INTERVIEW

Where were you born?  Where did you grow up?
I was born in Curitiba. I grew up on Rio de Janeiro and Vitória

Schooling?  Art training?
I'm graduated in Mathematics (yeah, I know, madness!) My art training has been done during my whole life, and is still happening. I was always a self taught student for this.

How long have you been working professionally in illustration?
About 3 years.

What things -- both in art and otherwise -- have you worked on, besides comics?  Are comics a full-time gig for you or part-time?
I've already worked in a iron and steel company and I was a Math teacher too. Fortunately I had the chance to work with drawings some years ago, and since then it's just what I'm doing.

 

Talk about how you broke into the business --was it easy? Hard? Ups? Downs? Any interesting anecdotes? When you held your first published work in your hands, how did you feel?
It took some time to happen. I started as an illustrator about 6 years, drawings comics for a friend, Estevão Ribeiro. I don't consider this works 'professional' works, because of both quality and low rates. Later we started to publish our comics in a newspaper with a character called Tristão. This char was pretty successful here in our state. And then we achieved an important goal, publish one issue featuring this character in our entire country. This gave us some visibility. Some time later, I started drawing illustrations for institutional issues. This was my real start.


Did you work as an assistant to any other artists? If so, please talk a bit about those experiences.
No, unfortunately I didn't have this chance.

How did your parents take to the idea of working in illustration?
My mother never liked the idea. And because this I went to another areas. But at last, I choose drawings as a lifestyle...

How would you describe your workspace? Is it part of your home, or do you go "to the studio"?
I have a room in my house to work in. Is a good place, I spend many hours there a day.

What job are you the proudest of?  What's your most embarrassing?
I'm very proud of my whole production... The only embarrassing stuff was the first ones. But I don't have them to show.

What are you currently drawing?  Comments on that project?
Nowadays I'm studying 3D a lot, making my everyday free lance jobs, and drawing for my portfolio.

Talk about your family: Parents, siblings, home situation. Are you married? Have kids? Names? 
My family is small but is good. We get along most of time, argue and fight a lot, you know, things all families do. They're a important part of me.

I'm single, and don't have kids. Who knows someday...   

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
My dreams are in animation and games areas... But I'd love to work doing illustrations for any manga related project.

Where do you see yourself in five years?  ten?
I see myself in a much better situation than now. It's what we all dream about, right?

What is the interest in comics where you live? Do friends and neighbors know you draw comics for a living?  How do they react?  
In Brazil people usually don't see drawing related jobs as a serious thing. Unfortunately. When you say to anyone you live by your drawings, people react in surprised ways. But always there are some people that understand and give you support.

What's one thing you'll always find in your refrigerator?  
Water. I drink a lot.

What's your favorite food?  
Italian food. I love all kinds of pasta. I like candies very much too, although I just eat sometimes.

What are your favorite interests --Movies?  Music?  TV?  Any hobbies?  Sports?  
I like to watch Disney/Pixar/Ghibli animations, and animes in general. I always had a passion for video games too, specially the old ones. Pac man is a classic!

I like to eletronic music too, mainly trance. It could sound strange, but I don't like to dance, just put the phones, and listen purely the music... I like Cranberries, Alanis, Bjork and some other pop idols too.

I don't watch tv, and in my spare time I just draw and read mangas.

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?  
Yes. In fact I have some, in my brain. Waiting to pop out.

Ever been in a gang?
No.

What's an average day in your life like?  Walk us through a typical day.
I usually wake up at 5 or 6 am. I take a walk of about 5km, and then back to my home I take a bath and sit on my computer. I define what I have to do that day, among personal or professional tasks, and then start doing. Usually I spend all day drawing, or 3D modeling. Just stop to eat, drink water, these things. Usually I go to bed about 11 pm.

Any humorous or interesting anecdotes to tell about the comics business?
Hum.. Not that I remember. 

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody's gotten to see published?
If I have some great project, I'd sell it for ILM! Hehe, just kidding. Usually I put every thing I do on the web. So I don't think I have hidden projects in my HD.

If you weren't a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
I think I'd back for teaching. I like to teach.

Have you taught comic-book art or had any assistants? 
Yes, I've already taught many people how to drawing. And 3D too.  

The single thing you'd most like to be remembered for in your life is...?
That I did a good job.

Any closing words for your fans?
Do I have fans?? Oh, yeah, my mother!
Just kidding. I love you all if you're really are mad enough to be my fans!

Credits:

Cartoonish stuff for a lot of brazilian projects and publications
Animation short for a radio's advertisement
(see this link:http://www.amauriilustra.com.br/movie.html for a detailed description of functions)
3D modeling and rendering for use on newspapers and printed publications. Illustration for child books.