Nathanna Erica

My name is Nathanna Érica and I'm an illustrator and paper artist based in São Paulo, Brazil. I can't imagine my life without art, and having graduated from Law school a few years ago made me see that doing anything else other than being an artist would be really difficult.

Have you always been creative and artistic?

Always! As long as I can remember! My mom tells me that when I was a baby - two or three years old - the "here comes the airplane" move was frequently replaced by drawing lessons. It worked every time, both for the vegetables (I love broccoli now!) and for what became my never-ending love for art!

How would you describe the style of your work?

I think my style is more closely inspired by classic animation - 2D traditional animation - which is an art form that I will always treasure and hope will someday make a comeback!

What’s in your pencil case and what’s your favorite tool?

My pencil case is full of everything - from metallic gel pens to bits of textured paper -, but scissors are my absolute favorite (and most necessary) tool! I think I have almost twenty different kinds of scissors!

Who is your favorite superhero?

I really love Catwoman and Wonder Woman. As much as I love Marvel comics, the darker and grittier tone of DC heroes and villains will always be my favorite.

If you could have one super power what would it be?

I really wish I could have the power to make people happier and kinder to one another and to the environment. There's so much anger and resentment in the world right now and not a lot we can do to change it individually. What wouldn't I do to be able to remedy that!

Where do you look for inspiration?

I find inspiration pretty much everywhere I look (I even see colors in numbers and days of the week, which is a condition called synesthesia) so for me, being outdoors, in contact with nature or watching my favorite shows and movies are activities equally inspiring! Animals - specially birds and horses - and their movements are also an endless source of inspiration to me.

Who are your favorite artists or comic book authors?

There are so many! I definitely am inspired by the great masters like Vermeer, Van Gogh and Klimt. I specially love the mixed media feel of Klimt's artworks, their geometric patterns and colors. As for contemporary artists, my favorite is definitely Mary Blair, with her exquisite use of bold color and shapes. She even used collage and paper cutting techniques on many of her most famous artworks, which makes her a goddess to me! Glen Keane is also a name that constantly pops up on my mind. His drawings and understanding of anatomy is something majestic.