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Close Encounters of the Delicious Kind…

We’ve all heard of little green men from outer space. But how ’bout little green ramen from outer space? If ever a hostile UFO visited Earth and demanded we give them a reason to preserve the planet, I bet one taste of a ramen dish would be the key to saving the world. And graphic designer Daniel Teixeira has created a minimal ramen/UFO mashup so good that it would make the Ancient Aliens guy think that he must have had help from beyond the stars.

We talked to Daniel about this outta this world design, what other food he would give to aliens if they visited Earth, and about his nature-influenced art. Check out what he had to say below!

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First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name is Daniel, I’m 30 years old, I live and work in Porto – a beautiful city in Portugal. More than passionate about my profession, I’m really into wine and gastronomy.

The WIP version of “Snow Flake”

You feature animals in many of your pieces – is nature a big influence for you?

Nature is the greatest influence for me. When I travel, I always look for places which can provide me natural landscapes and environments. I’ve always been inspired by the landscape, animals, and their textures.

A cover design Daniel did for Greenality.

Working as a graphic designer, does your work art style differ from your personal art style? 

As a graphic designer, I develop commercial work where the public varies a lot. My work as an illustrator is much more personal; it is where I put my soul and my experiences.

“From Outer Space”

Tell me a little bit about this design! 

Normally my ideas start from some element that I deconstruct and give a new life. When I mischaracterized the bowl, I realized that it had a shape like a UFO. From here, I tried to redefine its concept and turn the message across.

“From Outer Space” on a few different products! Top row: men’s tank, heavy duty phone case, and women’s zip-up hoody | Bottom row: square art print, kid’s tee, and fleece blanket.

This seems a bit different than your normal style, more minimal – was this experimental for you or just fun?

I like to get out of my comfort zone. I like to try different styles, as you can see in my last entries for Threadless. Sometimes there are ideas that do not match with my personal style and it is very enriching for me to be able to work in different ways.

“From Outer Space” in action complete with Ramen-y goodness.

If aliens came to Earth, what kind of food would you give them?

I am sure they would have a good experience with the comforting food of my country. Such as “Francesinha”, a typical Porto dish.

“Sparrows” from Daniel’s Artist Shop.

How does Porto, Portugal influence your artistic eye and inspiration?

Porto is an incredible city, but it is not a city that inspires me, especially in my illustrations. The Countryside, yes, is inspiring! I hope one day to live in a farm surrounded by animals, always accompanied by my glass of wine.

“Mind Control”

What’s your art and design philosophy?

Try it; do not be afraid to make a mistake, get out of the comfort zone!

Shop the design now!

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Carlyn Hill

Dad joke aficionado, cartoonist, & contributor for sites like HelloGiggles and The Mary Sue by night. When I'm not writing or drawing, you can find me in my cave of a room hanging out with my boyfriend, Netflix.