging on the floor. I hope to see some of them moving and get them on children’s shows. Maybe fuck up some children’s lives.

Are you trying to make any sort of social commentary with any of your work?

If you look at this one, which is a doodoo on the floor, then sort of, kind of. It says “There always has to be a # 2,” which is true, but most of the time, no. People can read into it, but it’s more just for fun. Maybe after I write it I can attach some meaning to it, I just make them up in the moment. Some of them do but I don’t think I’m smart or witty enough for them to carry much meaning.

Are there any stories or recurring characters in your work?

Yes, snails. Snails are recurring characters in my work, as well as snail-like characters. They’re something that hit me near and dear. This summer I was relatively homeless, sleeping on my friends couch. I lived out of my backpack. I lived my life like a snail, carrying my life on my backpack. There’s something really noble about an animal that can carry it’s life with it in its entirety. We can’t really do that as humans. Also, they’re funky and sticky and gross and nasty. They look like aliens. There’s something really great about snails.

After that, Mr. Espinal asked if he could include a final thought:

As much as I like to draw and I really do like to get my ideas down, one of my favorite things is to get other people to do it. It’s kind of hard but if you throw a bunch of art supplies in front of them they’ll do it. They find it really theraputic. I don’t think I have that much skill, but I think it’s worth it to just do it. Everyone should do it. It truly accesses a different part of your brain and makes you think differently for a small amount of time, which is refreshing. If you give yourself space to kind of cut loose and do something different, you’ll be doing something different.

Look out for more of Juan’s work on his Flickr. Right now it is predominantly photography, but he promises that there will be more funky critter doodles popping up soon.

Photos by Nadia Hassan.