A minute with: Nicos Nipat, visual artist

Where do you live?
In my bachelor pad in Nicosia.

What did you have for breakfast?
Yoghurt, wheat bran, honey and herbal tea.

Describe your perfect day
A day where everything goes according to plan and includes a cup of coffee at the park with good company, while sketching people passing by.

Best book ever read?
How to Think When You Draw with Lorenzo book series as it has so many amazing tips on sketching just about anything.

Best childhood memory?
When we were kids, during the summer we would usually go to the beach on Saturdays and to the mountains on Sundays. I enjoyed more the Sunday journey, sitting under the trees at Troodos enjoying the cool air and chilling on the camp bed while listening to nature’s sounds.

What is always in your fridge?
Ingredients for a quick turkey sandwich.

What music are you listening to in the car at the moment?
Whatever Active Radio or Kanali 6 plays while I’m driving. I get a little bit more excited when a 70-90s rock song comes up!

What’s your spirit animal?
Never thought about it. Perhaps the Capricorn, since it’s my zodiac sign? Googling their key characteristics, it doesn’t seem too far off!

What are you most proud of?
My ability to come up with sketch ideas that combine several elements in my surroundings, in a relatively short time.

What movie scene has really stayed with you?
The scene from Ratatouille where Anton Ego tastes Remy’s food for the first time. Who doesn’t enjoy legendary warm comfort food!

If you could pick anyone at all (alive or dead) to go out for the evening with, who would it be?
Years ago, John Malkovich visited Cyprus as part of a theatre production tour and on a Saturday morning while I was enjoying my coffee with my friends at Kala Kathoumena café in Ledra Street, I saw him come to the café. He sat at a few tables across from me. Dressed in casual comfy clothes and ordered a glass of frappe. Although I’m not the biggest conversationalist, I somehow felt a real connection with the guy as he seemed really approachable and easy going. I was just content with taking his photo from far away, but I still wonder how it would go if I went to him and chatted him up. I’m sure he would have a ton of interesting and funny stories to share!

If you could time travel when/where would you go?
I would like to go back to my mid-twenties and stay there forever. Good times.

What is your greatest fear?
Oohh so many to choose from! Maybe I will go with Loss. Not a fan of that one!

What would you say to your 18-year-old self?
Probably nothing. Every obstacle, bad moment or good moment has led to where I am today, which is not a bad place to be.

Name the one thing that would stop you dating someone
Hm..I’m not a big fan of people who are controlling and disrespectful. I lean more towards the chilled types.

If the world is ending in 24 hours, what would you do?
Blow my money on naughty pleasures probably! But then again, experience has shown me that when time comes, we don’t always respond to a situation the way we thought we would.

Nicos Nipat is a self-taught visual artist and illustrator. He makes use of traditional and digital media to create cartoons and comic books offering a funny take on everyday situations. He is currently working on a on a comic book called Sanctuary. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with his monthly meetings at of Urban Sketchers Cyprus