Tell us a little bit about yourself! When did you start creating?
I have always loved illustrated books and comics, just as I have always adored using my imagination to step into fantasy worlds and live adventures alongside the characters in the books I read. Creating adventures and imaginary places of my own soon became a necessity, and drawing was the most immediate way to do it.
I remember one particular day in elementary school when my desk mate complimented me on my beautiful drawing, it was a wonderful acknowledgment and a great feeling, and from that moment on, I never stopped picking up a pencil.
How would you describe your artistic style in three words?
- Coloured
- Personal
- Always evolving
Can you walk us through your typical creative process? Do you sketch first or dive straight in?
When I start a new project, I tend to take a few minutes to meditate in silence. It helps me mentally visualize the best solution for whatever situation lies ahead. For example, if I am given a written text to illustrate, I like to take the time to read it several times and truly understand it, to picture the places and characters in my mind, to imagine their lives and behaviors even beyond the story itself, and to form my own personal interpretation.
Right after that, I begin by making a few quick sketches to give shape to these thoughts, and then I start researching to strengthen my ideas. Places, clothing, style, color, there are many ingredients that make an illustration convincing, and I like to explore each of these elements individually, because what I create are true and proper stage settings.
What creative conundrum have you had in the past six months and how did you solve it?
Recently, I had the pleasure of working on a search and find book, one of those in which dozens and dozens of characters are illustrated, and the reader must find certain objects or characters in order to progress through the story. It was something new for me, and from the very beginning I knew it would be quite challenging: there would be a huge number of characters, and everything had to be optimized due to the project’s timeline.
I therefore decided to create several different sets of bodies, heads, and accessories, and then mix them together to multiply the possibilities of having different characters. This method allowed me to always produce unique characters while considerably reducing production time.
In the end, the combinations turned out to be a lot of fun to create, and the project benefited greatly from it.
What can a client do to help you when briefing?
Create a clear email that puts in writing all the important things that were discussed, such as measurements, deadlines, fees, and so on.
Draw yourself as a character in your favourite book, tv show or film!
What is your drink of choice?
I couldn’t live without a nice cup of coffee in the morning and after lunch.
What is a song that makes you want to get up and dance?
I think that song could be Burning Love by Elvis.
How would you describe your agent, Lucie Ludds, in three words?
- Nice
- Helpful
- Dynamic
And finally, what’s the best piece of advice you’d give to an illustrator just starting out?
Sometimes, as illustrators, we’re in a hurry to start drawing. For me, it’s very important to dedicate part of my time to thorough research in order to better understand what I’m about to illustrate.
Anecdotes, historical facts, technical details, and photographic references — it’s also a great way to make our work more interesting for us illustrators.
