Mermaids are my favorite mythological creatures! That’s why every year I’m super tempted, but this is the first time I’ve actually participated in #mermay. I spent a long time thinking about what kind of mermaid I would like to make. After researching many styles, I felt very inspired by the beautiful illustrations of Spanish artist Gemma Capdevila, so I decided to reinterpret her mermaids. In fact, Gemma’s works are all beautiful and poetic, and I recommend taking a look. Here’s a little bit of the step-by-step process:

This illustration is no more than 15 cm wide, and what always strikes me about this type of result is how much beauty can be created with a limited color palette. For the initial outline, I used a UniPin 0.05 pen, and for the filling, Pentel watercolors. It was done on a Canson Mix Media A4 pad.

Finally, I digitally added the boats and the lighthouse, which I painted separately some time ago in another sketchbook.

Meu Quarteliê was born when I was still living at Dona Amélia’s in 2016. I’d been renting rooms for years and, in this small townhouse, I lived with at least four other people. It was only natural that I spent a lot of time in the room. One day I stuck some paintings on the wall, quit my job (I worked in a marketing agency) and decided to doodle every day. The room had become a temple and, some time later, people nearby began to visit it in exchange for watercolor tips. The next thing I knew, that little room where I made everything happen was, after all, the Meu Quarteliê!

After I started teaching at Espaço Rosa Vento, I felt the need to expand to a larger space, perhaps finally a house of my own. I found the ideal place in Largo do Machado, right at the subway entrance.

I concentrated my illustrated books on long shelves ♥, organized all my drawing and painting materials in a cabinet designed just for that purpose, hung my paintings on the wall, placed a large white table in the center, hung flowered curtains on the window, and added a fern for good luck. My Quarteliê was finally ready, proving that dreams can come true. And since then, I have also been offering regular Watercolor Illustration for the Curious courses at home.

This year, classes at Quarteliê will resume on February 16, and if you are interested, don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule your trial class.🌻

I think the most wonderful thing that happened to me in 2017 was joining the team of permanent teachers at the Rosa Vento. This place, run by a small group of three women who are as idealistic as they are engaged into make things happen, aims to offer holistic therapeutic courses and workshops focused into self-healing and knowledge.

At first Rosa was located at the charming Vila do Largo do Machado. But as the project grew, they ended up moving to a bigger house in the Humaitá neighbourhood. Now it was possible to have a room exclusively dedicated to creative activities and that’s how crochet, embroidery and watercolor became essential part of Rosa’s weekly program.

That was the first time I was lecturing to adults, and I was really nervous at my first open class. But I was so lucky to meet incredible people right away who trusted me and my work and signed up for our course, making me a more confident professional and a better person, for sure. I found out that I love teaching and I’m already hoping that, alongside my illustrated projects, I’ll be able to do it forever.

I was invited to make an open workshop at the wonderful Solar do Cosme, a charming inn charmosa located at the Cosme Velho’s neighbourhood, next to the Cristo Redentor and litteraly hidden in the woods!

The idea was to bring to the inn a new experience not only for the guests but also for those subscribed to the program. The Solar, that is obviously used to welcome people from all over the world, is also used to host various artistic, cultural and gastronomic events.

At the end we had four open classes, a full weekend where I met tons of nice people who were curious/willing to learn more about watercolor and drawing techniques.

You can find more photos of this lovely weekend by clicking over here. 🙂

Thank you Solar for this wonderful opportunity!