As both beer and design are two of the key interests closest to our hearts, the Visto Brahma packaging design contest had us rapt from the start. With a plethora of Brazil-flavoured entries, the competition was stiffer than a pre-breakfast cachaça, but in the end the best man turned out to be one Toby Whitebread. Originally of Rochester, the Manc Met masters graduate is currently taking a break out in Australia. We interrupted his vacation to ask him a bit about his art and adventures.

Right before this interview I was... down by the beach wishing I didn't have to wear my winter woollies! For the last six months I've been travelling around Australia and we are now in the middle of winter. I have based myself in Manly, across the harbour from Sydney, for the time being. Its such a beautiful spot even when my boardies (ed - I think this means trousers of inadequate length) are firmly in the wardrobe.

I will be using my £5000 prize to... buy a new Macbook and to stay on in Oz as long as possible. Part of being an artist is to seek out experience and harness it in your work somehow, with a new laptop I can work and play at the same time not to mention iChat with friends and family. Always good to make them a bit jealous back home!

Brazilian culture is... inspirational. From the music to the people, from the landscape to the artists, it's truly a unique place and definitely next on my list of places to visit. Given my passions for art and music, it could be somewhere else that I end up staying for the next six months.

My design represents this culture through... vibrant colours, a unique, creative approach and a lot of passion. I believe that it's important for good design to include a personal quality. My approach to image making always includes elements of handcrafted imagery with the digital. Finding balance between technique and technology is very important.

lately my work has been inspired by... everything around me. I try to take inspiration from as many different sources as possible. Magazines and journals can be just as inspiring as a walk down the street. I always have a camera or sketchbook with me to make visual notes for reference later on. I'm particularly partial to street art and silk screen printing, these textures and techniques always find a way to filter through into my images.

next i will be... looking to put together an exhibition or show of my personal work. I've become really interested in portraiture and would love to put together a show based upon that theme. My focus right now is to develop work for magazines, publication, fashion and the music industry.

There is still the People's Choice award to be decided by you, the people - and if you want extra incentive to vote, every voter will be entered into a draw to win £1,000, with additional weekly prizes of iPods, Brahma beer and the like. Cor blimey!

See more of Toby's work at his website www.new-analog.net